Alexis I. du Pont (1816-1857) was proprieter of his family business, E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, which began in the manufacture of gunpowder in 1802. He was the youngest child of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), the founder of the DuPont Company. This collection contains thirteen photographic items, mostly portraits of Alexis I. du Pont and other du Pont family members.

Margaretta “Meta” du Pont Coleman (1862-1938) was a descendant of Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) who founded the E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company with his son Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834) in 1802. The E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company is a chemical company more commonly referred to as the DuPont company. She collected family portraits while compiling a family genealogy. This collection includes daguerrotypes, tintypes, ambrotypes and other early portrait photographs of various family members.