Charles Irénée du Pont and his wives papers, 1797-1881
Part of collection: Victor Marie du Pont's children's papers (WMSS-V)
Dates
- Creation: 1797-1881
Biographical Note
Charles Irénée du Pont was born on March 29, 1797. He studied at Mt. Airy College in Germantown, Pennsylvania, from 1809 to 1813, when he left school to enter business with his father. Upon the dissolution of the firm of Du Pont, Bauduy & Co., they formed the partnership of Victor & Charles I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. in 1815, for the operation of a woolen factory at Louviers, a site located across the Brandywine River from the powder factory of E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. After the death of his father in 1827, the firm continued to operate as Charles I. du Pont & Co. until 1856, when Charles I. du Pont retired and the interests of the company were acquired by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. An important part of the woolen business had been in supplying cloth to the United States for Army use.
Charles I. du Pont married Dorcas Montgomery Van Dyke (1806-1838) in 1824. In 1841, he married Ann Ridgely (1815-1898). Du Pont was active in civic and political affairs. In 1817, he became a trustee of the Brandywine Manufacturers' Sunday School. In 1830, he was elected a director of the Farmers Bank of the State of Delaware, at Wilmington, and continued as such for many years; he was president of the bank from 1865 to 1868. In 1833, he was an incorporator of the New Castle Manufacturing Co., established for the manufacture of cotton, woolen, and metal goods. He served two terms in the Delaware Senate, from 1841 to 1845 and from 1853 to 1857. In 1853, he was an incorporator and director of the Delaware Railroad Co. He was also a director of the Columbia Insurance Co. of Philadelphia, and of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad Co., as well as a vice president of the Delaware Improvement Association. Du Pont resided at Louviers, the home built by his father, and died there on January 31, 1869.
Dorcas Montgomery Van Dyke (1806-1838) was the daughter of Nicholas Van Dyke (1769-1826) and Mary Van Lekvenigh Van Dyke (1768-1831) of New Castle, Delaware. The Van Dyke male family members were active in government, with Nicholas Van Dyke serving in both the state and federal government. He was a member of the U.S. Senate from 1817 to 1826. Dorcas Van Dyke married Charles I. du Pont in 1824. The Marquis de Lafayette attended the wedding. The couple had five children. She died in 1838 after a long illness.
Ann Ridgely (1815-1898), the daughter of Henry Moore Ridgely (1779-1847) and Sarah Banning Ridgely (1787-1837) of Delaware, married Charles I. du Pont in 1841, and was his second wife. They had two children.
Scope and Contents
The Charles I. du Pont papers include his incoming and outgoing correspondence. While most of his correspondence is personal in nature, there are also observations on political and military matters in letters to his brother, Samuel Francis Du Pont. Business records of Charles I. du Pont & Co. include accounts and notes, as well as a list of employees subscribing to a fund for an injured co-worker. Other representative elements include correspondence with James J. Barclay of Philadelphia, a friend of many years, and with Louis Paul D'Autremont, the Comte de Menou, and Edward Livingston concerning claims of the Comte de Coëtlogon and the heirs of John Law (1671-1729) to lands included in the Louisiana Purchase. Charles I. du Pont appears to have succeeded his father as agent for the French claimants in the United States when they petitioned Congress on the subject. Livingston was a member of Congress at the time from Louisiana. Law's financial operations, which ended in the "Mississippi Bubble," included the acquisition of a vast estate in what is now Arkansas.
The Dorcas du Pont papers consist of letters to her sister-in-law, Sophie M. du Pont, which primarily discuss her poor health. The papers also include her obituary.
The Ann Ridgley du Pont papers consist of outgoing correspondence to family members, the majority to her sister-in-law, Sophie M. du Pont. There are also letters to Pauline Foster du Pont, Samuel Francis Du Pont, and Eleuthera du Pont Smith. The letters discuss family activities, health, and the deaths of family members.
Extent
From the Collection: 3 Linear Feet
Additional Description
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Related Names
Creator
- From the Collection: Du Pont, Amelia, 1796-1869 (Person)
- From the Collection: Du Pont, Charles I. (Charles Irénée), 1797-1869 (Person)
- From the Collection: Shubrick, Julia du Pont, 1806-1882 (Person)
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
