Henry du Pont and his wife, Louisa Gerhard, papers, 1822-1896
Part of collection: E.I. du Pont's sons' papers (WMSS-VII)
Dates
- Creation: 1822-1896
Biographical Note
Henry du Pont (1812-1889) was an American military officer. He was born in 1812 at Eleutherian Mills near Wilmington, Delaware. He was educated at Mt. Airy College, Germantown, Pennsylvania, and at the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1829 to 1833. Upon his graduation from West Point in 1833, he was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the Fourth Artillery. He served at Fort Monroe, Virginia, and at Fort Mitchell, Alabama, when he resigned his commission at the request of his father and returned to Delaware to manage E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. In 1837, he and his brothers became partners in the firm. In 1850, he became the senior partner and director, continuing in this capacity until his death in 1889. Under his direction, the company purchased mills on Big Wapwallopen Creek in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in 1859 in order to supply blasting powder for the nearby Wyoming and Hazleton coal fields. This was the company's first operation outside Delaware. In 1872, Henry du Pont, with his nephew Lammot, took a leading part in the formation of the Gunpowder Trade Association to control the powder companies that had sprung up during the Civil War. Under his leadership, Du Pont first became a national organization.
In 1837, Henry du Pont married Louisa Gerhard (1816-1900). She was the daughter of William Gerhard (1774-1848) and Sarah Wood Gerhard (1781-1851). The couple had nine children and resided in the Du Pont family home, Eleutherian Mills, located north of Wilmington, Delaware.
In 1841, Henry du Pont was on the staff of the Governor of Delaware, and from 1846 to 1861 was Adjutant-General for the State of Delaware. In 1861, he was made Major General of the state troops, commanding Delaware's volunteers; thereafter, he was known as "The General." He is credited with doing much to keep Delaware on the Union side during the Civil War.
Henry du Pont was active in Delaware politics, first as a Whig and then as a Republican. He also farmed and became the third owner of Winterthur, one of his family's estates.
Scope and Contents
Henry du Pont's correspondence dates from his days as a student at Mt. Airy College and at West Point. Although there is a very small amount of information on the evolution of the Du Pont Company after the Civil War, the collection is more focused on local business, farming, and politics, and on Henry du Pont's militia career and the defense of Delaware during the Civil War.
Henry du Pont's miscellaneous papers include appointments, memberships, and commissions from his military career, both in the army and the state militia. From West Point, there is a notebook on military engineering, a roster of cadets, and a topographical map of West Point made by him. There is a list in his hand of Delaware men who served in the Civil War. There are also papers created by Henry du Pont in settling the estates of several family members, including Alexis I. du Pont and his maternal uncle, Joseph Charles Dalmas. There are also copies of Henry du Pont's own will and estate inventory. Also included are Henry du Pont's personal accounts and his accounts with E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., as well as other business papers, such as mortgages, deeds, leases, and lists of securities and real estate.
The Louisa Gerhard du Pont papers consist of correspondence, mostly outgoing, dating 1836, 1837, and from 1851 to 1899. Most of the letters were written to family members, including her son Henry A. du Pont, sister-in-law Sophie M. Du Pont, and daughter-in-law Pauline Foster du Pont. The letters contain news about the family, health, the children, clothing patterns, and servants. The incoming correspondence consists of letters from family members and friends.
Extent
From the Collection: 9.5 Linear Feet
Additional Description
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Related Names
Creator
- From the Collection: Du Pont, Alfred Victor, 1798-1856 (Person)
- From the Collection: Du Pont, Henry, 1812-1889 (Person)
- From the Collection: Du Pont, Alexis I. (Alexis Irénée), 1816-1857 (Person)
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
