Finding Aids

The Phoenix Iron and Steel Company began in the late eighteenth century as a manufacturer of cut nails. It later became a major producer of railroad rails and iron and steel structural members. It operated as the Phoenix Iron and Steel Company from 1950 to 1959, when it was reorganized as the Phoenix Steel Corporation. This small collection primarily consists of a sample of letters received by president Samuel J. Reeves (1872-1878), primarily concerned with the Girard Avenue Bridge contract. There is also a volume of annual reports by the superintendent and a company history written by Catherine S. Sisto in 1950.

The Phoenix Iron Company began in the late eighteenth century as a manufacturer of cut nails. It later became a major producer of railroad rails and iron and steel structural members. This small collection of records includes incoming correspondence chiefly relating to orders for and deliveries of iron for railroads.

The Phoenix Steel Company began in the late 18th century as a manufacturer of cut nails. It later became a major producer of railroad rails and iron and steel structural members. Claymont Division of the Phoenix Steel Corporation was established in 1960 when the company purchased the Claymont, Delaware steel plant from the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. This small collection of materials originating from the Claymont steel plant includes miscellaneous plant announcements, catalogs, labor agreements, photographs, company-issued newsletters, and brief historical essays on the Phoenix Steel Corporation and its predecessors.

The Phoenix Steel Company began in the late eighteenth century as a manufacturer of cut nails. It later became a major producer of railroad rails and iron and steel structural members. Their records include minutes (1856-1929); stock ledgers; brief of title papers and property maps; legal and financial correspondence and tax papers; account books; and a works diary.

Pierre A. Gentieu (1842-1930) was a long-time employee of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. Gentieu was born in France in 1842. He emigrated to the United States around 1859. He began working for DuPont in 1877. This collection is comprised of images taken by DuPont Company employee Pierre Gentieu from approximately 1880 to 1920. Gentieu's images document the DuPont Company Powder Yards along the banks of the Brandywine River in Wilmington Delaware. The collection documents the surrounding community along the Brandywine including worker's families, du Pont family homes, churches in the area, DuPont Company exposition displays, and other facets of social and work life in the area.

Pierre A. Gentieu (1842-1930) was a long-term employee of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company who created an invaluable photographic record of the company's Brandywine Mills at the turn of the century. This is a small group of photographs related to northern New Castle County, Delaware. There are two photographs taken by Pierre and Frederic A. Gentieu, father and son, who photographed an August outing with a large group of men, women, and children.

Pierre Gentieu (1842-1930) was an artist, photographer, and an employee of the DuPont Company for thirty-four years. Pierre Gentieu and his wife, Sarah Albina "Binie" Gentieu (1846-1925) had six children. Although three children had no issue, they had nine grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren. All six children worked for the DuPont Co. and several grandchildren did as well. This collection consists of nine albums that document the Gentieu family history, primarily the life of the patriarch of the family Pierre Gentieu (1842-1930). The albums contain originals and reproductions of correspondence, family trees, documents, photographs, and ephemera.

Pierre A. Gentieu was a long-term employee of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company who created an invaluable photographic record of the company's Brandywine Mills at the turn of the century. E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company is a chemical company more commonly referred to as the DuPont company. The company was established in 1802 by Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours and his son Eleuthère Irénée du Pont the company began with the production of gunpowder. This small collection includes original drymounted photographic prints of views near Henry Clay Village in Delaware by Pierre Gentieu. Several have simple hand drawn decorative borders on them and are signed. There are also several items related to DuPont Gunpowder and rifles.

Pierre A. Gentieu (1842-1930) was a photographer and a long-term employee of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, a chemical company more commonly referred to as the DuPont company. Gentieu's papers include correspondence with du Pont family members and coworkers, an account book of powder packed at the Hagley Yard (1858-1902), a record book with lists of explosions (1882-1909), time work sheets of powdermen during the 1890s, and a list of the principal events in the powder yards from 1882 to 1911.

Pierre Samuel "P.S." du Pont (1870-1954) was an industrialist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He was president of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company from 1915 to 1919 and chairman of the board of directors from 1919 to 1940. P.S. du Pont was the great-grandson of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), founder of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, and the great-great-grandson and namesake of the French economist Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817). This small collection includes a single letter from P.S. du Pont to J.P. Morgan & Company dated November 15, 1945. In the letter, du Pont discusses the purchase of ninety letters written by du Pont's ancestor and namesake, Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours, between 1815 and 1817, to be acquired per agent Pierre Le Sage. This letter and its carbon copy were never sent.

Pierre Samuel "P.S." du Pont (1870-1954) was an industrialist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He was president of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. from 1915 to 1919 and chairman of the board of directors from 1919 to 1940. This small collection consists of four Christmas greetings letters from Pierre S. du Pont to Joseph H. Odell (1871-1929), pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, New York. Odell was the officiant at Pierre S. du Pont and Alice Belin's (1872-1944) wedding on October 16, 1915.

Pierre Samuel "P.S." du Pont (1870-1954) was the great grandson of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), founder of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, and that company played a major role in P.S. du Pont's life. He is most well-known for developing the preeminent botanical gardens, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. This item is a matted portrait of P.S. du Pont, autographed on front beneath image area.

A Liberty ship was a World War II EC2 type cargo ship designed for the emergency ship building program. Over 2,700 of these ships were built. This item is a photograph which shows a stern of EC-2 Liberty ship.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. His son, Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), established E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., a black powder manufacturer, on the Brandywine River in Delaware. The collection contains photocopies of three letters of du Pont de Nemours du Pont to Etienne Alexandre Jacques Anisson du Perron (1749-1794) and Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847). The letters concern printing, natural sciences, and requesting scientific journals and bulletins.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. In 1800, accompanied by his sons, Victor Marie du Pont (1767-1827) and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), he arrived in America. The collection contains photocopies and microfilm of selected documents concerning du Pont de Nemours and members of his family from Mairie de Montargis and Mairie de Chevannes.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Françoise Robin du Pont (1748-1841) was the second wife of du Pont de Nemours. The collection contains photocopies of letters of both du Pont de Nemours. His letter regards obtaining a "safe conduct" passport while heading a scientific expedition being sent to North America by the Institute National. Her letters are with a Bergen Point, New Jersey former neighbor, C. Preudhomme, and his son.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Anne Louise Germaine de Staël-Holstein (1766-1817), known as Madame de Staël, was a writer, philosopher, and politically engaged woman who survived the French Revolution and was exiled multiple times by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). This collection contains two letters, one by du Pont de Nemours and one by de Staël. His letter was written the night the Bastille was stormed. Her undated letter concerns French relations with Sweden.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Anne Louise Germaine de Staël-Holstein (1766-1817), known as Madame de Staël, was a writer, philosopher, and politically engaged woman who survived the French Revolution and was exiled multiple times by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). This collection contains six photocopied letters of du Pont de Nemours to Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), and de Staël letters to unknown correspondents. The letters include references to the political situation in France, services of du Pont de Nemours printing establishment, and national affairs.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Victor Marie du Pont (1767-1827), the son of Pierre Samuel, was a French diplomat who later immigrated to the United States and established various trading companies before moving to Delaware. This collection contains three photocopied documents in French: a memoir by du Pont de Nemours, letter of Eustache Briux to Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord, and a letter from Victor du Pont to Talleyrand.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. He was an advocate for a national educational system and promoted Franco-American trade relations. This small collection consists of copies of letters and documents concerning du Pont de Nemours' apartments in Paris, France. There is also one copy of a letter from Emmanuel Crétet (1747-1809), Ministre de l'Intérieur.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. The collection contains letters written to and from du Pont regarding business ventures, sale of books, dealing with creditors, and the fame he had brought to the town of Nemours.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. The collection contains a letter he wrote to a colleague concerning his proposed voyage to America.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. He was an advocate for a national educational system and promoted Franco-American trade relations. In 1800, du Pont de Nemours emmigrated to the United States with his sons. This item is a letter from du Pont de Nemours to Claude-Antoine Guyot des Herbiers (1745-1825), a French writer, lawyer, and politician. The letter is written in French and congratulates Guyot des Hebiers on a recent political nomination.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. This item is a photocopy of a letter from du Pont de Nemours to Giovanni Fabroni (1752-1822), an Italian agronomist, economist, and chemist, regarding the latter's work on the grain trade.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. He was an advocate for a national educational system and promoted Franco-American trade relations. In 1800, du Pont emmigrated to the United States with his sons Victor Marie du Pont (1767-1827) and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834). This is one letter from du Pont de Nemours to President James Madison (1751-1836) thanking him for his assistance with obtaining travel passes and letters of introduction for his sons. The letter is written in French and is dated July 5, 1812.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. In 1800, accompanied by his sons, Victor Marie du Pont (1767-1827) and Eleuthère Irénée "E.I." du Pont (1771-1834), he arrived in America. This item is a letter to Jean-Barthélemy Lecouteaulx de Canteleu (1746-1818) concerning a newly invented brocade loom.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. This is a letter from du Pont de Nemours to his friend Joseph Jean Johannot (1748-1829), a Swiss banker living in Paris, regarding the receipt of a subscription.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Louis Marie de La Revelliere-Lepeaux (1753-1824) was a member of the French government in the time surrounding the French Revolution, including the Estates-General, the National Convention, and the French Directory. The letter from du Pont to La Revelliere-Lepeaux concern's du Pont's son Victor, who was then serving as French consul at Charleston, South Carolina.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. The collection contains a letter he wrote to Fermier General and Administrateur des Postes, offering advice on the handling of employees by Monneron and a collection of essays published by du Pont de Nemours about art exhibits in the Louvre in Paris.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. The letter he wrote to Philippe Albert Stapfer (1766-1840), Ministre de l'Interieur de la Republique Helvetique, concerns the Swiss political system and public educational system.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. This item is a letter from du Pont de Nemours to Pierre Fourault de Pavant (1762-1816), who was a notary in Paris for the Baronne de Sael-Holstein (1766-1817).

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Rémi Boucher de Molandon (1765-1824), was a council member in the Administrateur du Département du Loiret in New Orleans, France. This is one handwritten letter from du Pont de Nemours to Boucher de Molandon concerning the transfer of a general from the Minister of War to another department. The letter is dated June 4, 1797 and written in French.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Rémi Boucher de Molandon (1765-1824), was a council member in the Administrateur du Département du Loiret in Orléans, France. This is one handwritten letter from du Pont de Nemours to Boucher de Molandon concerning the treatment of unidentified prisoners.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. In 1800, accompanied by his sons, Victor Marie du Pont (1767-1827) and Eleuthère Irénée "E.I." du Pont (1771-1834), he arrived in America. In 1802, E.I. du Pont established E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, which began manufacturing gunpowder. This item is a letter written to President Thomas Jefferson about du Pont de Nemours' son, E.I. du Pont, as a gunpowder manufacturer and requesting Jefferson's opinon on the matter of refining saltpetre.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. In 1800, accompanied by his sons, Victor Marie du Pont (1767-1827) and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), he arrived in America. Du Pont de Nemours and his sons established the commission house of Du Pont de Nemours, Père et Fils & Cie. in New York. In 1800, Victor Marie du Pont established a trading company, Victor du Pont de Nemours & Co. This small collection consists of two letters regarding finances of business affairs.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. This collection consists of two handwritten letters in French from du Pont de Nemours. The first letter is to an uknown recipient referred to as "mon cher Prédecesseur," and the second letter is to Pierre-Charles-Louis Baudin (1748-1799), politician and French revolutionary, who was opposed to the execution of King Louis XVI (1754-1793).

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator (1739-1817). The letters to Carl Fredrik, Comte de Scheffer, of Sweden (1715-1786), were part of a series to supply news from Paris, intended for Gustavus III, King of Sweden. Subjects include reviews of literary works, comments on political subjects, freedom of the press, du Pont accepting a Swedish knighthood, and biography of M. Turgot.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator (1739-1817). The letters to Carl Fredrik, Comte de Scheffer, of Sweden (1715-1786) were part of a series to supply news from Paris, intended for Gustavus III, King of Sweden. Topics include volumes on political economy, a work by M. de Gebelin, formation of a Polish army, French financial matters, and Anne Robert Jacques Turgot's (1727-1781) retirement as French minister of Finance.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. In the letters to Marie Charles César de Fay, Comte de Latour-Maubourg (1756-1831), du Pont de Nemours explains plans for creating a French colony in America.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. At the onset of the French Revolution, he served as a member of the Assemblée Nationale Constituante, where he allied himself with the moderate Girondist faction. After the leader of the Jacobin movement, Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794), took power, du Pont was arrested in July 1794, but he escaped execution. On January 3, 1800, accompanied by his sons, he arrived in America. This small collection consists primairly of letters from du Pont de Nemours to Philippe Nicolas Harmand (1759-1839), director of pensions under the Empire, then first clerk for the Public Debt from 1814 to 1821. Harmand was the tutor of du Pont de Nemour's sons and a loyal family friend. Harmand brought du Pont de Nemours food during his period of concealment. These letters include references to financial and business affairs, as well as personal and family news.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. At the onset of the French Revolution, he served as a member of the Assemblée Nationale Constituante (1789-1791), where he allied himself with the moderate Girondist faction. After the leader of the Jacobin movement, Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794), took power, du Pont de Nemours was arrested in July 1794, but he escaped execution. In 1800, accompanied by his sons, he arrived in America. His younger son, Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), was a pupil of the chemist Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794). This small collection consists of two letters to Charles de Pougen (1755-1833) of the Institut de France, as well as a microfilm reel of a selection of letters and documents pertaining to Antoine Lavoisier's trial and execution and du Pont de Nemours' political and intellectual career.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. These are three photocopies of items related to Madame de Staël. Anne Louise Germaine de Staël-Holstein (1766-1817), known as Madame de Staël, was a writer, philosopher, and politically engaged woman who survived the French Revolution and was exiled multiple times by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821).

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. During the summer of 1771, du Pont de Nemours tutored the son of Carl Friedrich von Baden (1728-1811), Carl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden (1755-1801). Carl Friedrich von Baden was the Margrave and then later the Grand Duke of Baden, a territory in the southwest of Germany, which at the time was part of the Holy Roman Empire. This collection consists of two microfilm reels and twenty-six photocopies of correspondence between du Pont de Nemours and members of Baden's court--the Grand Duke (Margrave at the time) and the Heredity Prince--pertaining to the activities of Baden's court, economics, and the education of the Heredity Prince.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. He was an advocate for a national educational system and promoted Franco-American trade relations. The collection consists of Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours correspondence and writings in addition to correspondence of his second wife, Françoise (Robin) Poivre.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. In 1802, he held various government posts under Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). In 1803, he aided President Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) in negotiations for the Louisiana Purchase, a land deal transferring ownership of more than 530 million acres of territory to the United States from France. The principal item of this collection is a letter to James Monroe, minister plenipotentiary to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase, dated May 7, 1803. The letter is encased in a leather bound portfolio containing the original handwritten French letter, a typed English translation, and three other items.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. In 1800, accompanied by his sons, Victor Marie du Pont (1767-1827) and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), he arrived in America. This item is a pasteboard box for containing filed letters, made in France prior to 1799 and used by du Pont de Nemours to carry part of his papers when the family emigrated to America.

Pierre Samuel du Pont, IV (1935 -2021), known by many as "Pete," was the sixty-eighth governor of Delaware from 1977 to 1985. In 1987, du Pont started his campaign for president, running as a Republican candidate. After his withdrawal from the presidential race, Pete du Pont resigned from politics and became a partner at Delaware law firm Richards, Layton & Finger. Du Pont was a published writer and member of several academic and political institutions throughout his life and professional career. The collection is predominantly textual material, the bulk of which is du Pont's published writing and professional correspondence as a politician and lawyer. There are photographic prints included that document du Pont's personal life with his family and general du Pont family legacy media coverage. The video portion chronicles du Pont's public appearances, as well as television programs and forums that highlight general conservative talking points, and the work of the National Center for Policy Analysis. The material spans from the mid-twentieth century to the early twenty-first century.

Pierre Samuel "P.S." du Pont (1870-1954) was an industrialist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He was president of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company from 1915 to 1919 and chairman of the board of directors from 1919 to 1940. P.S. du Pont was the great-grandson of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), founder of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, and the great-great-grandson and namesake of the French economist Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817). During the early 1920s, P.S. du Pont became an active collector of Du Pont materials, and bought several important bodies of manuscripts from French dealers. This collection consists of manuscripts he collected that are primarily concerned with Du Pont de Nemours, the Physiocrats, the French Revolution, and the antecedents of the Du Ponts and allied families in France. The collection also contains the Wilmington & Kennett Turnpike Co. records dating from 1811 to 1921 that were acquired by P.S. du Pont from 1919 to 1920 when he purchased the company's stock, widened the road, and turned over its administration to the Delaware State Highway Department.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. At the onset of the French Revolution, he served as a member of the Assemblée Nationale Constituante (1789-1791), where he allied himself with the moderate Girondist faction. After the leader of the Jacobin movement, Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794) took power, du Pont was arrested in July 1794, but he escaped execution. This is a letter from du Pont de Nemours to Félix Faulcon (1758-1843), a former member of the Constituent Assembly, in which he describes his arrest and imprisonment in La Force prison in Paris.

World's Fairs or International Expositions are large-scale exhibitions highlighting technology, agriculture, and other innovations of national or cultural significance. The New York World's Fair occurred in Flushing Meadows, Queens, from April 30, 1939, to October 31, 1940. The theme was "The World of Tomorrow." This souvenir diary and photograph album combines official drawings and photographic images of buildings at the 1939 New York World's Fair with a personal photograph album and diary section, in which the reader was to record his or her own memories of the fair. The diarist who completed this souvenir remains unidentified.