Eugene du Pont
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Eugène du Pont
| image = Eugene du Pont.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1840|11|16}}
| birth_place = New Castle County, Delaware
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1902|01|28|1840|11|16}}
| death_place = Christiana Hundred, Delaware
| death_cause =
| resting_place = Du Pont de Nemours Cemetery
| resting_place_coordinates =
| alma_mater = University of Pennsylvania (B.A. 1861)
| education =
| occupation =
| known_for =
| party =
| spouse = Amélia Elizabeth du Pont
| children = {{ubl|Anne Ridgely|Alexis Irénée III|Mary Van Dyke|Eugene Jr.|Amy Elizabeth|Julia Sophia}}
| parents = {{ubl|Alexis Irénée du Pont|Joanna Maria Smith}}
| relations =
| boards = E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.
}}
Eugène du Pont (November 16, 1840 – January 28, 1902) was an American businessman who served as the first head of the modern-day DuPont corporation.{{cite web|url=http://www2.dupont.com/Phoenix_Heritage/en_US/1889_detail.html |title=DuPont.com: Eugene du Pont |publisher=DuPont |access-date=January 21, 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1902/01/29/101932112.pdf |title=Eugene du Pont Dead |date=January 29, 1902|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 22, 2015}}
Life and education
Du Pont was born on November 16, 1840, at Hagley House in New Castle County, Delaware, son of Alexis Irénée du Pont and grandson of DuPont founder Éleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771–1834). His brothers were Alexis Irénée du Pont Jr. and Francis Gurney du Pont. Eugène was the first head of the modern DuPont corporation, seeing the corporation into the 20th century.{{cite web|url=http://www2.dupont.com/Phoenix_Heritage/en_US/1889_detail.html |title=Heritage: Eugene du Pont|publisher=DuPont |access-date=January 21, 2015}}
Eugène graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1861 with a bachelor of arts degree.{{cite web|url=http://www.archives.upenn.edu/primdocs/upg/upg7/1861prog.pdf |title= 1861 Commencement Program|publisher=University of Pennsylvania|access-date=January 22, 2015}}
Career
After he graduated from Penn in 1861, he became an assistant to his older cousin, Lammot du Pont (1831–1884), at the Brandywine Mills laboratory and by 1886, filed two patent applications for a gunpowder press and new variety of powder, brown prismatic. He became junior partner in 1864. He succeeded his uncle, Henry du Pont (1812–1889), as senior partner in 1889.
As senior partner, du Pont saw the completion of a new office in Wilmington and the new invention called the telephone. He also saw the rise of the dynamite industry and helped form the Eastern Dynamite Company in 1895. 1912, the Eastern Dynamite Company formally merged with DuPont.
After du Pont's death, the company was brought under control by three of his nephews, Alfred I. du Pont, T. Coleman du Pont and Pierre S. du Pont.
Personal life
File:Amelia Elizabeth du Pont 1842-1917.jpg
Eugène married Amélia Elizabeth du Pont, who was also born a du Pont as the daughter of Charles I. du Pont (1797–1869), nephew of Éleuthère Irénée. Together they had had:
- Anne Ridgely du Pont (1867–1944)
- Alexis Irénée du Pont III (1869–1921)
- Mary Van Dyke du Pont (1871–1871)
- Eugène Irénée du Pont Jr. (1873–1956)
- Amy Elizabeth du Pont (1875–1962), who did not marry.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Miss Amy Du Pont Dies |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0816F93E5D117B93C5A81789D85F468685F9 |quote=Miss E. du Pont, great-granddaughter of the founder of the E.I. du Pont de Nemours business enterprises, centered in Wilmington, Del., died today in ... |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 17, 1962 |access-date=2012-11-27 }}
- Julia Sophia du Pont
Eugène du Pont died at his home in Christiana Hundred near Wilmington, Delaware on January 28, 1902.
=Descendants=
His daughter Amy Elizabeth du Pont was a prominent benefactor of the University of Delaware. His granddaughter, Ethel du Pont (1916–1965), was the first wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. (1914-1988).{{cite news|last1=Jones|first1=David R.|title=Ethel du Pont Dead In Apparent Suicide Ethel du Pont, Heiress, Is Apparent Suicide at Suburban Detroit Home|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1965/05/26/101550607.html?pageNumber=1|access-date=13 August 2016|work=The New York Times|date=May 26, 1965}}
References
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{{DuPont}}
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