Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Henry DU PONT
Du Pont, Henry, manufacturer, was born at Eleutherean Mills, near Wilmington, Del., Aug. 8, 1812; second son of Eleuthére Irénée Du Pont de Nemours and Sophie Madeleine (Dalmas) Du Pont. He graduated at the U.S. military academy in 1833; commissioned brevet second lieutenant 4th U.S. artillery, July 1, of that year, and was stationed at Fort Monroe, Va., and later at Fort Mitchell, Ala., in
the Creek Indian country. On the 15th July, 1834, he resigned from the army and came home to help his father in the manufacture of gunpowder at Eleutherean Mills. On the retirement of his elder brother in 1850 he became the head of the firm of E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co., and under his management the business made astonishing strides. From 1846 to 1861 he was adjutant-general of his
state and in May of the latter year was made major-general and commander of the entire military force raised and to be raised in Delaware, when his first order was that every man in the military service of the state should take an oath of allegiance to the United States or surrender his arms. The governor suspended this order and Du Pont then called upon General Dix, at that time in command in Baltimore, who sent troops to Delaware to maintain the Federal supremacy. Originally an old line Whig, Du Pont became one of the leaders of the Republican party in his state and was five times its candidate for presidential elector. He was for over forty years inspector of elections or challenger at the polls. He inherited his father's and his grandfather's marked love for agriculture and was a very extensive landholder. He was married in 1837 to Louisa Gerhard. He died at Eleutherean Mills, Del., Aug. 8, 1889.
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