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Alfred I. Du Pont: The Man and His Family
If Alfred I. du Pont was born to "the purple and ermine" of an American industrial dynasty, his life was far from peaceful, pampered, indolent. Beginning at the bottom as little more than a teamster and handyman, within fifteen years young du Pont was widely recognized as "the best black powderman in the nation" and the mechanical genius of the du Pont family. In 1902, upon the death of Eugene du Pont, Alfred was brash and confident enough to claim for himself the company his elders wanted to sell to their major competitor, Laflin and Rand. With two cousins, he formed a triumvirate which ultimately converted the old gunpowder company into the great chemical empire it is today.
In this brilliantly written, in-depth biography, Joseph Frazier Wall ranges from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours's spectacular rise in pre-Revolutionary France, to the family's migration to America and the founding of the Du Pont Company in Wilmington, to Alfred's death in 1935, charting the growth of one of America's great industrial dynasties. We meet Henry du Pont, the conservative leader of the third generation (he favored candles over electric lights in the office), who organized the entire gunpowder industry; Lammot du Pont, the crown prince of the third generation, who died tragically in an explosion at the Repauno plant; Eugene du Pont, whom Wall describes as "a director without direction"; and a host of other du Pont men and women. But Alfred du Pont remains the center of the narrative. Wall details his rejuvenation of the family company after Eugene's death, the bitter family feud that followed his marriage to his cousin Alicia, the fifteen-year battle that he waged with some of the family's most powerful members (leading to his ouster from the company in 1916), and his brilliant second career in Florida (where he pioneered the development of sound banking, transportation, and the paper industry).
This is the first biography of Alfred du Pont to appear in half a century. In preparing it, Wall had complete access both to Alfred's own papers in Florida as well as the vast collection of the du Pont archives in Wilmington. The result is a compelling story of one of America's most creative businessmen as well as an inside look at one of our most historically significant families.
In this brilliantly written, in-depth biography, Joseph Frazier Wall ranges from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours's spectacular rise in pre-Revolutionary France, to the family's migration to America and the founding of the Du Pont Company in Wilmington, to Alfred's death in 1935, charting the growth of one of America's great industrial dynasties. We meet Henry du Pont, the conservative leader of the third generation (he favored candles over electric lights in the office), who organized the entire gunpowder industry; Lammot du Pont, the crown prince of the third generation, who died tragically in an explosion at the Repauno plant; Eugene du Pont, whom Wall describes as "a director without direction"; and a host of other du Pont men and women. But Alfred du Pont remains the center of the narrative. Wall details his rejuvenation of the family company after Eugene's death, the bitter family feud that followed his marriage to his cousin Alicia, the fifteen-year battle that he waged with some of the family's most powerful members (leading to his ouster from the company in 1916), and his brilliant second career in Florida (where he pioneered the development of sound banking, transportation, and the paper industry).
This is the first biography of Alfred du Pont to appear in half a century. In preparing it, Wall had complete access both to Alfred's own papers in Florida as well as the vast collection of the du Pont archives in Wilmington. The result is a compelling story of one of America's most creative businessmen as well as an inside look at one of our most historically significant families.
685 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 18, 2019
A really impressive biographer is one who can glue you to the page with an absolute doorstop of a book about a guy you don't care about in the slightest. A ridonkulous soap opera of a family, with this book focusing on one particular scion of the blow-it-up gang who was particularly ridiculous. Weirdly fascinating.
September 13, 2011
Dry but very informative story of the DuPonts and the tragedies during the growth of their empire.
Some people consider them robber barons but these people worked hard and grew from nothing.
Some people consider them robber barons but these people worked hard and grew from nothing.
January 31, 2023
Alfred Irenee du Pont was born in 1864 in Delaware. He was born into the Du Pont de Nemours Gunpowder family. His mother was committed to an asylum when he was a teenager, dying shortly after. His father followed not much longer from tuberculosis. He did attended school, leaving to run the family business. He submitted a lot of patents, which I found really interesting to read about. Of course, this book covers a lot more than that of his life, including all of his marriages and financial troubles. He died in 1935, at the age of 70.
This book was a massive tome, something like 800 pages. I was never bored reading it, however, and the research was well done. I picked this book up for a dollar at my local used bookstore and it has been on my list for a while. I am slowly working through the unread books on my shelf and this one just happened to be next. I was interested in it because there is a Du Pont chemical factory in my city, and I had always wondered about the company and family that created it. This was a really informative book, and I always do enjoy reading about family dynasties.
This book was a massive tome, something like 800 pages. I was never bored reading it, however, and the research was well done. I picked this book up for a dollar at my local used bookstore and it has been on my list for a while. I am slowly working through the unread books on my shelf and this one just happened to be next. I was interested in it because there is a Du Pont chemical factory in my city, and I had always wondered about the company and family that created it. This was a really informative book, and I always do enjoy reading about family dynasties.
September 14, 2021
This is the best book to explain all things DuPont. Having visited many of the DuPont homes, this book really explains the family origins. It also explains the ecentric nature of many of the family members as well as the ruthless business dealings among the cousins. Alfred I. generously left behind a legacy from children in his hospitals but his personal life was very troubled. If you have visited the houses it really is worth a read.
April 16, 2022
This is a very readable, well written and interesting biography of Alfred I. Dupont. The author ties together technical and scientific happenings; political events/politicians/wars/presidents; big business; the Sherman Anti-Trust corruption; and the family.
October 7, 2020
No intention of reading this whole book but the first 100-or so pages are useful for my interpretation work at the Hagley Powder Yards & DuPont home Eleutherian Mills in Wilmington.
June 15, 2016
Visiting the Nemours Mansion in Delaware sparked an interest in learning more about the Du Pont family. (Nemours was built by Alfred I. Du Pont.) I chose a few books about the Du Ponts from the library and this book was just what I was looking for. It includes a lot of interesting family history from their French origins in the 1700s, their coming to America - along with the stories that make the family come to life. It is mostly chronological with a little backtracking when a new person comes into play. It is a very readable account of an interesting family.
I do believe that the family story would make an awesome TV show much like Downton Abbey. There is enough intrigue to keep a story going for quite a while. They may have become rich but they took risks and worked hard to get there - and then they gave a lot of it away to the of benefit others.
I do believe that the family story would make an awesome TV show much like Downton Abbey. There is enough intrigue to keep a story going for quite a while. They may have become rich but they took risks and worked hard to get there - and then they gave a lot of it away to the of benefit others.
February 24, 2015
Really long, and worth the read for the information on Alfred.
August 4, 2012
Great biography of the du Ponts from A.I. Du Ponts point of view
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews