Henry A. du Pont
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| Henry A. du Pont | |
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| June 13, 1906 – March 3, 1917 | |
| Preceded by | L. Heisler Ball |
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| Succeeded by | Josiah O. Wolcott |
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| Born | July 30, 1838 Greenville, Delaware |
| Died | December 31, 1926 Greenville, Delaware |
| Residence | Greenville, Delaware |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Mary Pauline Foster |
| Profession | soldier, railroad executive |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
Henry Algernon du Pont (July 30, 1838 – December 31, 1926), known as "Colonel Henry", was an American soldier and politician from Winterthur, New Castle County, Delaware.
He was the grandson of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, the founder of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, a veteran of the Civil War, and a member of the Republican Party, who served two terms as U. S. Senator from Delaware.
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[edit] Early Life and Family
Du Pont was born July 30, 1838 at Eleutherian Mills, near Greenville, Delaware, son of Henry and Louisa Gerhard du Pont and grandson of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, the founder of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
He married Mary Pauline Foster in 1874 and had two children, Henry Francis du Pont and Louisa Evelina. They were members of Christ Episcopal Church in Christiana Hundred and lived on the Winterthur estate near Greenville, Delaware. He attended the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1861.
Du Pont was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers. Later he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in the 5th Regiment, U.S. Artillery and served as a light artillery officer in the U.S. Army during the American Civil War, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. At the beginning of the war he was assigned to the defenses of Washington and New York Harbor, but in 1864 was part of General Philip Sheridan's Corps in the Shenandoah Valley of northern Virginia.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his handling of a retreat at the Battle of Cedar Creek, allowing Sheridan to ultimately win a victory in the battle. He stayed in the U.S. Army for ten years after the war.
In 1875 he returned to Delaware became president and general manager of the Wilmington & Western Railroad Company from 1879 until 1899. During that time, and for the remainder of his life he operated an experimental farm on his estate now known as the Winterthur Museum near Greenville, Delaware.
[edit] Political career
Du Pont was elected to the U.S. Senate on June 13, 1906, to fill the vacancy in the term beginning March 4, 1905. During this term, he served with the Republican majority in the 59th, 60th, and 61st U.S. Congress. In the 61st Congress he was Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the War Department.
He was again elected to the U.S. Senate in 1911. During this term, he served with the Republican majority in the 62nd Congress, but was in the minority in the 63rd, and 64th U.S. Congress. In the 62nd Congress he was again Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the War Department, in the 63rd Congress he was a member of the Committee on Military Affairs, and in the 64th Congress he was a member of the Committee on Transportation and Sale of Meat Products.
In the first popular election of a U.S. Senator in Delaware, du Pont lost his bid for a third full term in 1916 to Democrat Josiah O. Wolcott, the Delaware Attorney General. In all, he served most of two terms from June 13, 1906 to March 4, 1917, during the administrations of U.S. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft and Woodrow Wilson.
[edit] Death and Legacy
Henry A. du Pont died December 31, 1926 at Winterthur Museum near Greenville, Delaware and is buried at the du Pont Cemetery, Greenville, Delaware. His son, Henry Francis du Pont, developed his home into the well known Winterthur Museum.
[edit] Public offices
Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. U.S. Senators took office March 4th and have six year terms. Before 1913, the General Assembly elected the U.S. Senators, and afterwards they were popularly elected.
| Office | Type | Location | Elected | Took Office | Left Office | notes |
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| U.S. Senator | Legislature | Washington | 1906 | June 13, 1906 | March 3, 1911 | class 1 [1] |
| U.S. Senator | Legislature | Washington | 1911 | March 4, 1911 | March 3, 1917 | class 1 |
[edit] Election results
| Year | Office | Subject | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | U.S. Senator | Henry A. du Pont | Republican | 22,925 | 45% | Josiah O. Wolcott Hiram R. Burton |
Democratic Independent |
25,434 2,361 |
50% 5% |
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Carter, Richard B. (2001). Clearing New Ground, The Life of John G. Townsend, Jr.. Wilmington, Delaware: The Delaware Heritage Press. ISBN 0-924117-20-6.
- Dutton, William S. (1942). Du Pont One Hundred and Forty Years. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
- Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
- Johnson, William G. (April 1969). "The Senatorial Career of Henry Algernon du Pont". Delaware History 13: 234-51. ISSN: 0011-7765.
- Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.
[edit] Images
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress [1]
[edit] External links
Delaware’s Senators [5]
- The Political Graveyard [6]
[edit] Places with more information
- Historical Society of Delaware [7] 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (302) 655-7161
- University of Delaware Library [8] 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 831-2965
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Categories: 1838 births | 1926 deaths | American Episcopalians | Americans with Huguenot ancestry | Army Medal of Honor recipients | Delaware Republicans | Du Pont family | People from New Castle County, Delaware | People of Delaware in the American Civil War | Union Army officers | United States Senators from Delaware | West Point graduates
