Du Pont, Henry Francis, 1880-1969

Curator of the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum; Winterthur, Delaware.

From the description of Henry F. Du Pont interview, 1962 Apr. 11. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122502900

Henry Francis du Pont was born at Winterthur, Del., on May 27, 1880, the son of Henry Algernon du Pont and the great-grandson of E. I. du Pont, the founder of the Du Pont Company. He was a director of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company from 1915 until his death in 1969, and a member of its executive committee (1916-1943); a director of the Wilmington Trust Company (1919-1969); and a director of General Motors (1918-1944) and a member of its finance committee (1918-1937). He was a major collector of American decorative arts of the 18th and 19th centuries, and the collection, housed in his home, became the Winterthur Museum in 1951.

From the description of The Winterthur Manuscripts 1588-1955. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 164039181

From the description of The Winterthur Manuscripts 1588-1955. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 164038448

The Antique Dealers papers is a separate collection of records that track the buying habits of Henry Francis du Pont and what dealers he patronized, such as J.A. Lloyd Hyde, Israel Sack, Joseph Kindig, and many oothers. The objects he bought are now in the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum.

From the description of Antique Dealers papers 1911-1957. (Winterthur Library). WorldCat record id: 668305914

Curator of the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum; Winterthur, Del.

From the description of Henry F. Du Pont interview, 1962 Apr. 11. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 669911289

Henry Francis du Pont, son of Col. Henry Algernon and Mary Pauline Foster du Pont, was born on May 27, 1880 at Winterthur, De. He attended Groton and Harvard University. In 1914, he assumed management of the Winterthur Farms and started an active breeding program which resulted in a world renown Holstein herd. Du Pont began collecting antiques around 1923 after a visit to the Webb estate in Shelburne, Vt. The product of his collecting, Winterthur Museum, opened in 1951. At the same time, he took an active interest in horticulture and expanded the gardens at Winterthur. Du Pont was active on many museum boards and committees. He served as chair of the Fine Arts Committee for the White House, a board member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and a board member of the New York Botanical Garden, among others.

In addition to his estate at Winterthur, du Pont owned Chestertown House at Southampton, Long Island, a house in Boca Grande, Fl., and an apartment on Park Ave., New York City. On June 24, 1916, he married Ruth Wales of Hyde Park, N.Y.; they had two daughters. Du Pont died on April 11, 1969 at Winterthur.

From the description of Papers, 1890-1969. (Winterthur Library). WorldCat record id: 122601789