Du Pont, Alfred Victor, 1798-1856

Alfred Victor du Pont was the eldest son of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. He joined the gunpowder firm of E.I. du Pont & Company in 1818 and was senior partner from 1834 to 1850.

Alfred Victor du Pont (1798-1856), son of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont was born in Paris and came to the United States in 1800. He was educated at Mt. Airy and Dickinson Colleges. He studied chemistry at Dickinson under Thomas Cooper, a disciple of Joseph Priestly. In 1818 he joined the firm E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. Upon the death of his father in 1834 he formed a new partnership with his brother-in-law, James Antoine Bidermann. In 1837 Alfred Victor du Pont became the senior partner. He retired in 1850. He was primarily interested in developing methods for improving the manufacture of black powder. He worked with Ellwood Morris, a Philadelphia engineer, evaluating the efficiency of turbines at the Du Pont mills.

Also included are an arithmetic copy book and school papers from Mt. Airy College; papers relating to the estate of his father, E.I. du Pont; papers relating to land sales in New Castle County, Del.; building plans and notes on building a barn.