Du Pont, Charles I. (Charles Irénée), 1797-1869

Charles I. Du Pont was the son of Victor Marie Du Pont and Albert Du Pont was the son of Eleuthérée Irénée Du Pont. Victor Marie Du Pont owned property in Angelica, N.Y.

Charles I. du Pont was born on March 29, 1797, the eldest son of Victor Marie du Pont and nephew of E. I. du Pont, the founder of the Du Pont Company. He studied at Mt. Airy College from 1809 to 1813, when he left school to enter business with his father. Upon the dissolution of the firm of Du Pont, Bauduy & Co., they formed the partnership of Victor & Charles I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. After the death of Victor du Pont in 1827, the firm continued to operate as Charles I. du Pont & Co. until 1856, when Charles I. du Pont retired and the interests of the company were acquired by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. An important part of the woolen business had been in supplying cloth to the United States for Army use.

Charles I. du Pont married in 1824 Dorcas Montgomery Van Dyke (1806-1838), daughter of Nicholas Van Dyke, of New Castle, Del. In 1841 he married Ann Ridgely (1815-1898), daughter of Henry Moore Ridgely of Dover, Del. Du Pont was active in civic and political affairs. In 1817 he became a trustee of the Brandywine Manufacturers' Sunday School. In 1830 he was elected a director of the Farmers Bank of the State of Delaware, at Wilmington, and continued as such for many years; he was president of the bank from 1865 to 1868. In 1833 he was an incorporator of the New Castle Manufacturing Co., established for the manufacture of cotton, woolen, and metal goods. He served two terms in the Delaware Senate, 1841-45 and 1853-57. In 1853 he was an incorporator and director of the Delaware Railroad Co. He was also a director of the Columbia Insurance Co. of Philadelphia, and of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad Co., as well as a vice president of the Delaware Improvement Association. Du Pont resided at Louviers, the home built by his father, and died there on January 31, 1869.