Crowninshield, Louise du Pont, 1877-1958

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Louise Evelina du Pont (1877-1958) was the daughter of Henry A. du Pont (1838-1926) and Pauline Foster du Pont (1849-1902). She was born, raised, and educated at the family estate, Winterthur, north of Wilmington, Delaware. A debutante whose coming-out party was held in New York in 1896, she socialized with members of the city's most exclusive families. During the late 1890s, she spent the winter months in the city, enjoying shopping and social life during the heyday of high society. Louise du Pont was also interested in charitable causes and in 1897 organized "Willing Helpers," a group of young women which met Saturday mornings to make clothing for babies at a Wilmington day nursery; she headed this group for three years.

In 1900, Louise du Pont married Francis Boardman Crowninshield (1869-1950), a renowned sportsman who raced yachts and was a expert marksman. There were no children by this marriage. The Crowninshields had homes in Marblehead and Boston, Massachusetts; Boca Grande, Florida; and the original du Pont family estate, Eleutherian Mills, north of Wilmington, Delaware.

Louise du Pont Crowninshield actively participated in charitable organizations, horticulture, historic preservation, and collected antiques and hooked rugs. One of her earliest historic restoration projects was the original du Pont family estate; Eleutherian Mills, where she resided during the spring and fall months. With her husband's eye for architectural detail, and Louise's love of nature, tegether, they developed a garden on the ruins of the Saltpetre Refinery which stood between Eleutherian Mills and the Brandywine River.

Louise was a founding trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1949 and was vice-chairman of the board in 1953. In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed her to the Boston National Historic Sites Commission. She was also involved with historic restoration in Virginia, particularly the Kenmore Association, of which she was a regent, (Kenmore was the Fredericksburg, Virginia, home of Fielding Lewis and his wife, Betty Washington Lewis, George Washington's sister). She often provided financial assistance and artifacts when needed at historic sites. In addition, she was a member or trustee of numerous historical societies, museums, art, and symphony organizations. Crowninshield's additional interests included travel and her pet dogs.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Oral history interviews, 1954-1984. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Louise du Pont Crowninshield letters 1929-1930 Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Francis Boardman Crowninshield Family Papers, 1778-1948, undated Peabody Essex Museum
referencedIn Du Pont, Pierre S. (Pierre Samuel), 1870-1954. Papers, 1880-1954. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Papers-Oxmoor Collection additional papers, 1920-1968 The Filson Historical Society
referencedIn Bertha S. Adkins Papers. 1928 - 1983. Personal Files, 1928 - 1983 Dwight D. Eisenhower Library
referencedIn Letters, 1938-1950. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Cultural Resource Management Records, 1955–2014 National Archives at Boston
referencedIn Du Pont, H. A. (Henry Algernon), 1838-1926. Papers, 1843-1926. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Records of the Awards Committee, 1959–1971 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Houghton Library printed book provenance file, A-D Houghton Library
creatorOf Papers Winterthur Library
referencedIn Papers Winterthur Library
referencedIn Rath, Frederick L. Papers of Frederick L. Rath, Jr., 1917-2001 (bulk 1937-1988) University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
referencedIn Du Pont, Louisa Gerhard, 1816-1900. Papers, 1836-1899. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Du Pont, Pauline Foster, 1849-1902. Papers, 1861-1902. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Henry Belin du Pont, Jr., papers, 1920-1970. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Louise du Pont Crowninshield papers 1800-1958 Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Kim Burdick research notes on Louise du Pont Crowninshield (photocopies) Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Walt Biddle oral history interview transcript Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Papers Winterthur Library
referencedIn Seamen's Coastwise Identification Cards, July 1918–October 1918 National Archives at Boston
referencedIn Papers Winterthur Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bauduy, Victorine du Pont, 1792-1861. person
associatedWith Biddle, Walt (Walter Arthur), 1925-1995, person
associatedWith Bullitt family. family
associatedWith Burdick, Kim, 1948- person
associatedWith Chandler, Sophie du Pont, 1851-1931. person
associatedWith Christ Church Christiana Hundred (Greenville, Del.) corporateBody
associatedWith Congress Hall (Philadelphia, Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Crowninshield family. family
associatedWith Crowninshield family. family
associatedWith Crowninshield, F. B. (Francis Boardman), 1869-1950. person
associatedWith Crowninshield, Francis Boardman, 1809-1877. person
associatedWith Crowninshield, Francis Boardman, 1869-1950. person
associatedWith Du Pont, Col. Henry Algernon, 1846-1926. person
associatedWith Du Pont family. family
associatedWith Du Pont, H. A. (Henry Algernon), 1838-1926. person
associatedWith Du Pont, H. A. (Henry Algernon), 1846-1926. person
associatedWith Du Pont, Henry, 1812-1889. person
associatedWith Du Pont, Henry Belin, 1898-1970. person
associatedWith Du Pont, Henry Francis, 1880-1969. person
associatedWith Du Pont, Louisa Gerhard, 1816-1900. person
associatedWith Du Pont, Pauline Foster, 1849-1902. person
associatedWith Du Pont, Pierre S. (Pierre Samuel), 1870-1954. person
associatedWith Du Pont, Sophie Madeleine, 1810-1888. person
associatedWith Eleutherian Mills (Greenville, Del. : Dwelling) corporateBody
associatedWith Foster, Herman Ten Eyck, 1822-1869. person
associatedWith Foster, Mary Pauline, 1849-1902. person
associatedWith Foster, Mary Pauline, 1849-1902. person
associatedWith Foster, Victorine du Pont, 1849-1934. person
associatedWith Garden Club of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Hagley Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith Houghton Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Irving, Ellen du Pont, 1843-1907. person
associatedWith Kenmore Association, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Lentilhon, Eliza Smith, 1802-1893. person
associatedWith Merrimack Manufacturing Company. corporateBody
associatedWith National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States. corporateBody
associatedWith Pringle, Nell McCall. person
associatedWith Rath, Frederick L., Jr. person
associatedWith Smith, Eleuthera du Pont, 1806-1876. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith United States. Army. Volunteer Cavalry, 1st. corporateBody
associatedWith Windsor, Edward, Duke of, 1894-1972. person
associatedWith Windsor, Wallis Warfield, Duchess of, 1896-1986. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Wilmington DE US
Winterthur DE US
Subject
Antiques
Cotton trade
Decorative art
Historic gardens
Historic preservation
Spanish
Yachts
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1877-08-03

Death 1958-07-11

Information

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SNAC ID: 87826995