Francis I. du Pont
Encyclopedia
Francis Irénée du Pont was an American
chemist
, and manager
at the E.I. du Pont de Nemours Company
. He was the great grandson of its founder, Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
.
Frances I. du Pont was the eldest son of Frances G. du Pont
and Elise Wigfall Simons. He was born and grew up at Hagley
, near Greenville
, Delaware
, attended the University of Pennsylvania
and graduated from Yale University
’s Sheffield Scientific School in 1895. He was placed at his father's Carney's Point, New Jersey
facility, where he joined in the research into the development of the new smokeless powder. This product was high sought after as the military was moving towards its use. He was known for his scientific expertise and managerial abilities, became superintendent of Carney's Point, and was the first head of DuPont’s new Experimental Station research facility in 1904.
When the company was reorganized following its purchase by the three cousins, Alfred I. du Pont
, Pierre S. du Pont
, and T. Coleman du Pont
in 1903, Frances I. du Pont was named to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. With T. Coleman du Pont
as President the company continued to grow, but within a few years Pierre S. du Pont
became the acting president and effective leader of the company. In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I
and the declining health of T. Coleman du Pont
, Pierre and Coleman sought a way to have the company buy Coleman's share of the company and redistribute it to some of the most highly valued non-family members in the company management. This effort, along with other more personal factors, touched off a full scale break between the cousins. Francis sided with Alfred I. du Pont
in the contest, but by 1916 they had lost control and Francis lost his seat on the Board of Directors.
After leaving the company, he and his brother, Ernest du Pont, organized the U.S.F. Powder Company, which produced for the U.S. Navy a flashless powder for cannon. In 1922 he became Treasurer for the du Pont Motor Company and, with his son, Edmund du Pont, founded a Wall Street brokerage in 1931.
In 1913, he published, through Saylor Show Print, Wilmington, DE, "Taxation: A Treatise written by F. I. DuPont" developing the ideas of Henry George
(1839-1897), the Philadelphia-born author of "Progress and Poverty," which remains the best-selling book ever on political economy. In his treatise, he examines various potential tax bases, and concludes that taxation of privilege, through taxation of land value, is the most desirable alternative. He calls land speculation "a gross misuse of the power of government" which ought to be abolished by taxation, in order to create prosperity. He ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Wilmington on that platform on the Progressive ticket.
Francis I. du Pont died on March 16, 1942.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
, and manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
at the E.I. du Pont de Nemours Company
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
. He was the great grandson of its founder, Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours , known as Irénée du Pont, or E.I. du Pont, was a French-born Huguenot chemist and industrialist who immigrated to the United States in 1799 and founded the gunpowder manufacturer, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company...
.
Frances I. du Pont was the eldest son of Frances G. du Pont
Francis Gurney du Pont
Francis Gurney du Pont was the creator of smokeless gunpowder and the youngest son of Alexis I. du Pont and the grandson of E. I. du Pont. Francis served as superintendent of the Upper and Lower Hagley Yards and later as general manager of Carney’s Point, New Jersey, in 1891. His invention was...
and Elise Wigfall Simons. He was born and grew up at Hagley
Hagley Museum and Library
The Hagley Museum and Library is a nonprofit educational institution located in Wilmington, Delaware. Hagley Museum and Library collects, preserves and interprets the history of American enterprise.- Hagley Library :...
, near Greenville
Greenville, Delaware
Greenville is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,326 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Greenville is located at ....
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, attended the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and graduated from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
’s Sheffield Scientific School in 1895. He was placed at his father's Carney's Point, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
facility, where he joined in the research into the development of the new smokeless powder. This product was high sought after as the military was moving towards its use. He was known for his scientific expertise and managerial abilities, became superintendent of Carney's Point, and was the first head of DuPont’s new Experimental Station research facility in 1904.
When the company was reorganized following its purchase by the three cousins, Alfred I. du Pont
Alfred I. du Pont
Alfred Irénée du Pont was an American industrialist, financier and philanthropist. A member of the influential Du Pont family, Alfred du Pont first rose to prominence through his work in his family's Delaware-based gunpowder manufacturing plant, E. I...
, Pierre S. du Pont
Pierre S. du Pont
Pierre Samuel du Pont was president of the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company from 1915 to 1919, and served on its Board of Directors until 1940...
, and T. Coleman du Pont
T. Coleman du Pont
Thomas Coleman du Pont was an American engineer and politician, from Greenville, Delaware. He was President of the of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and a member of the Republican Party who served parts of two terms as United States Senator from Delaware...
in 1903, Frances I. du Pont was named to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. With T. Coleman du Pont
T. Coleman du Pont
Thomas Coleman du Pont was an American engineer and politician, from Greenville, Delaware. He was President of the of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and a member of the Republican Party who served parts of two terms as United States Senator from Delaware...
as President the company continued to grow, but within a few years Pierre S. du Pont
Pierre S. du Pont
Pierre Samuel du Pont was president of the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company from 1915 to 1919, and served on its Board of Directors until 1940...
became the acting president and effective leader of the company. In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the declining health of T. Coleman du Pont
T. Coleman du Pont
Thomas Coleman du Pont was an American engineer and politician, from Greenville, Delaware. He was President of the of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and a member of the Republican Party who served parts of two terms as United States Senator from Delaware...
, Pierre and Coleman sought a way to have the company buy Coleman's share of the company and redistribute it to some of the most highly valued non-family members in the company management. This effort, along with other more personal factors, touched off a full scale break between the cousins. Francis sided with Alfred I. du Pont
Alfred I. du Pont
Alfred Irénée du Pont was an American industrialist, financier and philanthropist. A member of the influential Du Pont family, Alfred du Pont first rose to prominence through his work in his family's Delaware-based gunpowder manufacturing plant, E. I...
in the contest, but by 1916 they had lost control and Francis lost his seat on the Board of Directors.
After leaving the company, he and his brother, Ernest du Pont, organized the U.S.F. Powder Company, which produced for the U.S. Navy a flashless powder for cannon. In 1922 he became Treasurer for the du Pont Motor Company and, with his son, Edmund du Pont, founded a Wall Street brokerage in 1931.
In 1913, he published, through Saylor Show Print, Wilmington, DE, "Taxation: A Treatise written by F. I. DuPont" developing the ideas of Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
(1839-1897), the Philadelphia-born author of "Progress and Poverty," which remains the best-selling book ever on political economy. In his treatise, he examines various potential tax bases, and concludes that taxation of privilege, through taxation of land value, is the most desirable alternative. He calls land speculation "a gross misuse of the power of government" which ought to be abolished by taxation, in order to create prosperity. He ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Wilmington on that platform on the Progressive ticket.
Francis I. du Pont died on March 16, 1942.
Places with more information
- Hagley Museum and Library 298 Buck Road East, Wilmington, DE, (302) 658-2400.
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