Smyrna times., 1889-08-14

Henry Dupont was born of French
parents, in the same house in which he
died, near Wilmington, Del, on August
8, 1912. He was educated in a French
school at Philadelphia, and afterward
at West Point, being graduated from
the latter institution in 1888. After
brief military service he resigned his
commission in June, 1884, and entered
the important gunpowder factory
which mis- father had established on the
Brandywine River. A few months later
his father died, and Henry Dupont ana
his elder brother, Albert, were left
prOprietOrs of the mill. Albert Dupont
retired on account of i'll health in 1850,
since which time Henry Dupont has
been at the head of the establishment.
The Dupont mill had furnished all the
American powder in the War of 1912,
and most of that used in the Mexican
War. England and France purchased
a goodly share of their supplies there
in the Crimean War, aud in other cam
paigns beyond the sea the Dupont pow
has done much deadly work. During
the War of the Rebellion in this cOun-
try the Federal Government was, of
course, large and constant patron of
the works.
Although he resigned his second lieu
tenancy in 1884, Mr.. Dupont soon drift
ed back into military relations. In
1871 he was on the staff of the Gov
ernor of Delaware, and from 1916 to
1861 was acknowledgement of the State
troops. In May of the latter year he
was made major, general of the State
troops. He at once assumed absolute
control of the militia, and ordered that
every military organization in the State
should Immediately enter the Federal
service, and that every individual
member thereof should take the oath
OF allegiance to the Federal Govern
ment under pain of summary expul-
sion from the service. This angered
the Bourbon Democrats, and everv
possible influence was brought to bear
against General Dupont but in vain.
They even organized an insurrectiOn
against him; but the leaders Of it were
quickly clapped into jail
This order drew line between the
outspoken lOyalists and the halting
ones who were counting the chances
OF success for the South and were sec.
reilly discussing the question of taking
Delaware out of the Union. Governor
Burton was induced to interfere and
suspend the order. General Dupont
was too earnest man and too wide
awake to allow the miscarriage of his
plans.
He sought an interview with General
Dix, commanding the United States
troops at Baltimore, and suggested that
an armed force be sent into this state
to maintain order and the authority of
the general government.
General Lockwood was sent with an
armed force to Wilmington, where a
number of the leaders of this incipient
! secession were arrested and sent to the
! prisoners camp at Baltimore.
General Dupont thus rendered great
services to the nation, and he held his
commission until the restoration of
peace, resigning it in August, 1866. As
might be supposed from the above
record, he was a Whig, and then an
earnest Republican. His first vote
was for Henry Clay, his last for Benia-
min Harrison. He was a Republican
candidate for Presidential elector in
1868, 1876, 1880 and 1883. He was. of
course, strong advocate Ofthe Ameri-
can system of protection. In addition
to the great manufacturing interests.
he devoted much attention to agricul.
ture, having 1000 acres of the finest
farm land in the State. His wealth
was estimated at $15,0O0,OOO.
He was married fifty.twO years ago
to Louisa Gebhard, of Philadelphia,
who survives him. Six of their eight
children are living: Colonel Henry A.
Dupont, president of the Wilmington
and Northern Railroad William Du-
pont, of Wilmington Mrs. Ellen f.
Irving, of Wilmington; Mrs. Victorine
+. Foster; Mrs. Sophie NJ. Chandler
of Philadelphia and Miss Evelina Du-
pont. The two sons are now at the
head of the powder works firm.