Du Pont

The Du Pont de Nemours family constitutes a U. S. dynasty of business. Their dynasty is far from the popular fuzzy conception of ruthless, overweighing, overbearing power. Rather it is the retention in family business activities of family genius.

Pierre Samuel Du Pont de Nemours escaped from the turmoils of Revolutionary France in 1799 to found a family in the new U. S. In France he had gained fame as a political economist and statesman. The Revolutionists persecuted him. Napoleon he detested. So for three years he lived in New Jersey, then returned to France on an official mission for Jefferson. In 1815 he again emigrated to the U. S. and spent the remaining years of his life with his younger son, Eleuthere Irenee, who had in 1802 established powder mills near Wilmington. He died in 1817.

Practically all his descendants have kept in close contact with their ancestral explosive plants. Some have maintained the tradition of political activity. Henry Algernon Du Pont, son of Henry, grandson of Eleuthere Irenee, great-grandson of Pierre Samuel, was Senator from Delaware from 1906 to 1917. He spent much time in the Army, served in the Civil War, received medals and promotion to colonelcy. He retired from business in 1902, at 64, to work in agriculture, literature and politics. Another Senator of the family is Thomas Coleman Du Pont, appointed to represent Delaware 1921-22. His business interests have been chiefly in coal and iron mining and in the construction and management of street railways. He was President of the E. I. Du Pont de Nemours Powder Co. 1902-15.

Immediately at the head of the Du Pont interests in recent years have been the sons of Lammot Du Pont--Pierre Samuel now 56 years old, Irenee now 49, and Lammot now 46.

In 1915 the family manufacturing interests were consolidated in E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co. The bulk of munitions production for the Allies was coming to the company. Pierre Samuel assumed the Presidency. Irenee was Senior Vice President and Lammot Vice President and member of the Executive Committee. In 1919 Pierre Samuel became Chairman of the Board, Irenee President and Lammot Senior Vice President.

Last week another upward shift was made. Pierre Samuel stepped out of the Board Chairmanship to make way for Irenee. Lammot became President and Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Lammot Du Pont is a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as are his brothers. Upon graduation in 1902 he went into the family's black powder plants. He got no sinecure. He worked hard and eventually became general superintendent of the black powder department. Finally he became its director. He is a master of technique, knows all the Du Pont manufacturing processes--of dye-stuffs, pyralin, paints (Duco), chemicals, explosives. He also knows the administrative and financial aspects.

He will have contacts not only with his own E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co., but also with Du Pont Securities Co., General Motors Corp. (here Pierre Samuel remains Chairman; TIME, March 8), and their various allied organizations.