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Baltimore and Ohio Receipt signed by Henry A. du Pont - Autographs

Inv# AU1579
Baltimore and Ohio Receipt signed by Henry A. du Pont - Autographs
State(s): Delaware
Maryland
Years: 1892

B&O receipt in the name of and signed by Henry A. du Pont. Measures 5 1/4" x 2 1/2".

Henry Algernon DuPont (1838-1926) Known as "Colonel Henry," was an American soldier and politician from Greenville, Delaware in New Castle County and grandson of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771–1834), the founder of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. He served as U. S. Senator from Delaware and was a member of the Republican Party.

Du Pont was born July 30, 1838 at Eleutherean Mills, near Greenville, Delaware, son of Henry and Louisa (Gerhard) du Pont. He attended the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1861.

He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers. Later he was promoted to 1st lieutenant in the 5th Regiment, U.S. Artillery and served as a light artillery officer in the U.S. Army during the American Civil War, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. At the beginning of the war he was assigned to the defenses of Washington, DC and New York Harbor, but in 1864 was part of General Philip Sheridan's Corps in the Shenandoah Valley of northern Virginia. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his handling of a retreat at the Battle of Cedar Creek, allowing Sheridan to ultimately win a victory in the battle. He stayed in the U.S. Army for ten years after the war. Du Pont married Mary Pauline Foster in 1874 had two children, Henry Francis du Pont and Louisa Evelina. They were members of the Episcopal Church.

In 1875 he returned to Delaware became president and general manager of Wilmington & Western Railroad Company from 1879 until 1899. During that time, and for the remainder of his life he operated an experimental farm on his estate now known as the Winterthur Museum and Grounds in Delaware. He was the cousin of U.S. Senator T. Coleman du Pont.

He was elected to the United States Senate on June 13, 1906, to fill the vacancy in the term beginning March 4, 1905 caused by the failure of the legislature to make a selection and was reelected in 1910. He served most of two terms from June 13, 1906–March 3, 1917, but was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1916 being defeated by Josiah O. Wolcott. During his term he was Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the War Department in the 61st and 64th Congresses, a member of the Committee on Military Affairs in the 62nd Congress, and a member of the Committee on Transportation and Sale of Meat Products in the 63rd Congress.

Henry A. du Pont died December 31, 1926 at Winterthur near Greenville, Delaware and is buried at the du Pont Cemetery, Greenville. His son, Henry Francis du Pont, developed his home into the well known Winterthur Museum.

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Condition: Excellent
Item ordered may not be exact piece shown. All original and authentic.
Price: $110.00