The largest single collection in our manuscripts holdings is the duPont Family Papers (1767-1982). This collection consists of three parts: the papers of Jessie Ball duPont comprising 115 linear feet; the papers of Alfred I. duPont comprising 33 linear feet; and the Nemours papers comprising 12 linear feet.

Jessie Ball duPont (1884-1970) was an educator, a business executive and one of the great philanthropists of American history. She was born in the Northern Neck of Virginia and pursued an early career as a teacher and school principal. She married Alfred I. duPont in 1921 and survived him at his death fourteen years later. She magnificently expanded her early commitment to education by becoming a notable benefactor to hundreds of educational institutions including Washington and Lee University. She gave over $100,000,000 to charitable causes in her lifetime. In 1959 she was elected to the Board of Trustees of Washington and Lee University and thus became the first woman to hold that position. She remained a member of the Board until her death in 1970. For detailed information on Mrs. duPont's life and philanthropic pursuits see Richard Greening Hewlett's 1992 biographical study, Jessie Ball duPont (in our Rare Book collection).

The Jessie Ball duPont Papers are arranged in five series: correspondence, financial statements and reports, general, photographs and printed material. The great majority of the papers cover the period from her marriage in 1921 through the end of her life. Of particular interest for Washington and Lee is her correspondence with President Francis Pendleton Gaines and President Fred C. Cole. There is additional Jessie Ball duPont correspondence in the Trustees Record Group of the W&L University Archives collection.

Alfred Irenee duPont (1864-1935) was a descendant of the wealthy and influential duPont family of Delaware who became highly successful in American business ventures. He was one of the founders of the company that evolved into the modern duPont chemical company. His third wife was Jessie Dew Ball whom he had known as a family friend since 1898. He was also a supporter of numerous charities in his lifetime and these were continued and expanded by his wife following his death. A good biographical study of duPont is Joseph Frazier Wall's 1990 work, Alfred I. duPont: The Man and His Family (in our Rare Book collection).

The Alfred I. duPont Papers are concentrated on the period, 1900-1935, and cover the broad range of his activities. He produced a very large body of personal correspondence. Business and financial correspondence are also well represented in the collection. The finding aid describes the collection as documenting ". . . in fascinating detail the day-to-day lifestyle and spending habits of one of the wealthiest business tycoons in North America."

The Nemours Papers are those duPont manuscripts which were maintained at Nemours, the family estate in Wilmington, Delaware. Most of this collection pertains to the business, financial and family affairs of Alfred I. duPont, who built Nemours for his second wife, Alicia Bradford Maddox (1875-1920). Some of her papers are represented in this collection as are those of Jessie Ball duPont. There are a large number of photographs documenting the duPonts' family and social life.

There is an extensive finding aid for the three parts of the duPont Family Papers.