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Coming To America:
During the French Revolution, Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817), a noted statesman and philosopher, made a difficult decision to leave France and move to the United States for a new beginning. This followed his second imprisonment for his political views. Du Pont had received high-level government appointments during the reign of Louis XVI and later was elected to positions of prominence in the numerous provisional governments leading up to and through the French Revolution.
Joining him on the trip were his two sons, Victor Marie and Eleuthere Irenee, with their families. Victor, employed by the diplomatic corps, had spent several years in the United States. The younger son, E.I., had been managing his father's printing and publishing business in Paris.
Preparations for the move took almost two years. Pierre Samuel raised capital from investors based on plans that he outlined for several commercial ventures in the United States. Along with his two sons and their families, he left France on October 2, 1799. Following a long, harrowing voyage aboard the American Eagle, they arrived in the United States in January of 1800 and settled in New Jersey. |