Francis Gurney du Pont
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Francis Gurney du Pont (1850-1904) was the creator of smokeless gunpowder and the youngest son of Alexis I. du Pont and the grandson of E. I. du Pont. Francis served as superintendent of the Upper and Lower Hagley Yards and later as general manager of Carney’s Point, New Jersey, in 1891. His invention was assisted by cousin Pierre S. du Pont.
Joining the firm as partner in 1873, he became one of the three vice presidents. Even with the death of Eugene du Pont in 1902, Francis declined the presidency of the firm due to ill health. He wanted to sell the company to competitor Laflin & Rand. A traditionalist, Frank mistrusted the modern business practices that he correctly believed the younger generation would implement at DuPont. He lost control to the company to Alfred I. du Pont, T. Coleman du Pont and Pierre S. du Pont in 1902 with the formation of the E. I du Pont de Nemours Company and died in 1904.
