The Birkenhead Water Wheel at Hagley Museum was an integral part of the original gunpowder works.
Lucas R. Clawson can make the history of the du Pont family and Delaware come alive, and he’ll be doing it Saturday, Aug. 12, at 1 p.m. at the Milford Pubic Library.
Aside from the fascinating tidbits he’ll convey — the founding of a gunpowder mill, a du Pont blamed for the North not taking Charleston during the Civil War, and the growth of family business into an internation giant — he’s just fun to watch.
Lucas Clawson
Clawson’s own person style seems ripped from the fashion plates of the early 19th century, a look which adds to the authenticity and depth of his talks about family members and their business.
A historian at Hagley Museum and Library, Clawson works with the historical records of the DuPont Co., du Pont family and businesses in the Delaware Valley.
He’s used them to help create public programming and exhibits like Hagley’s new “Nation of Inventors.”
In his job, he has access to things like Samuel Francis du Pont’s Civil War uniform and sword, both of which he’s put on display at Hagley.
He also conducts research and publishes articles about the DuPont Co. in the American Civil War and the U.S. Navy during the 19th century.
A graduate of Appalachian State University and the University of Delaware, he’s been with Hagley since 2007.
Among the topics he’s expected to explore are how the French immigrant family chose Delaware, why they got into gunpowder and why and how the company moved on to become a chemical giant.
His talk is part of a series sponsored by the Milford Museum on the second Saturday of each month.
The library is located at 11 S.E. Front Street in Milford, Delaware.
For more information, please contact the Museum at (302) 424-1080 or [email protected].
Betsy Price is a Wilmington freelance writer who has 40 years of experience, including 15 at The News Journal in Delaware.
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