Robert Ruliph Morgan Carpenter (Sr.) (July 30, 1877 – June 11, 1949) was an American executive and member of the board of directors of

DuPont Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...

Biography

He was born on July 30, 1877, to Walter Samuel Carpenter and Bedde Morgan. Known as "Ruly", Carpenter was educated at the Hillman Academy in his hometown of

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Wilkes-Barre ( , alternatively or ) is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania, it had a population of 44,328 in the 2020 census. It ...

, and at

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

. He worked in his family's hardware store before joining DuPont as a district purchasing agent in 1906. He married Margaretta Lammot du Pont, the sister of company president

Pierre S. du Pont Pierre Samuel du Pont (; January 15, 1870 – April 4, 1954) was an American entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist and member of the prominent du Pont family. He was president of DuPont from 1915 to 1919, and was on its board of directors un ...

, on December 18, 1906. They had a son, Robert Ruliph Morgan Carpenter Jr. He began working under another brother,

Irénée du Pont Irénée du Pont I (December 21, 1876 – December 19, 1963) was an American businessman, president of the DuPont company, and head of the Du Pont trust. Early life and education Irénée du Pont I was born on December 21, 1876, in New Castle, D ...

in the development department, of which he was named director in 1911. Carpenter was instrumental in guiding the company's diversification outside the explosives industry, being appointed to the executive committee and serving on the board of directors from 1914 until his death in 1949. During his tenure, he held positions including head of personnel and vice president. His younger brother, Walter S. Carpenter Jr., was President of DuPont from 1940 to 1948. In 1940, Carpenter joined the

board of trustees A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...

of the

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...

, and was a major catalyst for the development of its athletic program, personally funding the construction of a new gymnasium. In 1943, he purchased the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

of the

National League National League often refers to: *National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada *National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...

. He left day-to-day control in the hands of his son, R. R. M. Carpenter Jr., who continued his father's tradition of substantial support for the University of Delaware’s athletic program after his father's death. Carpenter also served as president of Wilmington's Homeopathic Hospital, as a trustee of Philadelphia's

Academy of Natural Sciences The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, formerly the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas. It was founded in 1812, by many of the leading natur ...

, and as director of the

Girard Trust Company Girard Bank was a Philadelphia-based bank founded after the death of Stephen Girard in 1831 by local merchants eager to trade on the sterling reputation of their namesake. Stephen Girard neither founded the bank, nor had any financial ties to the ...

, and of the

Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad (PB&W) was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, District of Columbia, the District of Columbia from 1902 until 1976. A key component of the Pennsylvania R ...

. He died on June 11, 1949, of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

at Memorial Hospital in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...

Children

* Louisa d'Andelot Carpenter (October 16, 1907 - February 1976,

Easton, Maryland Easton is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Talbot County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,101 at the 2020 census, with an estimated population of 17,342 in 2022. The primary ZIP Code is 21601, and the secondary ...

) * Irene "Renee" du Pont Carpenter Draper (January 21, 1911 - January 28, 1991) * Nancy Gardiner Carpenter (June 19, 1912 - July 13, 1914) * Robert Ruliph Morgan Carpenter Jr. (August 31, 1915 - July 8, 1990) * William Kemble Carpenter (May 27, 1919 - August 1987

Boca Raton, Florida Boca Raton ( ; ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 97,422 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and it ranked as the 23rd-largest city in Florida in 2022. Many people with a Boca Raton Address, ...

)

References

External links

* Finding aid for th
Irene Carpenter Draper photograph collection
at

Hagley Museum and Library The Hagley Museum and Library is a nonprofit educational institution in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, near Wilmington. Covering more than along the banks of the Brandywine Creek, the museum and grounds include the first du Po ...

, which contains a large number of photographs of R. R. M. Carpenter and his family, and the du Pont family ( – 1950). {{DEFAULTSORT:Carpenter, R.R.M 1877 births 1949 deaths American manufacturing businesspeople Burials at Du Pont de Nemours Cemetery Deaths from cancer in Delaware Du Pont family DuPont people Major League Baseball owners People from New Castle County, Delaware Philadelphia Phillies owners University of Delaware people