▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Bon ap arte ▁family . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Baltimore , ▁Maryland ▁on ▁November ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 8 3 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁el dest ▁son ▁of ▁the ▁French - American ▁J ér ôme ▁Nap ol éon ▁Bon ap arte ▁( 1 8 0 5 – 1 8 7 0 ) ▁and ▁his ▁wife , ▁the ▁former ▁Susan ▁May ▁Williams ▁( 1 8 1 2 – 1 8 8 1 ). ▁His ▁younger ▁brother ▁was ▁Charles ▁Joseph ▁Bon ap arte , ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Att orney ▁General ▁and ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Navy ▁under ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t . ▁ ▁His ▁pat ernal ▁grand par ents ▁were ▁J ér ôme ▁Bon ap arte , ▁who ▁re igned ▁as ▁King ▁of ▁West phal ia ▁from ▁ 1 8 0 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 1 3 , ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁wife , ▁the ▁American ▁he ir ess ▁Elizabeth ▁P atter son ▁Bon ap arte . ▁Through ▁his ▁grand father , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁grand ne p hew ▁of ▁Emperor ▁Napoleon , ▁who ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 1 . ▁ ▁His ▁mat ernal ▁grand par ents ▁were ▁Sarah ▁( née ▁Cop eland ) ▁Mort on ▁Williams ▁and ▁Benjamin ▁Williams , ▁who ▁helped ▁found ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Rail road , ▁the ▁first ▁rail road ▁company ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Bon ap arte ▁entered ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Military ▁Academy ▁at ▁West