John Motley Morehead III
Encyclopedia
John Motley Morehead III (November 3, 1870 – January 7, 1965) was a chemist
whose work provided much of the foundation for the business of Union Carbide
Corporation. He was a noted philanthropist who made major gifts to his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
. He also served as mayor of Rye, New York
and U.S. ambassador to Sweden
. His grandfather John Motley Morehead
served as Governor
of North Carolina
.
Morehead graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1891. One of his notable early scientific discoveries was the development of an economical process for the manufacture of calcium carbide
. He was also an authority on the analysis of gases, having invented a device for the purpose and written a book on the subject.
Morehead married Genevieve Margaret Birkhoff. A few years after her death, he married Leila Duckworth Houghton. He had no children. He devoted his considerable fortune to philanthropy, especially to the benefit of UNC-Chapel Hill. With a college classmate, Rufus Lenoir Patterson, he donated the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower on the campus. He also gave the University the Morehead Planetarium
, later renamed the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.
One of Morehead's particular interests was in providing financial assistance to students attending UNC-Chapel Hill. To that end he endowed the John Motley Morehead Foundation, which each year awards generous scholarships (for undergraduate work) and fellowships (for the graduate and professional schools) to applicants chosen through an extensive and competitive screening process. The Morehead-Cain Scholarship
is the oldest merit-based scholarship in the United States.
Morehead served as minister to Sweden
from 1930 to 1933.
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
whose work provided much of the foundation for the business of Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
Corporation. He was a noted philanthropist who made major gifts to his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. He also served as mayor of Rye, New York
Rye (city), New York
Rye is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is separate from the town of Rye, which is larger than the city. Rye city, formerly the village of Rye, was part of the town until 1942, when it received its charter as a city, the most recent to be issued in New York...
and U.S. ambassador to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. His grandfather John Motley Morehead
John Motley Morehead
John Motley Morehead was the 29th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1841 to 1845. He is known as "the Father of Modern North Carolina."...
served as Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Morehead graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1891. One of his notable early scientific discoveries was the development of an economical process for the manufacture of calcium carbide
Carbide
In chemistry, a carbide is a compound composed of carbon and a less electronegative element. Carbides can be generally classified by chemical bonding type as follows: salt-like, covalent compounds, interstitial compounds, and "intermediate" transition metal carbides...
. He was also an authority on the analysis of gases, having invented a device for the purpose and written a book on the subject.
Morehead married Genevieve Margaret Birkhoff. A few years after her death, he married Leila Duckworth Houghton. He had no children. He devoted his considerable fortune to philanthropy, especially to the benefit of UNC-Chapel Hill. With a college classmate, Rufus Lenoir Patterson, he donated the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower on the campus. He also gave the University the Morehead Planetarium
Morehead Planetarium
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is located on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is one of the oldest and largest planetariums in the United States having welcomed over 7 million visitors by its 60th anniversary in 2009...
, later renamed the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.
One of Morehead's particular interests was in providing financial assistance to students attending UNC-Chapel Hill. To that end he endowed the John Motley Morehead Foundation, which each year awards generous scholarships (for undergraduate work) and fellowships (for the graduate and professional schools) to applicants chosen through an extensive and competitive screening process. The Morehead-Cain Scholarship
Morehead-Cain Scholarship
The Morehead-Cain Scholarship was the first merit scholarship program established in the United States, founded at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the first public university in the United States. It is named for its benefactors, John Motley Morehead III and the Gordon and Mary Cain...
is the oldest merit-based scholarship in the United States.
Morehead served as minister to Sweden
United States Ambassador to Sweden
The United States Ambassador to Sweden serves as the chief representative of the United States Foreign Service to the Kingdom of Sweden, and 1814 to 1905, also to Norway, which was politically aligned with Sweden...
from 1930 to 1933.