Background
Morris Loeb was born on May 23, 1863 at Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. While he was still a lad, his parents moved to New York, where his father cooperated in establishing the banking firm of Kuhn, Loeb & Company.
Morris Loeb was born on May 23, 1863 at Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. While he was still a lad, his parents moved to New York, where his father cooperated in establishing the banking firm of Kuhn, Loeb & Company.
He entered Harvard University in 1879 after extended study at Julius Sachs's school. Early in his course his interest in chemistry was awakened by Charles L. Jackson and stimulated by other teachers. At his graduation in 1882 he received honorable mention in this subject, and magna cum laude for his general work. He continued his study of chemistry in Germany under the foremost teachers, including A. W. von Hofmann, and received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Berlin in 1887. Anticipating the significance of the new field called physical chemistry, he studied this branch first at Heidelberg and later at Leipzig under Ostwald and Nernst.
Upon his return to the United States in the fall of 1888, Loeb declined the inviting career of a banker and adopted chemistry as his life work. After spending a year as an assistant in the private laboratory of Wolcott Gibbs at Newport, Rhode Island, he went to Clark University, Worcester, Massachussets, as a docent in physical chemistry.
In 1891 he was elected professor of chemistry in New York University, where he remained until 1906, having served as director of the laboratory during the eleven years preceding his resignation. Being naturally sympathetic and generous, he really severed his formal connection with the University in order to devote himself unreservedly to the needs of charitable and scientific organizations. This service, which was continued throughout the remainder of his life, was not restricted to his own race, indeed it was limited only by his resources, time, and strength.
One of his major interests was the Chemists' Club of New York. Of this he was a founder and patron, and its successful establishment as a meeting place of American chemists, its growth as a center of chemical interests, and its permanency as a depository of chemical literature and memorabilia are due in largest measure to his wise counsel, executive service, and generous gifts. He contributed liberally to the building fund, was personally interested in the construction of the building, and in his will left all his holdings of stock to the Chemists' Building Company for cancellation.
In 1908 he was appointed on the committee to visit the chemical laboratory of Harvard University. He met his responsibilities with faithfulness and generosity. His early interest in chemistry at Harvard, deepened by years of study and research, soon found expression in a gift of $50, 000 (jointly with his brother James) to the fund for founding the Wolcott Gibbs Memorial Laboratory for research in physical and inorganic chemistry. He was a founder and promoter of the Association of Harvard Chemists.
Three of his early scientific papers, which were found in manuscript form after his death, were condensed and edited by Theodore W. Richards because they were the first presentation of physical chemistry in America; in this condensed form they are included under the title "Fundamental Ideas of Physical Chemistry" in The Scientific Work of Morris Loeb (1913). He also wrote a Laboratory Manual Prepared for Students in Elementary Inorganic Chemistry at New York University (1900). Although prepared for his students at New York University, the book was so clear and concise that it found its way into other institutions.
He took part at the Eighth International Congress of Applied Chemistry held in New York, 1912. At this congress he read a significant paper on "Studies in the Speed of Reductions". From 1911 until his death he was a member of the New York City Board of Education. His death occurred in New York.
He was a member of the American Chemical Society and other important chemical organizations.
On April 3, 1895, Loeb married Eda Kuhn who shared his manifold interests.