Francis J. LeMoyne
* Re “Suffering Pitfalls of Civil Rights,” Oct. 13: Dr. Francis J. LeMoyne (who lived in Washington in western Pennsylvania--not Philadelphia), when donating the $20,000 for reconstruction of what became LeMoyne-Owen College, wrote: “I wish that there shall be no funds or time wasted in teaching the dead languages--and the Institution should be so conducted as to give a good practical and scientific education.” LeMoyne, who was my great-great grandfather, had been a staunch abolitionist for many years and his home was a “station” on the underground railroad for fugitive slaves.
As an example of his many other interests, he built the first crematory in the U.S. His home and the crematory are now museums.
ROBERT POINDEXTER
Claremont
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