Hancock County IL Archives Biographies.....Dysinger, Rev. Holmes March 26, 1853 - 
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Sandy Morrey sandymorrey@yahoo.com November 13, 2009, 5:18 pm

Source: Hancock, McDonough and Henderson Counties, Illinois
Author: Unknown

REV. HOLMES DYSINGER. D. D., Presi- 
dent of Carthage College, is well known as a 
leading educator throughout Illinois and 
other Central States. He was born near Mifflin, 
Pa., March 26, 1853, and was one of a family that 
numbered six sons and a daughter. The family 
is of German origin, his ancestors having set- 
tled originally in York and Lancaster Counties, 
Pa., more than a century ago. His grandparents 
on both sides removed to that part of Mifflin 
County which was afterwards cut off and forms 
a part of Juniata County. There was celebrated 
the marriage of Joseph Dysinger and Mary 
Amelia Patterson, who became the parents of our 
subject. They were not wealthy people and did 
not leave to their children a handsome compe- 
tency, but they gave to them what is oftentimes 
far better — a good home training. They were 
reared to habits of industry and economy, and les- 
sons of honor, obedience and consideration for 
one another were instilled into their young minds. 
Their parents possessed true refinement, and sur- 
rounded their children with only that which was 
pure and good. 

In the labors of the farm, Mr. Dysinger of this 
sketch was also well developed. From an early 
age he was very fond of study, and soon man- 
ifested a praiseworthy ambition to excel in the 
country schools, which convened for about three 
mouths out of the year. He found in his parents 
his principal teachers, and the older members of 
the family often assisted the younger in their les- 
sons, an experience which proved of benefit to 
Mr. Dysinger in his after life. His love of good 
books continued to grow, and he soon became fa- 
miliar with the broad and elevating thoughts of 
many master minds. He wished to enter profes- 
sional life, and one of his first independent efforts 
was at school-teaching, which he began at the 
early age of seventeen. During the spring and 
summer he would aid in the labors of the farm, 
and in the winter season take charge of the 
school. He was thus employed for five years. 

In the winter of 1871-72, under the preaching 
of the Rev. D. M. Blackwelder, he united with 
the Lutheran Church, and from that time has 
been actively interested in its promotion. Be- 
coming imbued with a strong desire to enter the 
ministry, be began a course of preparation for the 
sacred office, and his studies were chosen with 
the view of fitting himself for college. In the 
spring of 1873, he became a pupil at Airy View 
Academy, at Port Royal, Juniata County, Pa., 
where he took up the study of Latin and Greek 
in connection with the academic course. As time 
advanced, his desire to enter the ministry grew 
continually stronger, for he felt that his labors 
were needed in the work of uplifting humanity. 
With the exception of one term at the academy 
and a few private lessons, he prepared himself for 
college without the aid of a teacher, and in the 
fall of 1875 was admitted to the Sophomore Class 
of Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg, Pa., 
where he applied himself assiduously to his stud- 
ies. He was graduated from that school in the 
spring of 1878, and had the honor of being vale- 
dictorian of his class. The excellent work which 
he did in the school, and the regard of the faculty, 
were shown by his appointment as tutor and man- 
ager-in-chief of the preparatory department of 
his alma mater. While thus employed he spent 
all his spare time in the study of theology in the 
seminary classes, and at length completed the 
course and was graduated from the seminary in 
June, 1881. However, he continued his studies 
along that line for the following year, and at the 
termination of his post-graduate course in theol- 
ogy, he received notice of his election to the Pro- 
fessorship of Ancient Languages of North Carolina 
College, where he remained for about a year. 
He afterwards served for a short time as supply 
in a mission church in Mooresville, N. C. In the 
spring of 1883, he accepted the Chair of Ancient 
Languages in Newberry College, Newberry, S.C., 
and entered upon his duties in the following au- 
tumn. He filled that position five years, and 
during four years of that period also served as 
Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Exegesis 
in the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Semi- 
nary of the South. 

In August, 1886, was celebrated the marriage of 
Rev. Mr. Dysinger and Miss Ada Ray, a most es- 
timable and accomplished lady of Blairsville, Pa. 
While at Newberry College, the Professor became 
a member of the American Institute of the He- 
brew Language, an organization formed by Prof. 
W. R. Harper, then of Yale College, but now 
President of the Chicago University. During the 
regular vacation months, he was employed one 
season as a professor in that institute. He is a 
man of earnest purpose, and his researches and in- 
struction in Hebrew literature did much for the 
advancement of knowledge along that line. His 
connection with Carthage College began July 10, 
1888. He was elected its President, and he and 
his able corps of assistants form a most excellent 
faculty. He is capable of filling the most respon- 
sible position, which he has now held for about 
six years to the satisfaction of all concerned. 

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