My Genealogy Hound

JAMES MARTIN WISMAN, professor of higher mathematics, Curry University, Pittsburgh, son of Eli and Susanna (Obney) Wisman, was born Feb. 20, 1854, at Montpelier, Williams county, Ohio. His parents were natives of Beaver county. Pa., of which county his grandfather, William Wisman, was a prominent farmer. His father, who was a mechanic and farmer, was born in 1803, and for many years was an elder in the Presbyterian Church; he died in 1861, his widow in 1877, at the age of fifty-four years. The subject of this memoir attended the normal school at Bryan, Ohio, for two years, then taught in the public schools of Evansport, Ohio, one year, and following that attended the Oberlin (Ohio) College three and one-half years, completing all but the senior year. He was then appointed superintendent of the Fayette (Fulton county) schools, which position he filled nearly five years. With a view of fitting himself for the profession of teacher, he attended the Valparaiso (Ind.) Normal school for four years, teaching in the school the last two years, and graduating in same in the classical, scientific and musical (vocal) courses. He also gave considerable time to the study of anatomy and commercial work. Mr. Wisman was then elected associate principal of the normal schools at Fayette, Ohio, teaching rhetoric, Latin and history. In 1887 he entered the Curry University as teacher of higher mathematics, and took charge of the normal department and physical geography. At the same time he took lessons in elocution of Prof. Byron W. King (in the university), graduating in 1888. Prof. Wisman, in the earlier days of his student life, was a molder of brick, commanding high wages, whereby he was enabled by his own individual efforts to complete his education. Thus, rung by rung, he has ascended the ladder of literary fame. He is identified with the Third Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, and in politics is a stanch republican.