Holmes Dysinger, D. D., dean of the Western Theological Seminary of Atchison, Kan., was born March 26, 1853, in the town of Mifflin, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Joseph and Mary Amelia (Patterson) Dysinger, both natives of Pennsylvania. The genealogical record of the Dysinger family traces its beginning in America to the seventeenth century, the ancestry on the paternal side being South German and on the maternal side, of English origin. The members of the family for succeeding generations were farmers and carpenters, Joseph Dysinger being a carpenter and contracting builder in his younger days, and later became a farmer. He died on his farm in Pennsylvania, near his birthplace. There were six sons and a daughter in the family which Joseph Dysinger reared, as follows: Holmes, with whom this review is directly concerned; George Washington Dysinger, a practicing dentist at Minneapolis, Minn.; Rev. William Stewart Dysinger, a minister of the Lutheran church in Los Angeles, Cal.; Prof. James H. Dysinger, a teacher at Los Angeles, Cal., and a daughter died at the age of six months.
Holmes Dysinger was reared on his father’s farm and received his elementary education in the district school of his neighborhood. The initial part of his higher education was obtained in the Airyview Academy at Port Royal, Penn. The means at the disposal of the Dysinger family did not permit of Holmes continuing his studies uninterrupted, and he found it necessary to make his own way through the higher realms of learning. Consequently, in order to make his way through college and the university, he began teaching at the early age of seventeen years, and has taught continuously since that time, with the exception of three years in college and a few years in a pastorate. In 1878 he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts from Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, Pa., and taught in the academic department of that college for a period of four years, while studying theology in the seminary at that place. His next position was as professor of Latin and Greek in the North Carolina College, Mt. Pleasant, N. C., from 1882 to 1883. From 1883 to 1888, inclusive, he was professor of Latin and Greek at Newberry College, in South Carolina, and from 1888 to 1895 he filled the position of president of Carthage College, Carthage, Ill. From 1895 to 1900 he filled the pastorate of the Lutheran church at Polo, Ill.; he was pastor of the First Lutheran Church of Kansas City, Mo., from 1900 to 1902, and had charge of the Lutheran church at Vandergrift, Pa., from 1902 to 1905. He became dean of the Western Theological Seminary at Atchison, Kan., in November of 1905. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Wittenberg College, at Springfield, Ohio, in 1889.
Dr. Dysinger was united in marriage with Ada Frances Ray, of Blairsville, Pa., September 22, 1886, and to this union have been born five children: Mary Ray Dysinger, librarian of Midland College, Atchison; Cornelia, Helen Frances and Dorothy Homes, at home with their parents, and Mrs. Dr. C. F. Malmberg, of Greenville, Pa.
CHARLES LANGE.
Charles Lange, farmer, Center township, Atchison county, was born in Germany, January 11, 1865. He is a son of Karl and Marie (Poos) Lange, who were the parents of three children, as follows: Charles, subject of this sketch; Mrs. Mary Rathert, Center township, Atchison county, and Minnie, married C. Kloepper, living in Jefferson county. Karl Lange, the father, was born March 13, 1838, in Germany, and left his native land in the fall of 1874, coming to Atchison county, where he rented for a short time. He then bought the place where his son now lives, which contained 140 acres. The place was fenced with rails and a log cabin had been built, and the barn was of straw. Taking this primitive farm in 1874, Mr. Lange began improving it, and in 1883 he built a fine six-room house and made a number of other improvements. In 1902 he retired and moved to Nortonville, Kan., where he died in 1910. The mother of Charles Lange was born in Germany, July 31, 1841. She is now living in Nortonville, Kan.
Charles Lange attended school in Germany four years and also went to the district school in Center township, Atchison county. He has always lived on his present farm, and looked after his father’s affairs until the latter’s death. He now owns the old home place, which includes 375 acres, sixty acres of which is in corn. He is a thorough farmer and keeps high grade stock. In 1901 Mr. Lange was married to Martha Straub, who was born January 17, 1881, in Baden, Germany. At the age of five years she left Germany with her parents, Joseph and Salme (Hilderbrandt) Straub, who came to America. In 1904 they settled in Mt. Pleasant township, Atchison county, where the father followed farming. Mr. and Mrs. Lange have six children, all of whom are living at home. They are: Erna, Charles, Jr., Henry, Emma, Julius, and Ella. Mr. Lange is a Republican, and attends the Lutheran church.
CHARLES L. ALKIRE.
Charles L. Alkire, proprietor and manager of the Troy laundry of Atchison, was born December 1, 1876, in Saline county, Missouri, a son of George A. and Ellen H. (Dickson) Alkire, who were the parents of two children, as follows: George D., a farmer of Bronaugh, Mo., and Charles L. George A. Alkire was born August 28, 1846, in Illinois, and was a son of George Alkire, who had the distinction of founding the Texas town which bears his name. In early life he was a merchant, and came to Missouri when a young man, and established a general merchandise store in Saline county. Later he engaged in banking and was cashier of the bank at Blackburn, Mo. For six years he served as county collector of Vernon county, Missouri. He is now living a retired life in Dallas, Tex. His father, George Alkire, was an extensive fruit grower, after whom the town of Alkire, Texas, was named and who died there. Ellen H. (Dickson) Alkire, mother of Charles L., was born on a farm near Booneville, Tipton county, Missouri, September 3, 1839, and is living in the family home at Dallas, Texas.
Charles L. Alkire received his education in the schools of his native county, and attended the State school at Nevada, Mo., graduating from business college in Nevada. He served as deputy collector in Vernon county under his father, and then went to Norman, Okla., where he embarked in the newspaper business, running the Troy laundry in connection with his publishing duties, from 1899 to 1902. He then disposed of his holdings in Norman and located in Kansas City, Mo., where he had charge of the shoe department in G. B. Peck’s drygoods store, until his removal to Atchison, Kan. He was first employed in the freight department of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, and was then engaged in the inspection bureau of the Western Weighing Association of Railroads. He served as traveling salesman for the A. J. Harwi Hardware Company until he purchased the Troy laundry, in October of 1915. He was a successful traveling salesman, and is making a marked success in his latest business venture.
Mr. Alkire was married in 1899 to Elizabeth H. Clapham, and to this union one child, Elizabeth, has been born. Mrs. Alkire was born March 12, 1878, in Fremont, Neb., and is a daughter of Edward and Anna (Bradley) Clapham, natives of England, who came to Iowa from their native land with their parents when both were infants. Mr. and Mrs. Clapham have been dead for a number of years. Mrs. Alkire was educated in the University of Oklahoma and graduated from that institution. Mr. Alkire is an independent voter and is not allied with any particular political party, being self-reliant in such matters as he has always been in his business affairs. He is a member of the Baptist church and his wife is a member of the Methodist church.