Pressly, Ebenezer Erskine, Dd

Pressly, Ebenezer Erskine, D.D.

a Presbyterian divine, was born near Cedar Spring, Abbeville District, S. C. in 1808. His parents, of the good old Scotch-Irish stock. were remarkable for their piety and intelligence, and early dedicated their only son to the work of the Christian ministry. He pursued his preparatory studies at Union Academy, graduated at Miami University, Ohio, in 1826, was received as a student of theology by the Second Associate Reformed Presbytery, and studied under John T. Pressly, D.D., who was then professor of theology for the Southern Synod, was licensed at Due West in 1829, and on Aug. 7,1830, was settled as pastor of Due West and Generostee churches. In 1837 he resigned the latter charge, and continued pastor of Due West alone; in 1838 he was chosen the successor of Dr. John T. Pressly. In 1839 he was elected president of the Clark and Erskine Seminary, which afterwards took the name of Erskine College, in which position he remained until the spring of 1848. He died July 26, 1860. Dr. Pressly was a man of more than ordinary talent, and a good general scholar. In the position of president of the college he was greatly beloved by his pupils. Possessed of excellent executive ability, and of special aptness to teach, much of the success of the college and seminary, in the early periods of their history, was traceable to his influence. Though an interesting writer, he had a singular aversion to appearing before the public as an author, and hence he never published anything except an occasional sermon. See Wilson, Presb. Hist. Almanac, 1861, p. 226. (J.L.S.)