Remembering Herb Wisbey

(The following is excerpted from a Mark Twain Forum posting by the Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies)

It is with great sadness that we report the death of the first Director of the Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies, Dr. Herbert A.Wisbey, Jr., on Friday March 17, 2000.  Dr. Wisbey is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mrs. Adelia Wagner Wisbey; sons and daughters, Thomas B. and Karen Wisbey of Eliot, ME, Jane C. Wisbey of Horseheads, NY, Susan M. and Charles VanAlst of New Paltz, NY and Peter A. and Sarah Wisbey of Rochester NY, and grandchildren.

Dr. Wisbey received his BS from the University of Rhode Island, his MA from the University of Arizona and the Ph.D. from Columbia University in NY in 1951.  He was a Professor of American History at Elmira College from 1965-1986, becoming Professor Emeritus upon his retirement in 1986. In 1983, he was appointed the first Director of the Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies.  Dr. Wisbey was a charter member of the Mark Twain Society and co-author with Robert D. Jerome of Mark Twain in Elmira. He was also the author of numerous articles on Mark Twain and his associations with Elmira, many published in the Mark Twain Society Bulletin. His other books include, Publick and Universal Friend, and Soldiers without Swords. Dr. Wisbey was active on the Board of the Chemung County Historical Society, the Elmira College Archivist and in 1975 founded the Elmira College Shaker Seminar.