Elmer U. (Elmer Ulysses) Hoenshel

Born on April 13, 1864, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Elmer Ulysses Hoenshel built a varied career as a minister, educator, lecturer, and author. Records from his lifetime and obituary notice describe him as a member of the United Brethren in Christ ministry who was also active in schools and public speaking.

He studied at several institutions, including National Normal University, Glasgow Normal School, Shenandoah Normal College, and Union Bible Seminary. He later served as principal of Shenandoah Collegiate Institute, now Shenandoah University, and as president of Brandon Institute, an earlier school associated with what became Fairfax Hall.

Hoenshel also wrote widely. Books attributed to him include The Land of Frost and Fire, By the Overflowing Nile, and My Three Days in Gilead, suggesting a body of work that mixed travel writing with religious and literary interests. He died on May 2, 1940, in Charlottesville, Virginia.