Isaac C. Ketler (1853–1913) was the co-founder and first president of

Grove City College Grove City College (GCC) is a private, conservative Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1876 as a normal school, the college emphasizes a humanities core curriculum and offers 60 majors and si ...

, a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

college in

Grove City, Pennsylvania Grove City is a borough in southeastern Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States, located approximately north of Pittsburgh and south of Erie. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,894. It is part of the Hermitage micropolitan area. It ...

Biography

Ketler was born at

Northumberland, Pennsylvania Northumberland is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,911 at the 2020 census. History A brewer named Reuben Haines, a native of Philadelphia, founded the town of Northumb ...

in 1853 and had eleven siblings. Ketler received his education at the National Normal School at

Lebanon, Ohio Lebanon is a city in Warren County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 20,841 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area. History Lebanon is in the Symmes Purchase. Th ...

, and also at Wooster University,

Wooster, Ohio Wooster ( ) is a city in Wayne County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Ohio, the city lies approximately south-southwest of Cleveland, southwest of Akron and west of Canton. The population was 27,232 at the ...

. He was also a graduate of

Western Theological Seminary Western Theological Seminary (WTS) is a private seminary located in Holland, Michigan. Established in 1866, it is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States ...

and received degrees of D.D. and LL.D., since his graduation. One of Ketler's early teachers was

Joseph Newton Pew Joseph Newton Pew (July 20, 1848 – October 12, 1912) was the founder of Sun Oil Company (now Sunoco) and a prominent philanthropist. Early life Joseph N. Pew was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, to John Pew and Nancy Glenn. He worked on ...

who later went on to build a fortune in the oil industry. Ketler and Pew founded Pine Grove Normal Academy (eventually changing its name to Grove City College) in 1876. Ketler served as President of Grove City College for 37 years from 1876 to 1913. Joseph N. Pew provided much of the early funding for the school. Under Ketler's leadership: " the turn of the century, the enrollment had grown to 660 students, the faculty was enlarged to 20 members and the campus had increased to 40 acres with four substantial buildings."Past Presidents
(accessed Jan. 19, 2009) His son Weir Ketler later served as president of the college.

References

External links

The Pilgrims by Isaac C. Ketler (1910)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ketler, Isaac C. Heads of universities and colleges in the United States National Normal University alumni College of Wooster alumni Western Theological Seminary alumni Presbyterians from Pennsylvania Grove City College 1853 births 1913 deaths