JOHNSON, Herman Merrills, educator, born in Butternuts, Otsego County, New York, 25 November, 1815; died in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 5 April, 1868. He was graduated at Wesleyan university in 1839, held the professorship of ancient languages in St. Charles college, Missouri, in 1839-'42, and then that of ancient languages in Augusta college, Kentucky, till 1844. In the latter year he was appointed professor of ancient languages and literature in the Ohio Wesleyan university, where he remained until 1850. During his first year in this institution he was its acting president, organized its curriculum, and was interested in introducing therein a course of biblical study as a means of ministerial education. In 1850 he became professor of philosophy and English literature in Dickinson college, which post he retained for ten years. In 1860 he was called to the presidency of the college and the chair of moral science, which he held till his death. He entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1845, and received the degree of D. D. from Ohio Wesleyan university in 1852. Dr. Johnson was a frequent contributor to the "Methodist Quarterly Review" and other periodicals, and published an edition of the "Clio" of Herodotus (1850). He edited "Orientalia Antiquaria Herodoti," and at his death had nearly completed a German work on synonymes.