Ovid Rogers Sellers (August 12, 1884 – July 7, 1975) was an internationally known Old Testament scholar and archaeologist who played a role in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
His studies concentrated largely on the Old Testament and ancient languages, including Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Aramaic, Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Syriac, and Akkadian Cuneiform.
Ovid returned to Wentworth to fill positions at the academy while pursuing his education, serving variously as instructor (1905–06, 1910–12), coach, and headmaster (1919–21).
After getting his doctorate from Johns Hopkins, Sellers became a professor of the Old Testament at McCormick Theological Seminary, serving in that position from 1924 to 1954, and as Dean from 1934 to 1954.
He was Director of the American Schools of Oriental Research in Jerusalem in 1948-49 and was immediately thrust into the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
A few weeks later, on September 23, Sellers boarded a small twin engine Arab Airways biplane, flying from Beirut to Amman.
While en route, Sellers's plane was intercepted and attacked by an Israeli fighter aircraft, forcing it to crash-land in Transjordan territory.
Ovid Rogers Sellers died in his hometown of Lexington, Missouri, on July 7, 1975, at age 90.