Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/222

 PROMINENT PERSONS

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theological teaching instituted formerly by John Blair Smith. In 1809 the general as- sembly of the Presbyterian church had dis- cussed the subject of ministerial education, the outcome of which was the founding of the Theological Seminary at Princeton. The Presbyteries of Virginia, however, were in favor of synodical seminaries, and in 1812, at the same time that Dr. Alexander was chosen head of the Princeton Seminary, the Virginia synod resolved to have a semi- nary of its own and elected Dr. Hoge as their professor. Dr. Hoge, therefore, filled both offices — president of the college and professor of theology — until his death. Afterward the Theological Seminary was separated from the college and under Dr. John Holt Rice rendered independent Dr. Hoge was an active member of the Ameri- can Bible Society. As a preacher he was singularly powerful and effective. A volume of "Sermons" was published in 1820, after Dr. Hoge's death. Two of his sons, gradu- ates of the college under their father's ad- ministration, also became distinguished as preachers — Samuel Davies Hoge, professor of mathematics and science at the State University in Athens, Ohio, and John Blair Hoge, D. D., tutor in Hampden-Sidney Col- lege and peculiarly gifted with literary talent. Dr. Moses Drury Hoge, of Rich- mond, a graduate of the college under Presi- dent Maxwell, is a son of Samuel Davies Hoge, who married a daughter of Drury Lacy. Dr. Moses Hoge died in Philadel- phia, July 5, 1820.

Hall, Thomas, born in 1750, son of John

Hall (1722-98) and Sarah Parry, his wife.

He took the degree of Bachelor of Arts at

the College of Philadelphia in 1773; 2i"d

VIK-.12

appears to have taken orders in England. He returned to America in 1774, to take cl.arge of an important parish in Virginia. He took an active part in the preliminary stages of the revolution; but his love for the union with the mother country was too great for him to approve of the actual seces- sion of the American colonies. Before the end of the war, he left Virginia, and never returned to America, although he never ceased protesting his most ardent love for his native land, and in one of his letters confessed his mistake in not adopting the course pursued by it. He served for some time as minister of an important church at Bristol, England, and afterwards became chaplain to the British colony at Leghorn, and remained there until his death, April 12, 1825. His letters describing conditions in Italy during the Napoleonic wars are most interesting. Tassenari, the historian, tells of a singular act of bravery on the part of Dr. Hall. When Napoleon marched upon Leghorn in 1803, the English residents, tak- ing as much of their property as they could, sailed away, with few exceptions. Na- poleon, who intended to detain them, was greatly disappointed, and it is said that he entertained the barbarous idea of destroy- ing the English cemetery. But when Dr. Hall declared that only over his dead body should it be entered he desisted. Dr. Hall had a large acquaintance in Virginia, and several members of his family, and the Maryland family of Halls, came there from England, induced by him. His own de- scendants are found in Italy. He was a kinsman of the celebrated Dr. Rush, of Phil- adelphia.

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