| Notes |
William Hoge, sometimes spelled Hogue, was born in Musselboro, Berwickshire, Scotland, a small town on the seashore about 50 miles south of Edinburgh, in 1660, and died near Winchester, Virginia in 1750, at the age of 90. It is claimed by some writers that his father, James Hoge, was the son of George Hoge, a Huguenot from Le Hogue, Normandy, France, in about 1600, and that the name of Hoge is derived from the town of La Hogue near Cherbourg, the scene of a battle many years ago.
He came to America in 1682 in the ship Caledonia to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as a young man, and there came on the same ship a Sir James Hume from the same place in Scotland, who was the son of gentry and was well off. He was related to the Humes of Nine Wells and Lord Hume or Home, Earl of Home, and was related to David Hume, the great Historian and author. With Hume on the ship was his wife and daughter, Barbara. The man and his wife died on the voyage and Barbara was left an orphan and went with an uncle, Dr. Johnson of Perth Amboy. William Hoge afterward married Barbara in 1695.
They lived for a time, at least until 1708, in New Jersey, and in 1734 they moved to Chester County PA, where he bought land. The next year, 1735, he and his family except the eldest son John, went with the Joist Hite party of settlers to Frederick, MD. He built a cabin and settled on a branch of the Opican (Opequan) River, called Hogue's Run, near Winchester, VA, (at present day Kernstown, VA) in 1735. He gave land for a church there in 1745. He lived on this farm until his death.
They had five sons and several daughters. John, who remained in Pennsylvania, William, who moved to Loudoun County, VA and became a Quaker, Alexander, a lawyer of Winchester, VA, James, who settled in Frederick, MD, and George who was a member of the first court of Frederick County and afterward moved to North Carolina. A daughter married Dr. Robert White of Winchester.
 From The Family of Hoge compiled by James Hoge Tyler, Governor of Virginia, and edited & published by James Fulton Hoge (New York: Rogers, Hoge & Hills, 1927). – quoting the Rev. Peyton H. Hoge, D. D. from his Life of the Rev. Moses Drury Hogue:
"The oldest reference to the name of Hoge with which we have met is in 1425, when Patrick Hoge and Gilbert Hoge, Squires, are named among the gentlemen who 'devydit the marches betwixt Ridbeth and Bemersyde, Sir Andrew Haig, the Laird of Bemersyde, presiding.'
"The Laird in whose time this division was made had been the first to drop the spelling de Haga for the spelling, Haig, which is still in use. Etymologically, the names are the same, and the finding of them in the same neighborhood suggests the probability that Hoge is only another variant of Haga or Haig, and that the Hoges as well as the Haigs, are descendants from Petrus de Haga who came from Normandy about 1150. This Peter of the Dyke, probably from Cape de la Hague in Normandy, founded an honorable family, early associated with the cause of liberty and patriotism.
"For-
'When Wallace came to Gladswood Cross
Haig of Bemersyde met him with many good horse,'
and before the Battle of Stirling, the Laird of Bemersyde was reassured by his friend 'Thomas, the Rhymer,' with the prophecy which still holds good:
'Tyde what may betyde
Haig shall be Haig of Bemersyde;'
"Or, as Sir Walter puts it – who derived his right to be buried in Dryburgh Abbey, from his descent from the Haigs-
'Tide betide whate'er betide
Haig shall be Haig of Bemersyde.'
"The Humes with whom we shall later find the Hoges associated, were also a Berwickshire family, and much associated with the Haigs of Bemersyde. A beautifulloy engrossed book containing the family history and the coat-of-arms remained in the possession of the Pennsylvania branch of the Hoge family in this country within the memory of those who are still living. In the absence of the written evidence, we will not give the interesting details that are recalled by some who were more or less familiar with its contents, but will confine ourselves to the well-established story of the founder of the family in this country.
"About the close of the seventeenth century -- 1682 -- a young man named William Hoge, son of Sir James Hoge, who was a son of George Hoge, a son of Sir John Hoge, of Musselboro, Scotland, evidently in good circumstances, came to America on account of the religious persecutions under the Stuarts.
"In the same ship, the Caledonia, was a family named Hume , from Paisley, Scotland, father, mother, and daughter, Barbara by name. Hume was one of two brothers, men of wealth and standing, who differed on the great questions of the day. One of the brothers `conformed,' the other, James, was true to the Kirk and the Covenant. He was imprisoned and most of his property confiscated, but through the influence of his brother was released on condition of his emigrating to America.
"During the long voyage a pestilence broke out in the overcrowded ship and Mr. and Mrs. Hume were among the victims. Barbara was left alone, and William Hoge became her protector. He delivered her and her property into the hands of an uncle, a physician named Johnson, who was already in New York, and he went to Perth Amboy to make himself a home. But it was not a final farewell; an attachment had sprung up between them, and in due time he returned to make her his wife.
"William Hoge removed from Perth Amboy to Delaware and then to Cumberland Valley in Pennsylvania. Here his eldest son John remained, founding the village of Hogetown. In the church founded by him in 1734, there still exist an old communion service of hammered pewter and a pulpit Bible, the gifts of his family. From him is sprung a branch of the family, scattered from New York to California, but chiefly found in Pennsylvania; men of substance and character; bankers, lawyers, judges, members of Congress, with now and then a minister of the Gospel; leaders in church and state.
"John Hoge married, as will be seen hereafter, a Welch heiress, Gwentholyn Bowen Davis. His son David, through a treaty with the Indian Chief Catfish, purchased almost the whole of what is now Washington county, Pennsylvania, and with his nephew, David Reddick, afterwards Vice-President of Pennsylvania, laid out the town of Catfish, now Washington. His sons, John and William, were both members of Congress; another son, David, was the first receiver of the United States Land Office with headquarters at Steubenville, Ohio. Justice Shiras, of the United States Supreme Court, is a descendant of one of his daughters. William and Thomas Scott Hoge, of the long closed banking house of William Hoge and Company, New York, were sons of David Hoge, of Steubenville, Ohio.
"William Hoge found not his resting place in the Cumberland Valley. About 1735, though advanced in years, he removed with his family, except the elder son John, to Frederick County, Virginia, and settled on the Opequon branch of the Potomac. Here he made his home; here he gave land for a church, a school and burying ground, the old Opequon Church, the first place of worship in the Valley of Virginia. Its first minister was his grandson, the Rev John Hoge, son of his eldest son, John. He came fresh from Nassau Hall, where he graduated in the first class sent out by that venerable institution. After a useful ministry in Virginia, he returned to Pennsylvania.
"While pastor at Opequon, he received a visit from Rev Hugh McAden on his way to his pioneer mission in North Carolina, where now, or until recently, a great-great-great grandson of William Hoge, Rev Peyton H. Hoge, preached to great grandchildren of Hugh McAden. There are still some things fixed in this changing world and more changing land.
"William Hoge lived a full ninety years. He saw his children and his grandchildren serving God and their generations; the honest, God-fearing makers of a new world. God made him forget all his toil, and all his father's house. He sleeps in the old Opequon Churchyard. The old church lived for generations. Three successive buildings arose on the spot, and its sons and daughters went forth to many states, though many sleep around it. At length it was outgrown and in time superseded by the daughter church of Winchester, Virginia. but recently the crumbling stones have been built anew, a memorial of the worthy dead."
Of course, in the genealogical table which we will endeavor to form hereafter, the descendants as far as possible of William Hoge and Barbara Hume will be given. But it may not be amiss to mention some of the sons of these pioneers in a general way. John, the oldest son, as has been said, was the only one of the sons who remained in Pennsylvania. One of the other sons, William, married a Quaker and joined the sect. He has numerous descendants. He settled after marriage in Loudoun County, Virginia. George removed south and we have but slight traces of his descendants. Alexander was a member of the first Congress of the United States and of the Virginia Convention that ratified the Federal Constitution.
James was a man of eminent piety and was progenitor of most of the Hoge's that remained in Virginia. From him sprang the Hoge's of southwest Virginia and the family of Dr. Moses D. Hoge. The names of most of his descendants will be found in genealogical table. A daughter of William Hoge married Rev Robert White and they have many descendants.
Quoting further from Dr. Peyton Hoge's Life of Dr. Moses D. Hoge, we say in regard to James Hoge, the fourth son of William, "He was a man of robust intellect and a self-taught theologian. Dr. Archibald Alexander, when a young licentiate, visited him and was impressed with the vigor of his mind and the clearness of his views, even in his old age. In early life he satisfied himself of the scripturalness of every statement of the Westminster Confession of the Faith and when the Synod of New York and Philadelphia introduced certain changes, he withdrew from its communion, and united with Scotch secession. Twice a year he went to a church in Pennsylvania to participate in the communion. Late in life his scruples were removed through the instrumentality of his son. He died June 2, 1795.
He was twice married. His first wife was Agnes Crawford; his second, Mary, (or Nancy) Griffith. James, a son of the first wife, Agnes, left home in search of his older brother John, who was supposed to have joined Braddock's army and to have been killed at Fort Duquesne. He did not find his brother, but he found a home and a wife, and settled in Pulaski County, at what is now Belle Hampton, the home of his great-grandson, James Hoge Tyler.
His son, General James Hoge, inherited this estate and left it to his grandson who bore his name, James Hoge Tyler.
The Family of Hoge – 1927
Here is a Copy of a letter received by Mr. F.L. Hoge
Uniontown, PA
August 31, 1880
Mr. F.L. Hoge
Wheeling, W. VA.
Dear Sir:
I have to thank you for your favor of yesterday. You are no doubt acquainted with the romantic history and marriage of William Hoge and Barbara Hume, so I will not repeat it. He was from Musselburg, and she from Paisley, Scotland. His father was Sir James Hoge, her father was a Knight and a Baron, and nearly related to the Royal House of Stuart of Scotland, so this takes you back to King Robert the Second of Scotland, born about 1300.
The Rev. William Henry Foot of Romney, W. Va., in his "Sketches of Virginia", second series, gives a pretty full account of the descendents of William Hoge and Barbara Hume, but he mistakes many particulars. He makes your ancestor, William (the Quaker), the oldest son; this is a mistake; their oldest son was John, who never moved to VA. They lived in Chester Co., PA., and while the father and the balance of the family moved to the Valley of VA., about 1735, or before, John, the oldest son, moved to the Cumberland Valley, about nine miles west of Harrisburg, and settled in village of Hogestown now stands, owned a large body of land, and lived and died there about 1752. While the family lived in Chester Co., John married Gwenthloon Bowen, a Welch woman, while your ancestor, William, married a Quaker. John had four sons, John, Bunyan, Jonathan, and David, and four daughters. Of the daughters I will say nothing now, it would make the story too long; enough to say that names of their descendants have been distinguished both in church and state.
John was the Rev. John Hoge, who first preached at Opequan church near Kernstown, where his grandfather lived, as mentioned by Dr. Foot; he left no issue. Bunyan died young. Jonathan was a prominent man in Cumberland Co., when all this part of PA. was Cumberland Co., and through the Indian, Catfish, became the owner of the land where the town of Washington, PA now stands.
David's two sons, John and William, in 1782 came to Washington and laid out the town of Washington, (see Dr. Creigh's history of Washington Co.), and there they both lived and died, both distinguished men. William was a member of congress during Jefferson's entire administration, and died in 1814. If you are in Washington, got to the old graveyard and see his tombstone. John was also in Congress, and held many important offices in PA. He died in 1823 leaving no issue. David was Receiver of Public money at the land office at Steubenville, OH, from the beginning to the end of that office at that place, and died there in 1845, leaving several sons and daughters. The only son now living is Joseph, a lawyer, who is in San Moreno Co., CA. He resided at one time in IL, and was a member of Congress from that state from 1842 to 1846, representing the Galena district. He afterward went to CA. Jonathan moved to near Morgantown, W. VA., had two sons and died there. One son moved to southern Illinois and died, leaving several children. The other son lives in or near Washington, PA.
Amy, a daughter of David Hoge, married Alex Blaine. they had several children. Squire Blaine (not Fph.) lived and died at Washington, PA. A descendent lived in Wheeling, named Simms, and the only survivor of that branch, L.Q.R. Laidly, lived a few years ago in Charlestown, W. VA., and may be still there. L. Halsey Wells, cashier of the Second Nat. Bank, Pittsburg, is a descendent; George Shiras, the distinguished lawyer of Pittsburg was another, and many other whom you and your brother no doubt know. This Mrs Blaine is the only one of David's daughters who left many descendents. Jane Hoge, another daughter, married Captain James Blaine; she died shortly after marriage without issue. Her husband then married a Miss Lyon, and they were the grandparents of Senator James Blaine whom we all know. The other daughter of David Hoge, married the rev. Samuel Waugh, of Silver's Spring, Cumberland Co. She had several children, but they are all dead. the third daughter, Mary, married Dr. John Hoge Irwin, and their daughter, my wife, is the only descendent of that branch, and she was born in Wheeling.
William Hoge and Barbara Hume have sons. John, William, Alexander, James, and George. We have disposed of John and William. Alexander became a lawyer of eminence, lived near Winchester, was a member of the first Congress of the U.S., and of the Virginia convention that adopted the Constitution of the US.
James was the father of the Rev. Moses Hoge, the distinguished divine, and who was the ancestor of the several preachers of the name in many parts of the country, including the present Rev. Moses Hoge of Richmond, VA, and Rev. James Hoge of Columbus, OH.
George Hoge moved to North Carolina. Do you know to which of the families Judge Hoge of Martinsburg, W.VA, belongs? It seems that most of the descendents come from the through the son William, your ancestor, more than all the balance put together.
The little old church at Opequan was burnt down since the war. I think in remembrance of their ancestor, William Hoge, who had the first one built, (this is the third one), the Hoges ought to rebuild it. The little school house is still standing, one hundred years old; the burying ground is in good repair. I have a copy of the deed which William Hoge made for the ground on which the church, the school house and the graveyard are, dated Feb. 19, 1745.
I will be glad to have the Princeton Reviews to which you refer. This has been written "Currente Calamo", so you must excuse it.
Very truly yours,
D. Kaine
The Family of Hoge – 1927
We can point with pride and gratitude to the achievements and exemplary lives of many of the representatives of this family. Numbers have been eminent in the professions and other honorable pursuits and but few families have given to the country more men of distinction and ability in political spheres.
We doubt if another family has given so many ministers of the gospel or men of prominence in all church, scholastic and benevolent works. We have been able to count among the names we have secured over fifty ministers of the gospel. Eighteen have been chosen as members of congress, not to mention many who have been nominated for this position, and the list is quite large of those who have been senators, judges, foreign ministers, governors, etc., etc...
And let it be remembered with especial pride and pleasure that among the long list of names that have been obtained, not against a single one is there known a charge of unlawful behavior. Even the number of those who have been given to the use of intoxicating drink could be counted on the fingers of one's hands.
Surely this is not a family to be ashamed of! Some may be, or may have been poor and may have dropped somewhat in the social scale, but they have been honest, and let the poor but honorable ones be esteemed as highly as those who have won honor and distinction.
A very able and cultivated member of the family, Thomas C. Hoge, of New York, in writing to Rev. Moses D. Hoge, D.D., says with commendable pride, "There is no grander or nobler lineage in this or any other country than this one and my researches warrant me in saying that I know of none to equal it. In our earlier history, our ancestors were princes and gentlemen, noble not only in blood, but noble of soul; and generation after generation, through centuries of time, have come and passed away, each leaving the same unwavering record of high lofty character, undeviating Christian principles, humble faith and devotion and social supremacy, which neither change of time nor circumstance nor condition could deteriorate. It is a curious fact that the underlying characteristics of the family appear to have always the same."
Let us take a quotation from the life of the most eminent representative of the family, and in my opinion the greatest man taking him all around, I ever knew, Rev. Moses D. Hoge, D.D. In his Life, written by his able and distinguished nephew, Rev. Peyton Harrison Hoge, D.D., we have the following words: "When a noble name is borne by the ignoble man, it only serves to make its owner contemptible. But there is a pride of ancestry that awakens responsibility; that stimulates endeavor; that purifies motive and shapes life to noble ends. Consciousness of 'whence' we are may largely determine 'what' we are. But apart from conscious influence is not the 'whence' a true cause of 'what'? Great men often arise from very obscure origin, but the historian and biographer are never satisfied until they have traced back the extra ordinary qualities of their hero to a source that is none tha less real because it is obscure.
"It takes many streams to make the river and the virtues of many lowly men and women struck together in happy combination to give the world the assurance of a man; when the streams are on the surface and the same qualities can be traced for generations our task is plainer and our reward surer. And when natural virtues are exalted by divine grace, we can rejoice not only in the fixedness of nature's laws, but, what is far better the sureness of the covenant promise of God.
The Family of Hoge – 1927
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1660 - Bef 1749 (89 years)
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