Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/253

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PROMINENT PERSONS


215


1817. He was educated at Hampden-Sidney College, from which he graduated in June, 1835. He studied for the Presbyterian min- istry three years at Union Seminary and two years at Princeton. Sixteen years fol- lowed, spent in active ministerial duty — two in Texas, seven in Warrenton, Virginia, and seven in Georgetown, D. C. He was elected president of Hampden-Sidney in 1857, and did much to keep the college up to its ancient traditions. At the beginning of the war for Southern independence he organ- ized the students into a company and marched to the front, but a week later they were captured at Rich Mountain by Gen. McClellan, who sent them all home under parole — a characteristic act of that noble Federal general. Dr. Atkinson met the diffi- culties of reestablishing the college after the war with courage and fidelity. Beginning with four professors and one tutor, he brought the student roll from thirty-eight in 1865 to ninety-two in 1873. He was greatly beloved by his scholars. He died in 1883. He married (first) Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Peyton Hawke ; (second) Mary B. Baldwin ; (third) Fanny, daughter of Hon. Alexander H. H. Stuart.

Hoge, Moses Drury, born near Hampden- Sidney College, Virginia, September 17, 1819, a son of Samuel Davies Hoge. He was graduated from Hampden-Sidney Col- lege in the class of 1839, then pursued his studies at the Union Theological Seminary and was licensed to preach in 1844. He at once received a call to Richmond as assist- ant pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and under his charge a colony soon went from that church, and organized as the Sec- ond Presbyterian Church in January, 1845.


For a period of forty years this was his only charge. He ran the blockade to England during the civil war in order to obtain Bibles and other religious works for the Confed- erate army. Among those who cordially fav- ored his application to the British and Foreign Bible Society, was the Earl of Shaftesbury, who was the leading spirit in obtaining for him a grant of four thousand pounds worth of Bibles and testaments. Dr. Hoge traveled extensively throughout Europe and the east, was a delegate to the Evangelical Alliance that met in Philadel- phia in 1873, and to the Pan-Presbyterian Council in Edinburgh in 1877. In 1875 hs delivered the oration at the unveil- ing of the statue of "Stonewall" Jack- son, that was presented by English gentle- men to the state of Virginia. He received tlie degree of Doctor of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, Virginia, and de- clined the presidency of Hampden-Sidney College. He was associated with Rev. Thomas Moore, D. D., in the editorship of the "Central Presbyterian," 1862-67. Ihroughout his ministry he made numerous addresses before literary and scientific soci- eties, and was regarded as the most eloquent pulpit orator in the Southern Presbyterian church.

Fairfax, Donald McNeill, born in Vir- ginia, August 10, 1822, became a midship- man, August 12, 1837, and served under Du- pont on the west coast of Mexico and Cali- fonia. during the Mexican war, participating actively in the capture of a number of towns. He was promoted to a lieutenancy, Febru- ary 26, 185T ; made commander, July 16, 1862 ; and served on the Cayuga, of the West Gulf squadron, from June, 1862, until Feb-