Rev Hugh Vance

• General Notes
  • Early American Presbyterians
    Rev. Hugh Vance (1735-1791)
    He was born in 1735 and received a B.A. at Nassau Hall, 1767 September. He was next a student of Divinity at Pequea, PA under reverend Robert Smith. (His father, Charles Vance was a pastor at Pequea.) Hugh Vance was licensed by Donegal Presbytery, 1769-10-13, and sent to itinerate 20 places in Pennsylvania and Virginia. 1770-04-11, he was given the same circuit, but chiefly Tuscarora, Falling Water and Elk Branch; 1770-10-11, he was called to Tuscarora and Back Creek which he chiefly served in the Fall and Winter. 1771-04-10, he was called to Falling Water for one fourth of his time, salary, thirty pounds, Pennsylvania currency. He declined the Falling Water call, and 1771-08-21, Donegal Presbytery met at Tuscarora church and ordained him and installed him pastor of Tuscarora and Back Creek. He often supplied Falling Water, but that he was pastor there is contrary to the express record. He continued in the one pastorate until his early death, 1791-12-31. He is buried in Tuscarora grave-yard, his stone erected by "his affectionate friends in Berkeley county VA". He succeeded John Hoge as the chief workman in Frederick and Berkeley counties VA; his zeal and diligence, even east of Blue Ridge, is attested by the preceeding list. "Live the life, if you would die the death of the righteous" says the tomb-stone.
    
    1775-05-10 Hugh Vance bought 99 acres of land on Dry Run branch of Tuscarora Creek from Thomas McCoy, which was sold by his widow and children on 1807-10-26 to Matthew Ransome. He also owned land on Marsh Creek, York county PA; if inherited, that was likely his birth-place which is otherwise unknown, as is his relationship to the Vances on the Opequon. His will dated 1791 December 12 names his wife, Elizabeth Park, two sons and 4 daughters, of whom Sarah married George Harlan, and a slave, Alice (he once owned slave, Rose, bought in 1789). His farm and home were well stocked, 5 horses, 4 hogs, 28 sheep, 13 cattle, 141 books, etc. besides the books retained by the family. Six sets of books were bought at the sale by Rev. Moses Hoge for 6 pounds; 113 books brought 65 pounds. Alice was appraised at 40.
    
    http://mal.net/EarlyPresbyterians/prescongva.htm
    After 1782 the Elk Branch Church was supplied by ministers of the Presbytery, chiefly Hugh Vance, pastor at Tuscarora, and Robert  Cooper, pastor at Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, until it came under the care of the Rev. Moses Hoge in 1787.  In 1792 [after the death of Hugh Vance], the Elk Branch Church was in a state of decay, and the growth of the Jefferson County congregations under Mr. Hoge and the missionaries of the Synod, now of Virginia, required a rearrangement.