Thurmer Hoggard and the Myth of the Annual Pilgrimages
There is a story that after the Revolutionary War Virginia passed a law that churches and chapels formerly owned by the Church of England and not used for a period of one year became property of the Commonwealth. The story claims that the threat of losing Old Donation’s (Church Three) ruins inspired Emmanuel Church’s Reverend Thurmer Hoggard to make annual “pilgrimages” to the ruins to hold services thereby keeping the property out of the hands of the government. Reverend Hoggard cared deeply about the old building as it was there that he worshiped as a child.
However, no such law ever existed in Virginia. After having failed to locate the mystery law I consulted John Metz, Ph.D. Deputy for Collections & Programs/Deputy State Librarian at The Library of Virginia. Dr. Metz surveyed his colleagues (all accomplished historians) and no one could cite such a law.
It’s possible the notion of the law grew out of the "Act Concerning the Glebe Lands and Churches within this Commonwealth" passed in 1802. Dr. Metz says this law “authorized the sale of glebe lands upon the death or resignation of the rector. The 1802 law is the only one that I am aware of the was passed concerning the re-possession of Anglican/Episcopal property. It’s a little different than what you describe because it pertains to Glebe lands which was generally farmland owned by a vestry and used to support parish functions, like the support of the indigent. The 1802 law allowed the re-possession of land at the county level where the proceeds from the sale were directed to the Overseers of the Poor in that county, since the county was picking up the responsibility previously fulfilled by the parish vestries.” Email, Subject: Re: Law Reclaiming Church of England Churches & Chapels to the Commonwealth, 6/7/2024, Metz, John (LVA) to Kathy Hessmer.
On 6/28/2024 Rebecca Schneider, Senior Reference Librarian at LVA wrote: “My hunch is that no such law existed ... In terms of laws, the only ones I found (other than the 1802 law) were general laws from the 1850s governing the sale of church property, which as far as I could tell did not mandate any kind of seizure.”
Moreover, an examination of the Lynnhaven Parish (Emmanuel Church & Eastern Shore Chapel) Vestry Book 1787-1911, revealed no record of annual trips or pilgrimages by Reverend Hoggard, or any other member, to the Old Donation ruins. Reverend Hoggard's trips representing the church at the annual Episcopal Diocese conventions across the Commonwealth were dutifully recorded.