While searching for his lost brother who fought in the French-Indian War, James Mayo Hoge instead found his true love, Elizabeth Howe, and together they built a home on land he called Hayfield (now Belle Hampton Farm) in 1767. James Mayo Hoge fought courageously in the Revolutionary War along with his father-in-law, Joseph Howe and brother-in-law, Daniel Howe who lived next door on Sunnyside. James and Elizabeth had 11 children, one of them being General James Hoge. James Mayo died in 1812 with General Hoge buying up his siblings interest and became owner of Hayfield.

General James Hoge who was known to be a “Leader of Men” most notably because of his leadership in the War of 1812. He was a full six feet, two inches, tall, weighing two hundred and twenty pounds, erect, and in all respect proportioned; smooth shaven, full face, with piercing, though merry black eyes, and heavy brows. His dress was tailor made and ever spotlessly neat. In brief, he was magnificent in appearance, and this was universally acknowledged.

The General was an entrepreneur who expanded the farm into a profitable agricultural business selling Hemp for rope to the shipping industry as well as raising cattle. He owned 5000 acres and was worth in today’s dollar 5 million. He married his first cousin, Eleanor Howe meaning they had the same grandfather, Major Joseph Howe. It is generally observed that all of the Hoge’s bear some resemblance to one another due to marrying his cousin.

In 1826, General James Hoge built a beautiful brick main house, a smokehouse and a Cooking/Laundry house using Swope for the builder. As the only brick structure for 100 miles, it was said that people travelled from all over to see the Mansion built with such distinction. The original federal style main house had 6 rooms, three downstairs, three upstairs. A cellar underneath the entire original structure has an English Kitchen with its own cooking area. The upstairs center room is supposedly haunted. Guests staying at the property would hear boot steps going up to the attic. Were people hiding in the attic during the Civil War to be found by the Union soldiers? Or more likely are the hauntings from the soldiers that lost their lives during the Battle of Cloyd’s Farm who were being treated at Belle Hampton which is close to the battlefield.

In 1879, the front of the house was added by Gov. James Hoge Tyler. Governor J. Hoge Tyler is the grandson of General James Hoge. He was the son of his only daughter, Eliza. Eliza was daddy’s little girl who lost her life giving birth to her only child, Tyler. The legend has it J. Hoge Tyler at two weeks old traveled in a Champaign basket to the farm with her wet nurse, Sara Armstead. Eleanor trekked to meet her grandson and took them back to Hayfield where the Governor Tyler was raised, loved and educated.

The darling of his grandfather, J. Hoge Tyler received the best education from tutors and private schooling. He was also taught how to run the business of the farm and to encourage his entrepreneur abilities. However, his grandmother and grandfather passed away just as the Civil War began. Tyler wanted his own adventure. At 16, he ran off with his friends to join the war as a private in the Confederate Army instead of being an officer. When the war was over and he returned, the estate was settled and he inherited Hayfield from his grandfather.

But he returned to a dismantled home, unfenced, washed and worn fields. Under his skillful management, hard work, and vision, he made it a most attractive home. Tyler added the front of the house, staircase, parlor and upstairs bedroom. He renamed the home Belle Hampton after his daughter Belle and Sue Hampton. He raised the fineness Durham cows and brought the property back to its grandeur.

In the late 1800’s he opened a General Store/Post Office on the property because of his coal mining operation, Belle Hampton Coal Mining. After making a fortune in his coal operations, he sold it in 1902.

Although he wasn’t a graduate from Virginia Tech, James Hoge Tyler served on the board of visitors from 1887 to 1890 and was rector from 1887 to 1889. He also served the community by running for political office. He started his political career by becoming a state senator in 1877, 1890 Lieutenant Governor and Governor from 1898-1902. It was said, “Tyler was ambitious, but never ruthless.” In 1891, he moved to Radford thus vacating Belle Hampton for generations to come. Did he leave because of his political career or was it due to suddenly losing his youngest daughter “Nellie” at age one. Either way, it became a summer home for the Tyler family for the next 120 plus years.

After Tyler’s passing, his son S. Heth Tyler inherited the property which he enhanced as a summer residence. In the 1930’s he added an addition to the main house, a kitchen, and to the cooking/cleaning cottage, a garage. However, the garage could never house a car since the turning radius of vehicles at the time could not make the sharp turn between the buildings. A pool and tennis court were added to compete the camp like feel. Heth Tyler once said that it was cheaper to send his kids to the farm than to send them to summer camp. The Tyler’s continued to live fulltime in Norfolk, VA until he passed away in 1943 and his wife in 1968.

After her mom died, Sue Hammet Tyler, known to many in the community as “Granny Sue,” inherited Belle Hampton, where she fondly spent her summers. She took over the farm management and wished to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps by running for political office, however, after a significant defeat, she lost interest in politics and spent hours in her garden, the hayfield or where work needed to be done at Belle Hampton. Although her primary residence was still Virginia Beach, VA, she soon lost interest in Belle Hampton after her long-time friend and farm hand passed away. When Granny Sue passed in 2006, the prestigious Belle Hampton was in desperate need of repair. Her daughter, Susan Duerson, inherited the property because it was believed she would never sell it outside the family, however, circumstances required either significant investment to restore the estate or sell so she could retire.

The property was abandoned and left to decay, becoming a target for critters and vandals. Among its contents were Civil War letters and books dating back to the early 1800s, which were unfortunately exposed to moisture, bugs, and the disinterest of subsequent generations. The once-loved property became a burden on the owner and their family members. However, the roof remained intact and provided some level of protection for the property's contents.

Serendipitously, a Great Great Great Grandson of General Hoge happened to visit the property while celebrating his son’s 21st birthday. Tom Hoge, his wife, and three boys were given the grand tour of the structures along with the cliffnote version of family history. Although enamored with the beauty of the landscape and the deep history of the property, they left that day to return to life in Ohio.

The decision was made, and Duerson had to get the property ready for the market. Even though she feared being haunted by her mom for selling to a non-family member, she had no choice. Diligent cleaning and clearing started by sorting out stuff left over from as far back as before the Civil War. Furniture was appraised, but most would have to be left behind. Although not show ready, she made arrangements to put the house on the market with a realtor in a week when she got a call from the Generals’ Great Great Great Grandson. After his own son’s graduation from Virginia Tech and his father passing away just months before, Tom Hoge decided he had more family in Virginia than anywhere else. He offered to purchase the property and keep it in the family.

After years of neglect and disrepair, the owner was relieved at the thought of selling the property to a family member. She was haunted by the trust her mother had in her to take care of this once prestigious property. The sale went smoothly, and the family joked that we "bought the farm." However, it was actually a well-thought-out decision after years of carefully considering what they wanted in a destination home. They just didn't know where that would be until now.

The abandoned property is no longer neglected. It was a win-win situation for everyone involved. The owner generously presented the General's Portrait to the family, which now hangs in the Main House foyer.

In 2019, the cottage was stripped down to its bones and beautifully modernized in its interior. While keeping the historic exterior, the masonry was repointed by a craftsman who matched the brick style and workmanship. The General Store/Post Office was also renovated and is now available for rent on Airbnb. The Main house was renovated in 2020 and is now used as a Family Office.

As devoted stewards of Belle Hampton, our unwavering commitment lies in sharing our journey as an invaluable lesson for fellow business families. We firmly believe that the 'shirt sleeve to shirt sleeve' cycle is not an inevitability but rather a challenge that can be overcome. By proactively equipping the rising generations and fostering effective communication through establishing Family Governance, which includes regular Family Meetings, we significantly enhance the likelihood of realizing a prosperous 250-year plan.

Our work encompasses assisting families with their Family Balance Sheet (goal setting, purpose statement, Vision, Mission, and Core Values), Rising Generation Development, and Governance. We continuously refine the process of creating a 250-year plan by drawing insights from our own family's remarkable success story.

To understand our roots and 'how we got here,' Madeline Hoge has passionately chronicled the Hoge/Howe Family History. Her inaugural work, 'Sleeping in the Valley,' documents the life stories of the earliest Virginians in our area, laid to rest in the family cemetery. Her subsequent publications, 'Robert H. Hoge's Autobiography' and 'The Diary of Governor James Hoge Tyler,' have transmitted the family's rich history to generations across the nation. Madeline is presently immersed in her next endeavor, 'Pages of the Past,' which delves deeper into the stories of those associated with Belle Hampton.