▁failed ▁the ▁property ▁and ▁buildings ▁were ▁acquired ▁for ▁Valley ▁Union ▁Sem inary . ▁▁ 1 8 4 2 – 1 8 5 5 : ▁Valley ▁Union ▁Sem inary ▁and ▁Charles ▁Lewis ▁C ock e ▁ ▁The ▁institution ▁of ▁higher ▁learning ▁that ▁would ▁become ▁H oll ins ▁was ▁first ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 2 ▁by ▁the ▁Re ver end ▁Josh ua ▁Brad ley ▁as ▁the ▁co ed uc ational ▁Valley ▁Union ▁Sem inary . ▁Brad ley ▁left ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁for ▁Missouri , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁the ▁sem inary ' s ▁trust ees ▁h ired ▁a ▁ 2 5 - year - old ▁math ▁instruct or ▁from ▁Richmond ▁named ▁Charles ▁Lewis ▁C ock e ▁to ▁direct ▁the ▁institution . ▁ ▁C ock e ▁years , ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁- ▁ ▁C ock e ▁arrived ▁with ▁his ▁wife , ▁Sus anna , ▁and ▁ 1 6 ▁slaves . ▁ ▁The ▁same ▁year , ▁C ock e ▁established ▁the ▁first ▁school ▁for ▁ens la ved ▁people ▁in ▁the ▁Ro ano ke ▁area ; ▁many ▁students ▁at ▁the ▁school ▁worked ▁at ▁the ▁sem inary . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁C ock e ▁abol ished ▁the ▁men ' s ▁department ▁of ▁the ▁institution , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁the ▁school ▁became ▁a ▁women ' s ▁college ▁called ▁the ▁Ro ano ke ▁Fem ale ▁Sem inary . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 5 , ▁Lyn ch burg ▁residents