I can't claim any expertise but it is my impression that the church tithe was paid by all free Virginians regardless of their religious affiliation.
I will be delighted to hear more about the questions asked by Craig Kilby.
Ian Welch, Cnberra
----- Original Message -----
From: Craig Kilby <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, September 7, 2009 22:51
Subject: [VA-HIST] Colonial Tithes and Anglican Church
To: [log in to unmask]
> Fellow List Members:
>
> A question has arisen on another forum that needs some expert
> answers. I'll try to be as concise as possible:
>
> 1. Were German Protetesants ever required to attend
> services at the established Church of England? Some are saying
> that since this compulsory, I am of the opinion that they were
> not, since they had their own ministers and paid for their
> minister and churchs.
>
> 2. Were German Protestants required to pay parish levies after
> the expiration (in this case Spotsylvania County) of their
> exemptions from "publick" levies.
>
> 3. It is my understanding that there were three types of levies
> (not including port fees and clerk's fees, and the like:
>
> a) "publick levies" to fund the colonial government
>
> b) county levies to pay for the local county government
>
> c) parish levies to pay for the church and its sundry duties to
> the community.
>
> I realize that the enabling legislation creating Spotsylvania
> County was quite vague on this point, and even more vague on the
> question of whether the Germans (in this case First Colony who
> removed to Germantown in Fauquier County) were exempt from
> paying their parish levies or not. This and many other
> vagueries in the enabling legislation led to no end of troubles
> for Alexander Spotswood. (But he had only himself to blame, as
> he was the primary author of the legislation.)
>
> I am not seeking a rehash of Hening's Statutes at Large, but a
> deeper and broader understanding of the items above. Other than
> having to attend just one communion service, and various oaths
> of loyalty, in order to become Naturalized, I cannot imagine any
> circumstances under which the German Protestants would have been
> required to attend Anglican Services.
>
> To gives this a broader scope, who else (if anyone) was also
> exempt from compulsory church attendance? Quakers,
> Presbyterians? Or even broader, a discussion on all taxaton
> policies of colonial Virginia.
>
> If there is an article that has been written on this topic in
> more detail than that provided by the LVA Research Note on this
> topic, I would be happy to learn of it.
>
> We are looking at the time frame from 1720 to the Revolution. I
> realize laws MAY have changed. The primary question here is the
> issue of paying parish levies even if one was not a member of
> the Anglican Church.
>
> All help greatly appreciated.
>
> Craig Kilby
> Lancaster, VA
>
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(Dr) Ian Welch, Australian National University, Canberra
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