*http://www.uncpress.unc.edu/browse/book_detail?title_id=790 * A Blessed Company<http://www.uncpress.unc.edu/browse/book_detail?title_id=790> Parishes, Parsons, and Parishioners in Anglican Virginia, 1690-1776 By John K. Nelson <http://www.uncpress.unc.edu/browse/search?person_id=761> Nelson is Emeritus, UNC Chapel Hill Department of History. If anyone would know, it is he. ** On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 4:47 PM, Ian Welch <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > 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 > > > > ______________________________________ > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the > > instructions at > > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > (Dr) Ian Welch, Australian National University, Canberra > > > > ______________________________________ > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > -- Nancy Gray Schoonmaker Ph.D. candidate Department of History University of North Carolina [log in to unmask] ____________________________ Fish gotta swim, hearts gotta bleed. --Molly Ivins People remember what they want to the way they want to, and call it history. --Christopher Dickey ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html