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