[APG Public List] Virginia Colonial Parish Levies, Question

[Jeanette Daniels]

Craig,

Good questions.  I'm looking forward to the answers.  I don't think that an article has been written specifically on this.  However, Arlene Eakle PhD did do a very thorough article about 1978 that would cover some of this information.  She sells reprints of the article.  Her website is:  http://www.arleneeakle.com/  You may want to contact her directly with these questions.  

Jeanette



----- Original Message ----
From: Craig Kilby <persisto1 at gmail.com>
To: APG APG Public <apgpubliclist at apgen.org>
Sent: Monday, September 7, 2009 10:51:44 AM
Subject: [APG Public List] Virginia Colonial Parish Levies, Question

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. 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.

2.  Were German Protetesants ever required to attend services at the  
established Church of England? Some are saying that since this was  
compulsory. I think the German Protestants, and other denominations,  
were exempt from this. Specifically, we are talking the First Germanna  
Colony who came in 1714 and later settled Germantown in Fauquier  
County in 1720.

2. Were German Protestants or any other exempt group (i.e. Quakers,  
Presbyterians) still required to pay the parish levies after the  
expiration (in this case Spotsylvania County) of their exemptions from  
"publick" levies.

3. Did exemption from "publick levies" ever exempt anyone from paying  
county and parish levies?

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
_______________________________________________
APG Public Mailing List
http://apgen.org/publications/publiclist/