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[[Image:Virginia churches.png|thumb|right|500px]] Before the American Revolution, the state church of Virginia was the Church of England (also called Anglican, and later Protestant Episcopal (P.E.). Besides keeping parish registers, the church kept many records of a civil nature in their vestry books. In many instances, parish registers containing baptism, marriage, and death records have not survived when vestry books have. Colonial vestries largely ceased functioning in 1786, when local overseers of the poor took charge of some of the vestries' main responsibilities.<ref>John Frederick Dorman, "Review of ''Albemarle Parish Vestry Book,"'' in ''The Virginia Genealogist,'' Vol. 49, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2005):320. Digital version at [http://www.americanancestors.org/ American Ancestors] ($); {{FHL|33159|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 49 (2005)}}.</ref><br> | [[Image:Virginia churches.png|thumb|right|500px]] Before the American Revolution, the state church of Virginia was the Church of England (also called Anglican, and later Protestant Episcopal (P.E.). Besides keeping parish registers, the church kept many records of a civil nature in their vestry books. In many instances, parish registers containing baptism, marriage, and death records have not survived when vestry books have. Colonial vestries largely ceased functioning in 1786, when local overseers of the poor took charge of some of the vestries' main responsibilities.<ref>John Frederick Dorman, "Review of ''Albemarle Parish Vestry Book,"'' in ''The Virginia Genealogist,'' Vol. 49, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2005):320. Digital version at [http://www.americanancestors.org/ American Ancestors] ($); {{FHL|33159|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 49 (2005)}}.</ref><br> | ||
=== Colonial Parishes === | ===== Colonial Parishes ===== | ||
Some early parish registers are incomplete or missing. Rivah Research charts the survival of Virginia's Church of England records in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151231223255/http://www.rivahresearch.com/westmorelandcty/vitals/resources/religion/parishregister.htm Virginia Parish Registers Information & Location]. Many have been published. | Some early parish registers are incomplete or missing. Rivah Research charts the survival of Virginia's Church of England records in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151231223255/http://www.rivahresearch.com/westmorelandcty/vitals/resources/religion/parishregister.htm Virginia Parish Registers Information & Location]. Many have been published. | ||
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