Virginia Church Records: Difference between revisions

internal link
(glebe)
(internal link)
Line 1: Line 1:
''[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Virginia|Virginia ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Virginia_Church_Records|Church Records]]''  
''[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Virginia|Virginia ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Virginia_Church_Records|Church Records]]''  


[[Image:Bruton Parish Church.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]The Church of England (now Protestant Episcopal) was the established church in Virginia from 1624 to 1786. Between the time of the American Revolution and the year 1900, the largest religious groups in [[Virginia]] were the Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, and Presbyterian churches. The Family History Library has histories of the Baptist, Christian, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Reformed, United Brethren, and other groups.  
[[Image:Bruton Parish Church.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Bruton Parish Church.jpg]]The Church of England (now Protestant Episcopal) was the established church in Virginia from 1624 to 1786. Between the time of the American Revolution and the year 1900, the largest religious groups in [[Virginia]] were the Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, and Presbyterian churches. The [[Family History Library]] has histories of the Baptist, Christian, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Reformed, United Brethren, and other groups.  


=== Introduction  ===
=== Introduction  ===
Line 7: Line 7:
The Library of Virginia has many church records. These are described in:  
The Library of Virginia has many church records. These are described in:  


*Clark, Jewell T., and Elizabeth T. Long. ''A Guide to Church Records in the Library of Virginia''. Richmond, Va.: 2002. {{FHL|1040765|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 K23g}}. Includes the history, location, and record inventory of 11 denominations and congregations. In 2002, an updated edition entitled was published.  
*Clark, Jewell T., and Elizabeth T. Long. ''A Guide to Church Records in the Library of Virginia''. Richmond, Va.: 2002. {{FHL|1040765|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 K23g}}. Includes the history, location, and record inventory of 11 denominations and congregations. In 2002, an updated edition entitled was published.


The Family History Library also has many parish records of the Episcopal Church and some church records for other denominations, notably minutes of various Baptist conferences, Society of Friends meeting minutes, and German Reformed and Lutheran parish registers.  
The Family History Library also has many parish records of the Episcopal Church and some church records for other denominations, notably minutes of various Baptist conferences, Society of Friends meeting minutes, and German Reformed and Lutheran parish registers.  


Many denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located, or read more about them in the following publications.
Many denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located, or read more about them in the following publications.  


=== Baptist  ===
=== Baptist  ===
Line 17: Line 17:
[http://www.baptistheritage.org/ '''Virginia Baptist Historical Society''']<br>Boatwright Memorial Library<br>28 Westhampton Way<br>University of Richmond, VA 23173<br>Telephone: '''(804)289-8669'''  
[http://www.baptistheritage.org/ '''Virginia Baptist Historical Society''']<br>Boatwright Memorial Library<br>28 Westhampton Way<br>University of Richmond, VA 23173<br>Telephone: '''(804)289-8669'''  


''The Religious Herald'' was a newspaper published by the Baptist faith. Abstracts of marriages and obituaries were prepared by The Historical Records Survey of Virginia:
''The Religious Herald'' was a newspaper published by the Baptist faith. Abstracts of marriages and obituaries were prepared by The Historical Records Survey of Virginia:  


*''Index to Marriage Notices in The Religious Herald, 1828-1938.'' Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, 1996. {{FHL|760275|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 V22in}}.
*''Index to Marriage Notices in The Religious Herald, 1828-1938.'' Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, 1996. {{FHL|760275|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 V22in}}.  
*''Index to Obituary Notices in The Religious herald, 1828-1938.'' Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, 1996. {{FHL|758579|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 V42h}}.
*''Index to Obituary Notices in The Religious herald, 1828-1938.'' Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, 1996. {{FHL|758579|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 V42h}}.


Line 38: Line 38:
=== Church of England (Anglican, Protestant Episcopal)  ===
=== Church of England (Anglican, Protestant Episcopal)  ===


Before the American Revolution, the state church of Virginia was the Church of England (also called Anglican, and later Protestant Episcopal). 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 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/search.aspx?Ca=098&amp;amp;Da=285 American Ancestors] ($); {{FHL|33159|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 49 (2005)}}.</ref><br>  
Before the American Revolution, the state church of Virginia was the Church of England (also called Anglican, and later Protestant Episcopal). Besides keeping parish registers, the church kept many records of a civil nature in their vestry books. In many instances, parish registers containing baptism, marriage, and death records have not survived when vestry books have. Colonial vestries largely ceased functioning in 1786, when local overseers of the poor took charge of some of vestries' main responsibilities.<ref>John Frederick Dorman, "Review of ''Albemarle Parish Vestry Book,"'' in ''The Virginia Genealogist,'' Vol. 49, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2005):320. Digital version at [http://www.americanancestors.org/search.aspx?Ca=098&amp;amp;amp;Da=285 American Ancestors] ($); {{FHL|33159|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 49 (2005)}}.</ref><br>  


==== Colonial Parishes  ====
==== Colonial Parishes  ====
Line 89: Line 89:
[http://www.theclergydatabase.org.uk/jsp/search/index.jsp The Clergy of the Church of England] website (work in progress) also contains details of many of their ministerial careers before departing for America.  
[http://www.theclergydatabase.org.uk/jsp/search/index.jsp The Clergy of the Church of England] website (work in progress) also contains details of many of their ministerial careers before departing for America.  


Very few of Virginia's colonial glebe houses (residences of Church of England ministers owned by the parish) survive today.<ref>John Frederick Dorman, "Review of ''The Glebe Houses of Colonial Virginia,"'' in ''The Virginia Genealogist,'' Vol. 47, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2003):313. Digital version at [http://www.americanancestors.org/search.aspx?Ca=098&amp;Da=285 American Ancestors] ($); {{FHL|33159|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 47 (2003)}}.</ref>
Very few of Virginia's colonial glebe houses (residences of Church of England ministers owned by the parish) survive today.<ref>John Frederick Dorman, "Review of ''The Glebe Houses of Colonial Virginia,"'' in ''The Virginia Genealogist,'' Vol. 47, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2003):313. Digital version at [http://www.americanancestors.org/search.aspx?Ca=098&amp;amp;Da=285 American Ancestors] ($); {{FHL|33159|item|disp=FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 47 (2003)}}.</ref>  


=== Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)  ===
=== Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)  ===
Line 137: Line 137:
<br>[http://www.cdow.org/ Diocese of Wilmington]  
<br>[http://www.cdow.org/ Diocese of Wilmington]  


== References ==
== References ==


<references /><br>{{Virginia|Virginia}}  
<references /><br>{{Virginia|Virginia}}  


[[Category:Virginia|Church]] [[Category:Church_records|Virginia]]
[[Category:Virginia|Church]] [[Category:Church_records|Virginia]]
407,336

edits