The Fall Meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Company took place on October 24, 2009 at Historic Christ Church, Irvington, Lancaster County. Governor Jean Booth McKenney convened an Executive Committee meeting at 10:00 A.M., followed by the Membership Meeting at 10:30 A.M.

      The speaker was Robert J. Teagle, Education Director and Curator at Historic Christ Church. His presentation was "The Church of England in Colonial Virginia." (Shown above, left to right: Robert J. Teagle, Jean Booth McKenney, William B. England, III, and Beatrice J. England).

      Mr. Teagle's talk outlined the beginnings of organized religion in the Colony of Virginia, and detailed how the Church of England in Colonial Virginia was similar to and yet different from the parent church across the sea. His presentation included images of laws enacted which affected the Church and its congregants, and presented details which included mandatory attendance at church, and taxation to support the parish's expenditures. There apparently was no funding from the parent church to assist in this. While the Colony of Virginia had no Bishop, it had a Commissary who served in a similar role. The parish vestries were made up of powerful and influential property owners. When one died, it was customary that another member of that vestryman's family be appointed, so that families in colonial Virginia continued their legacy of influence.

      While other churches made their appearance in Virginia prior to the Revolution, the Church of England continued to be the established church. Earlier than the Revolution, there was not freedom of religion, but there was tolerance of other churches. Freedom of religion, it should be noted, while a First Amendment right to the Constitution of the United States, also entailed freedom from religion, so those who chose not to participate were not required to do so. In colonial Virginia, those who chose to participate in, for instance, Presbyterian churches, could do so, but they were still required to pay taxes to support the Church of England parishes, from whose budgets ministers were paid, construction and repairs of church buildings were funded. (Shown above is the title slide from Mr. Teagle's presentation, which is a very early photograph of Christ Church).

       The Company thanks Mr. Teagle (shown below) for his interesting and informative presentation, and Nancy Tripp, who catered the luncheon.

An announcement of the Spring Meeting date, time and place will be made when the information is available. Please check back to the site for updates!

Members who have not yet paid their dues ($15) are reminded to send their checks to Mary Elizabeth Stewart, POB 485, Irvington, VA 22480.