I hope this information on North Carolina Parishes will aid you in your research.<\/p>\n
Listing of Parishes sent in by Donna Sherron<\/p>\n
Additional info and research from various sources<\/p>\n
\r\n\r\nIn 1709, there were four precincts or parishes in the Albemarle region: Chowan, Pasquotank,\r\nPerquimans, and Currituck. There were three in the Pamlico region: Beaufort, Hyde, and Craven.\r\nIn Chowan Precinct was St Paul\u2019s Parish in Edenton, established in 1701. This parish was\r\ndivided in 1715 and Southwest Parish was established. In 1722, the parish was again divided\r\nand South Shore Parish was created, becoming known as St Andrew\u2019s Parish in 1729.\r\n\r\nBertie County was divided from Chowan in 1722, and Society Parish was established at the\r\nsame time. In 1727, Society Parish was divided to form North West Parish, and in 1729,\r\nTyrell County was formed from Chowan, Bertie, Currituck, and Pasquotank Counties. St\r\nAndrew\u2019s Parish was established at the same time. \r\n\r\nCraven Parish was established in 1715 and in 1741 became Christ Church Parish. St Thomas\r\nParish was established in 1701 in Beaufort Precinct. St Thomas Church is the oldest church\r\nbuilding in North Carolina, having being erected in 1734. In 1722, Bath County was divided,\r\ncreating Carteret Precinct. St John\u2019s Parish was most likely established at the same time,\r\nand is mentioned as early as 1724.\r\n\r\nSt John\u2019s Parish, of Carteret Precinct and Beaufort, existed through the Revolution with the\r\nvestrymen changing their titles to wardens of the poor continuing to meet yearly until 1843.\r\nThe original vestry minutes of St John\u2019s Parish were rescued in the 1900\u2019s when the fourth\r\ncourthouse was being dismantled and records were being tossed.\r\n\r\nThe vestrymen of St John\u2019s Parish in 1723 included Christopher Gale, Joseph Bell, Jno (John)\r\nShaw, Jno Nelson, Richard Whitehurst, Richard Williamson, Richard Rutsell, Jno Shackleford,\r\nThomas Merriday, Enoch Ward, Joseph Fulford, and Charles Cogdell. Prior to this date,\r\napparently, William Davis and sons and Joseph Wicker were serving.\r\n\r\nIt is interesting to note that the first commissioners of the town of Beaufort included Christopher\r\nGale, John Nelson, Joseph bell, Richard bell, and Richard Rustull. And in 1727, the first justices\r\nof the court were John Nelson, Richard Rustull, Joseph Bell, Richard Whitehurst, Ross Bell,\r\nJoseph Wicker, Enoch Ward, and Charles Cogdell.\r\n\r\nAnother interesting fact is that several of the vestrymen serving in Beaufort were also vestrymen\r\nin other parishes. Christopher Gale was also at St Thomas, Bath; and Joseph bell and John\r\nNelson served in Craven Parish, New Bern. John Bell, although not a vestryman at St John\u2019s\r\nParish, Beaufort, was with St Peter\u2019s Parish in Pasquotank. Joseph Wicker was also with\r\nCurrituck Parish. There were also several members of other parishes who were involved in the\r\nbeginnings of the town of Beaufort.\r\n\r\nState was divided into parishes as follows:\r\n\r\nSt Paul\u2019s Parish, in Chowan County\r\n\r\nThe parish was organized in 1701 as the first parish in the colony under the provisions of the\r\nVestry Act of 1701. A post-in-ground church building was erected the next year on an\r\nundetermined plot of land just east of Queen Anne's Creek on what is now known as the Hayes\r\nfarm. Edenton would not be founded for another eleven years. By 1736, perhaps when the\r\npost-in-ground chapel had outlived its usefulness, it was decided to build a new church in the\r\nbustling town of Edenton, which was also the colony's capital. Here, the church occupied the\r\nlots set aside for church and churchyard (cemetery) before 1722 and construction began on a\r\nbrick building that followed a form popular in Virginia. \r\n\r\nSome two months after the Halifax Convention, and two weeks before the Continental Congress\r\nhad formally declared independence, the vestry of Old St. Paul's Church in Edenton met in\r\nsolemn conclave, and impelled by the wave of intense patriotism now sweeping over the land,\r\ndrew up the so-called \"Declaration of Independence of St. Paul's Parish,\" the context of which\r\nis as follows:\r\n\r\n\"We, the Subscribers, professing our Allegiance to the King, and acknowledging the\r\nConstitutional executive power of Government, do solemnly profess, testify and declare, that\r\nwe do absolutely believe that neither the Parliament of Great Britain nor any member nor any\r\nConstituent Branch thereof, have a right to impose taxes upon these Colonies or to regulate\r\nthe internal policy thereof ; and that all attempts by fraud or force to establish and exercise\r\nsuch claims and powers are violation of the peace and security of the people, and ought to\r\nbe resisted to the utmost, and the people of this Province singly and collectively are bound\r\nby the acts and resolutions of the Continental and Provincial Congresses, because in both\r\nthey are freely represented by persons chosen by themselves, and we do solemnly and\r\nsincerely promise and engage under the sanction of virtue, honor, and the Sacred love of\r\nliberty and our country to maintain and support all and every acts, resolutions and regulations\r\nof the said Continental and Provincial Congresses to the utmost of our power and ability. In\r\ntestimony whereof we have set our hands this 19th day of June, 1776.\"\r\n\r\nIn early 1700's the legislature promoted the Church of England (Anglican Church) as the\r\nestablished church of the colony and two parishes had been created by 1715: St. Paul's\r\nand Southwest.\r\n\r\nThese served the Chowan Precinct residents. England had also sent missionaries from\r\nthe Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG). \r\n\r\nNov 12, 1701, 12 gentlemen were appointed Vestrymen for the Parish of St. Paul's\r\nin the Precinct of Chowan. You'll recognize some of these names. \r\n\r\nHon. Henderson Walker, Esqr\r\nCol. Thomas Pollock\r\nWilliam Duckenfield, Esqr\r\nMr. Nicholas Crisp\r\nMr. Edward Smithwick\r\nMr. John Blount\r\nMr. James Long\r\nMr. Nathaniel Chevin\r\nMr. William Banbury\r\nCol William Wilkinson\r\nCapt. Thomas Leuton\r\nCapt. Thomas Blount\r\n\r\nBerkley Parish, in Perquimans County\r\n\r\nBerkeley Parish was created in 1715, and embraced every part of the present\r\ncounty and part of what is now Gates County extending as far north as the\r\nVirginia line.\r\n\r\nThe Lords Proprietors, members for the most part of the Church of England, were too\r\nintent upon extracting wealth from their colony in Carolina to be willing to expend any\r\nof their gains for the good of the colonists. Disregarding the petitions of their officers\r\nin Albemarle, who saw the great need for missionaries in the struggling settlements,\r\nthey refused to become responsible for the salary of a minister.\r\n\r\nBut after a while the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts took hold\r\nof the matter, and in 1702 a church was built in Chowan, near where Edenton now stands.\r\nBy 1709 Rev. Mr. Gordon, who was one of the two ministers sent out by the S. P. G.,\r\nwrites to the secretary of the Society from Perquimans :\r\n\r\n\"In Perquimans there is a compact little church, built with care and express, and better than\r\nthat in Chowan. It continues yet unfinished, by reason of the death of Major Swann, 1707,\r\nwho fostered the building of this church.\"\r\n\r\nAmong the vestrymen of this new parish may be found the following names : Francis Forbes,\r\nColonel Maurice Moore, Captain Hecklefield, Thomas Hardy, Captain Richard Saunderson,\r\nHenry Clayton, Joseph Jessups, Samuel Phelps and Richard Whedbee. Most of these\r\ngentlemen were men of note in the colony, and many of their descendants are now living in\r\nPerquimans County. That the wealthy planters in Albemarle felt a certain responsibility for\r\nthe spiritual welfare of their slaves, was shown by the fact that master and slave alike\r\ngathered together to join in the services held by the early missionaries of the Church of\r\nEngland ; and that the master willingly allowed his servant to share in the blessings of the\r\nsacraments of the church. A letter from Rev. Mr. Taylor, written from Perquimans in 1719,\r\nrecords that he had just \"baptized a young woman, slave of Mr. Duckinfield, to whom I have\r\ntaught the whole of the church catechism.\"\r\n\r\nSt. John\u2019s Parish on the South West Side of Pasquotank River\r\n\r\nNo further information at this time. Research in progress.\r\n\r\nSt Peter\u2019s Parish on the North side of Pasquotank River in Pasquotank County\r\n\r\nNo further information at this time. Research in progress.\r\n\r\nCurrituck Parish in Currituck County\r\n\r\nIn 1715 a legally appointed vestry was organized for the parish of Currituck, among the most\r\nprominent of whose members were Richard Saunderson, Colonel William Reed, Foster Jarvis,\r\nWilliam Swann, and William Williams. The services of the Church of England were conducted\r\nin the county during those early days with as much regularity as the scattered congregations\r\nand the lack of facilities for traveling in that water-bound region permitted. In 1774 the General\r\nAssembly passed an act to establish St. Martin's chapel at Belleville, and Isaac Gregory,\r\nPeter Dauge and a Mr. Ferebee were appointed to take this matter in charge. In educational\r\nmatters Currituck was wonderfully alert in colonial days for a county so inaccessible from the\r\nrest of the State. Probably the most noted of her schools was the Indian Town Academy built\r\nin 1761 by William Ferebee, one of the most prominent men in North Carolina, on his plantation,\r\ncalled by the Indians \"Culong,\" and by the whites, \"Indian Town.\" Many of the students at this\r\nacademy were in later days to be counted among the State's most famous and useful men.\r\nWilliam Ferebee's family alone furnished six members of the Legislature, three Revolutionary\r\nofficers, and one Colonel in the Confederacy in the War of Secession. For a hundred years this\r\nfamous old school kept up its career of usefulness, but in the so-called \"negro raid\" of 1863 it\r\nmet the fate that befell so many of the South's cherished institutions during the dark days of\r\n18614865, and was reduced to ashes by the incendiary's torch.\r\n\r\nSociety Parish in Bertie County\r\n\r\nWhen Bertie Precinct was established in 1722, the Southwest parish was designated for it,\r\nbut the name was changed to Society Parish in honor of the Society for the Propagation of\r\nthe Gospel. William Dukenfield of \"Salmon Creek\" was one of the early supporters and gave\r\n52 acres for a permanent building in 1721 \"lying on the northwest side of Ducking Run\".\r\n\r\nIt was very difficult to find Anglican ministers willing to serve due to the low salaries and early\r\npioneer life style. The Rev. John Boyd, was the first Anglican missionary to come to the Society\r\nParish. Perhaps he came as the result of Gov. Johnston's plea to the bishop of London: \"we are\r\na most heathenish part of American and have no sect amongst us but Quakers who daily\r\nincrease.\" \r\n\r\nRev. Boyd had a reputation for drunkenness and died by early 1740's when Rev. John Holmes\r\nserved for a brief time. Following these unsuccessful pastors, Bertie was dependent on\r\nneighboring counties for their clergy until 1767 when the Society Parish called Rev. Thomas\r\nFloyd, followed in 1770 by Rev. Francis Johnston. \r\n\r\nThe Revolution ended the Anglican Church as the established church, but the Episcopal Church\r\ngrew from these roots.\r\n\r\nSt Andrew\u2019s Parish in Tyrell County\r\n\r\nBertie County was divided from Chowan in 1722, and Society Parish was established at the\r\nsame time. In 1727, Society Parish was divided to form North West Parish, and in 1729, Tyrell\r\nCounty was formed from Chowan, Bertie, Currituck, and Pasquotank Counties. St Andrew\u2019s\r\nParish was established at the same time. \r\n\r\nSt. Thomas Parish in Beaufort County\r\n\r\nSt Thomas Parish was established in 1701 in Beaufort Precinct. St Thomas Church is the\r\noldest church building in North Carolina, having being erected in 1734.\r\n\r\nTryon County was formed from Mecklenburg County in 1768 with its northern boundary being\r\nthe were established as follows: Granville line. Its boundaries, the said County of Mecklenburg\r\nshall be, and is hereby divided into Two distinct Counties and Parishes, by a Line beginning\r\nat Earl Granville's Line; where it Crosses the Catawba River; and the said River to be the Line\r\nto the South Carolina Line; and all that Part of the said County which lies to the Eastward of\r\nthe said dividing Line shall be a Distinct County and Parish, and remain and be called by the\r\nName of Mecklenburg County, and St. Martin's Parish; and that all that Part of the County\r\nlying to the Westward of the said dividing line shall be one other distinct County and Parish,\r\nand be and remain by the Name of Tryon County and St. Thomas's Parish.\r\n\r\nSt. George\u2019s Parish in Hyde County\r\n\r\nThe first services for what eventually became St. George's Episcopal Church were held in 1866\r\nin Amity Academy, also known as Chapel Hill Academy. These, services were held by Reverend\r\nSamuel Swann Barber who was the first missionary of the Episcopal Church in Hyde County. In\r\nthe fall of 1868 permission was re- quested of Bishop Thomas Atkinson of the Diocese of North\r\nCarolina for the creation of a parish in Hyde County. Permission was received from Bishop\r\nAtkinson for the creation of a parish in Lake Landing Township, and St. George's Parish was\r\nofficially organized on November 25, 1868. Reverend Barber was the first rector of the new parish.\r\nThe parish became an official part of the Diocese in May of 1869.\r\n\r\nNorthwest Parish in Northampton County\r\n\r\nBy 1727, a second parish was needed and was called Northwest Parish, but this became\r\npart of Northampton County when that section was taken away from Bertie in 1741.\r\n\r\nSt. John\u2019s Parish in Granville County\r\n\r\nIn 1746, when Granville Co., N.C. was formed from Edgecombe, St. John's Parish was\r\ncreated, including all of Granville Co. In 1761, Granville Co. was divided into two parishes,\r\nthe western part becoming Granville Parish and the eastern part remaining St. John's. In\r\n1764, the whole of St. John's Parish, the eastern part of Granville Co., became Bute County\r\nand a small part of Northampton Go., N.C. was added to Bute, in 1766.\r\n\r\nSt. Matthew\u2019s Parish in Orange County\r\n\r\nThe General Assembly of Colonial North Carolina originally constituted St. Matthew's Parish\r\nin 1752 as the established church in the County of Orange. The parish was reorganized in\r\n1824 and the present building was consecrated on May 21, 1826. St. Matthew's has continued\r\nas the Episcopal parish in Hillsborough and northern Orange County from that time to the\r\npresent. \r\n\r\nSt Luke\u2019s Parish in Rowan County\r\n\r\nCreated in 1753 by and act of the Colonial Assembly, St. Luke\u2019s Parish conformed with the\r\nboundaries of Rowan County, then the largest county in the colony. The church building\r\nwas erected in 1828.\r\n\r\nIn 1823, St. Luke\u2019s Parish was organized by Bishop John Stark Ravenscroft during the eighth\r\nannual convention of the Diocese held in Salisbury. The following year at the next convention\r\nit was admitted to the Diocese. In 1827, an advertisement appeared in the Western Carolinian\r\nrequesting bids for 80,000 brick and a quantity of pine and oak lumber, planks, and shingles.\r\nThe bricks were provided by the widow of General John Steele and the grounds for the church\r\nwere given by Major John Beard, with a deed of September 15, 1827. The Gothic Revival style\r\nchurch, designed by Rev. Francis L. Hawks, was built in 1828. Hillsborough mason and John\r\nBerry built the Gothic Revival church out of brick in Flemish bond. The church opened under\r\nthe ministry of Rev. Thomas Wright, who stayed until 1832. \r\n\r\nSt. David\u2019s Parish in Cumberland County\r\n\r\nNo further information at this time. Research in progress.\r\n\r\nSt. Gabriel\u2019s Parish in Duplin County\r\n\r\nIn 1749, Duplin County was formed from the territory of New Hanover lying north of a \u201cLine\r\nbeginning at the mouth of Rock Fish Creek, on the North-East River of Cape-Fear, running\r\nEast to Onslow County, and westward, by a straight line from the mouth of the said creek,\r\nto the upper forks of Black River, where Cohecry and the Six Runs meet, thence up\r\nCohecry to the head thereof.\u201d By this act, the same territory was erected into St. Gabriel\r\nParish. John Sampson and Henry Hyrne were directed to run the line. The justices of the\r\npeace were ordered to hold their first court at the house of William McRee at Goshen, at\r\nwhich court they should select a site for the courthouse, prison, and stocks. John\r\nSampson, William McRee, George Meares, Francis Brice, William Houston, Joseph\r\nWilliams. John Herring, Anthony Cox, Mark Phillips, John Turner, Thomas Suggs, and\r\nCharles Gavin were appointed vestrymen of the parish.\r\n\r\nSt. George\u2019s Parish in Anson County\r\n\r\nAt its formation Anson's boundaries were established by the General Assembly of\r\nNorth Carolina. \r\n\r\n ...That Bladen County be divided by a Line. beginning at the Place where the South\r\nLine of this Province crosseth the Westermost Branch of the Little Pee-Dee River.\r\nthan by a straight line to a Place where the Commissioners for running the Southern\r\nBoundary of this Province crosseth that Branch of the Little Pee-Dee River. called\r\nDrowning Creek, thence up that Branch to the Head thereof; then by a Line. to run.\r\nas near as maybe, equidistant, from Saxapahaw River, and the Great Pee-Dee River;\r\nand that the upper Part of the said County and Parish so laid off and undivided. be\r\nentered into a County and Parish. by the name of Anson County. and St. George's\r\nParish. and that all the Inhabitants to the Westward of the aforementioned dividing\r\nline shall belong and appertain to Anson County,...\r\n\r\nEdgecombe Parish in Edgecombe County\r\n\r\nIn the early part of the eighteenth century there existed in London England a society\r\nknown as The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts The society\r\nwas organized in 1675 but being inefficient was revised by Dr Bray of the Church of\r\nEngland and a charter for propagating the gospel in foreign parts was granted by King\r\nWilliam III in 1701 The duty of this society was to keep in touch with the colonial\r\nsettlers and to maintain the orthodox clergymen in the British possessions In order to\r\ndo this an annual stipend of fifty pounds sterling was pledged by the society to pay the\r\nmissionaries whom they elected to come abroad The Crown also gave a bounty of twenty\r\npounds while the colonists were supposed to contribute a part of the clergymen's salary\r\nAs a result of the efforts of this society the first established and organized branch of the\r\nChristian Church in Edgecombe County was formed After the transfer of the colony to the\r\nCrown the precinct of Edgecombe was incorporated Provision was made for a parish with\r\nauthority to raise money by a poll tax not to exceed five shillings in currency the purpose\r\nof which was to maintain the poor and to pay ministers A parish court was erected to look\r\nafter the social affairs of the people In this court the day laborer mechanic and blacksmith\r\nwere disciplined from time to time The constable of the village was also local officer\r\ncollected taxes and looked after the poor The church wardens were kept under bond by\r\nthe precinct committee as custodians of the vestry funds In 1741 the laws of North Carolina\r\nrecord a law relating to those who had refused to pay taxes in Edgecombe parish because\r\nof the uncertainty of its boundaries This proves that some movement for church organization\r\nhad commenced before or during this year In 1741 under an enactment by Governor Gabriel\r\nJohnston Edgecombe County was authorized to establish a parish by the name of\r\nEdgecombe At the same time a general church act was passed authorizing a poll tax which\r\nin practice was found to be very burdensome Efforts were made to secure another law which\r\nindicates that it was looked upon with disfavor even by the churchmen No other law was\r\npassed and Reverend Mr Moir who was assigned to the parish expressed himself as follows\r\nNothing was done for the encouragement of an established ministry The sheriff of the county\r\nwas empowered to summons the freeholders to meet for the purpose of electing twelve\r\nvestrymen who promptly after their election elected two church wardens An oath was required\r\nby law for those serving as vestrymen In the oath the vestrymen were to express themselves\r\nas not opposed to the liturgy of the Church of England A failure to perform this duty resulted in\r\na fine of three pounds proclamation money The term of office was for two years The jurisdiction\r\nof the parish was confined to the boundaries of the northwest and society parishes of Bertie\r\nCounty from which Edgecombe parish was formed The line of the parish began at the mouth of\r\nSandy Run thence up its course to its head and extending in a direct line to Ahoshie Swamp\r\nFrom here it followed the old dividing line between the Society and Northwest parishes of which\r\nEdge combe was formerly a part All the arrears which were due by the people of Edgeeombe\r\nwere to be paid to the parishes in Bertie Included in the general act for the erection of parishes\r\nand the election of vestrymen was a oath prescribed for those who supervised the parish This\r\noath also contained an obligation to refrain from disturbing the King's peace to propagate the\r\ninterests of the church and not to bear arms against Great Britain The first authentic account\r\nof a church being erected in the parish is in 1748 This church was designated by a reference\r\nin a division of the parish as a Chapell near Elias Fort's on Tar River There is substantial\r\nevidence that this is the church which was located about seven miles northwest of Tarboro on\r\nthe southeast side of Tar River near a small spring at Teat's bridge 1 Clement Hall who for some\r\ntime prior to 1744 had been a lay leader in Edenton was ordained in 1744 and made occasional\r\nvisits to Edgecombe County \r\n\r\nSt. Martin\u2019s Parish in Bladen County\r\nTryon County was formed from Mecklenburg County in 1768 with its northern boundary\r\nbeing the were established as follows: Granville line. Its boundaries, the said County of\r\nMecklenburg shall be, and is hereby divided into Two distinct Counties and Parishes, by\r\na Line beginning at Earl Granville's Line; where it Crosses the Catawba River; and the\r\nsaid River to be the Line to the South Carolina Line; and all that Part of the said County\r\nwhich lies to the Eastward of the said dividing Line shall be a Distinct County and Parish,\r\nand remain and be called by the Name of Mecklenburg County, and St. Martin's Parish;\r\nand that all that Part of the County lying to the Westward of the said dividing line shall\r\nbe one other distinct County and Parish, and be and remain by the Name of Tryon\r\nCounty and St. Thomas's Parish.\r\n\r\nSt. James Parish on the East Side of Cape Fear River\r\n\r\nSt. Philip\u2019s parish on the West Side of Cape Fear River, to the Bounds of the County,\r\ninclusive of the Island at the mouth of the North-west and North- East rivers, commonly\r\ncalled Eagle\u2019s island in New Hanover County\r\n\r\nSt. Patrick\u2019s Parish in Johnston County\r\n\r\nThe law establishing Johnston County also set up St. Patrick's Parish of the Church of\r\nEngland with the same boundaries as the County. Vestrymen were appointed to serve\r\nuntil the next general election. More than merely a governing body for a church, the\r\nvestry attended to the needs of poor widows and orphans and generally served as the\r\nlocal government's welfare agency.\r\n\r\nTen years after Johnston County was formed the territory was divided into two parishes.\r\nOld St. Patrick's Parish remained in the eastern part of the County and new St.\r\nStephen's Parish was in the west. Voters of the new parish were to meet at the\r\ncourthouse at Walnut Creek to elect vestrymen while those of St Patrick's met at\r\nSamuel Smith's on Neuse River in the vicinity of modern Smithfield. This move was\r\nthe first of several which resulted in the division of the large county of Johnston into\r\nseveral others, one of which became Lenoir.\r\n\r\nChrist Church Parish in Craven County\r\n\r\nThe Parish of Christ Church, New Bern, North Carolina, was organized in 1715, and\r\nwas one of the earliest parishes in the Colonies. In the year 1723, during the reign\r\nof Georve I of England, a tract of land, the property of Mr. Cullen Pollock, was formally\r\nlaid out into a township, by the name of New Bern. There were lots provided for a\r\nChurch, court house, and market place. An act was passed, by the General Assembly\r\nof the State of North Carolina, in 1766, that the Glebe land, which was formally\r\npurchased at the expense of the County of Craven, for a residence of a minister of\r\nthe Episcopal Church, situated on Middle and Johnson streets, with all the\r\nimprovements thereon, should be taken from the Church, and the money raised by\r\nrent or sale, should be used for erecting a new school house, incorporated and named\r\nthe New Bern Academy\u2014no Rector or professor should be a trustee. The trustees\r\nappointed were Hon. Richard Caswell, Abner Nash, Esq., John Wright Stanly,\r\nWilliam Blount, John Sitgreaves, Spyers Singleton, William McClure, William Bryan\r\nand Richard Dobb Speight, Esq.\r\n\r\nSt. John Parish in Onslow County \r\n\r\nNo further information at this time. Research in progress.\r\n\r\nSt. John\u2019s Parish in Carteret County\r\nThe first Anglican Church in Beaufort, St. John\u2019s Parish, was organized approximately in 1724.\r\nHowever, the increasing opposition of Baptists, Quakers, and other denominations contributed\r\nto the decreasing number of Anglicans in Carteret County. \r\n\r\nOn Nov. 12, 1701, the Carolina Assembly passed the Vestry Act of 1701, making the Church\r\nof England the official religion of the Carolina colony. Active opposition by Quakers,\r\nPresbyterians and other religious Nonconformists, who lived there, ultimately convinced the\r\nproprietors of the colony to revoke the act in 1703\r\n\r\nTHE STATE RECORDS NORTH CAROLINA \r\n\r\nUNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES BY\r\nORDER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY \r\n\r\nCOLLECTED AND EDITED BY WALTER CLARK \r\n\r\nCHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA \r\n\r\nVOL XXV LAWS 1789 1790 AND SUPPLEMENT\r\nOMITTED LAWS 1669 1783 \r\n\r\nWITH INDEX TO VOLS XX111 XX1V AND XXV \r\n\r\nNASH BROTHERS BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS GOLDSBORO NC 1906 \r\n\r\nAn Act for appointing Parishes and Vestries for the Encouragement of an Orthodox\r\nClergy for the Advancement of the Protestant Religion and for the Direction of the\r\nSettlement of Parish Accounts \r\n\r\nI.\tWhereas the present as well as the future Happiness of Mankind essentially\r\ndepends on the Knowledge and Practice of true Religion and a permanent and certain\r\nProvision for an Orthodox Clergy may conduce to the Encouragement of pious and\r\nlearned Ministers of the Gospel to settle and reside in the several Parishes in this\r\nProvince to the Advancement of the Protestant Religion and Encouragement of Vertue\r\nand Morality \r\n\r\nII.\t Be it Enacted by the Governor Council and Assembly and by the Authority of\r\nthe same That this Government be and it is hereby divided into distinct Parishes in the\r\nManner following That is to say St Paul's Parish in Chowan County Berkley Parish in\r\nPerquimons County St John's Parish on the South West Side of Pasquotank River and\r\nSt Peter's Parish on the North East Side of Pasquotank River in Pasquotank County\r\nCurrituck Parish in Currituck County Society Parish in Bertie County St Andrew's Parish\r\nin Tyrell County St Thomas's Parish in Beaufort County St George's Parish in Hyde\r\nCounty North West Parish in Northampton County St John's Parish in Granville County St\r\nMatthew's Parish in Orange County St Luke's Parish in Rowan County St David's Parish in\r\nCumberland County St Gabriel's Parish in Duplin County St George's Parish in Anson\r\nCounty Edgecombe Parish in Edge combe County St Martin's Parish in Bladen County\r\nSt James Parisn on the East Side of Cape Fear River And St Philip's Parish on the West\r\nSide of Cape Fear River from the Mouth of the said River running up the North West River\r\nto the Bounds of the County inclusive of the Island at the Mouth of the North West and\r\nNorth East Rivers commonly called Eagle's Island in New Hanover County St Patrick's\r\nParish in Johnston Oounty Christ Church Parish in Craven County St John's Parish in\r\nOnslow County and St John's Parish in Oarteret County \r\n\r\nIII.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Freeholders of each\r\nrespective Varish aforesaid shall and they are hereby impowered and directed to meet on\r\nthe first Monday after the Tenth Day of June next after the Ratificalion of this Act at the\r\nCourt house or Place where the County Court in each respective County aforesaid is or\r\nshall be held or at the usual Place of electing Vestrymen and on Easter Monday every\r\nThird Year thereafter then and there to choose and elect Twelve Freeholders to serve as\r\nVestrymen for the Three Years next ensuing which Vestrymen so chosen shall by the\r\nSheriff or his Deputy in each of the said Parishes respectively be summoned to meet at\r\nthe church and where there is no Church at the Court house or Place where the County\r\nCourt is or shall be held within Forty Days next after such Choice to qualify themselves\r\naccording to the direction of this Act and if the said Sheriff by himself or Deputy shall\r\nneglect or refuse to summon the Vestry as aforesaid he shall forfeit and pay the Sum of\r\nTwenty Shillings Proclamation Money for each and every Vestryman not summoned as\r\naforesaid who shall reside within his District to be levied and applied as herein after\r\ndirected \r\n\r\nIV.\tAnd be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Sheriff or his Deputy\r\none Month at least before the Election of Vestrymen for the Parish or Parishes within his\r\nCounty shall give Notice in Writing to the Minister and every Clerk and Reader within the\r\nParish where such Election is to be held of the Time and Place appointed for such Election\r\nand the Minister and Readers respectively are hereby required to publish such Notice\r\nimmediately after Divine Service on every Sunday between the Receipt thereof and the\r\nDay so appointed and on Failure thereof each Minister and Reader so offending shall\r\nforfeit and pay the Sum of Five Pounds Proclamation Money and if the Sheriff shall fail to\r\nmake such Appointment and give Notice as aforesaid he shall for such Failure forfeit and\r\npay the Sum of Twenty Pounds like Money one Moiety of which Penalty shall oe to the\r\nParish wherein the Offence shall be committed and the other Moiety to the Informer to be\r\nrecovered with Costs ot Debt in any Court of Record \r\n\r\nV.\tAnd that the Election may be made in a fair open Manner Be it Enacted by the\r\nAuthority aforesaid That at all Elections of Vestrymen hereafter to be made the Sheriff of\r\nthe County or his Deputy shall attend at the Court house of the County or Place where the\r\nCounty Court is held or usual Place of electing Vestrymen and there take the Votes in the\r\nfollowing manner that is to say He shall open the Poll at Ten o clock in the Forenoon and\r\nafter Proclamation to the Freeholders to come and give their Votes for Vestrymen shall\r\ntake a List of the Names of the Voters who shall give their Suffrage which shall be for\r\nneither more nor less than Twelve and the Votes shall be given openly and the Poll kept\r\nopen till Sun set unless the Majority of the Freeholders there present shall agree to have\r\nit closed sooner and the Sheriff shall then cast up the Number of Votes given for each\r\nCandidate and declare the Twelve who shall have the greatest Number of Suffrages to be\r\nduly elected and in Case of an Equality of Votes among any of the Candidates the Sheriff\r\nshall have the casting vote and in no other Case give his Vote \r\n\r\nVI.\tAnd to prevent Disputes concerning who shall be understood to be a Freeholder\r\nBe it further Enacted That no Person who hath not an Estate Real for his own Life or the\r\nLife of some other Person or an Estate of greater Dignity in Fifty Acres of Land in the Parish\r\nfor which such Election shall be made shall be deemed a Freeholder within the Meaning of\r\nthis Act and any one of the Candidates may in Case he suspects any Person going to give\r\nhis vote hath not a Freehold within the Meaning of this Act object to such Person giving his\r\nVote and require the Sheriff to tender him an Oath or Affirmation concerning his Qualification\r\nwhich Oath or Affirmation the Sheriff is hereby impowered and directed to administer in the\r\nfollowing words to wit You shall swear or affirm That you have been possessed of a Freehold\r\nof Fifty Acres of Land for Three Months past in your own Right in the Parish of and that you\r\nhave not given your Vote before in this Election So help you God \r\n\r\nVII.\tAnd be it further Enacted That no Person under the Age of Twenty one Years shall\r\ngive his Vote for the Election of Vestrymen in any Parish \r\n\r\nVIII.\tAnd to enforce the Attendance of the Freeholders at all future Elections of Vestrymen\r\nBe it further Enacted That every Person qualified to Vote for Vestrymen in the several and\r\nrespective Parishes shall and he is hereby required duly to attend and give his Vote at all\r\nfuture Elections at the Time and in the Manner as is herein before directed unless prevented\r\nby some bodily Infirmity or legal disability under the Penalty of Twenty Shillings Proclamation\r\nMoney To be recovered by Warrant from any Magistrate within the County \r\n\r\nIX.\tAnd be it further Enacted That if any Person shall hereafter at an Election of\r\nVestrymen give his Vote who is not possessed in his own Right of an Estate for Life or an\r\nEstate of higher Dignity of Fifty Acres of Land in the Parish for the Vestrymen of which he\r\nshall give his Vote such Person shall forfeit Five Pounds Proclamation Money To be recovered\r\nered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in the County Court by such Person as will\r\nsue for the same wherein no Essoign Injunction Protection or Wager of Law shall be admitted\r\nand where such Action shall be brought the Onus Probandi shall lie on the Defendant \r\n\r\nX.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Person shall be admitted\r\nto be of any Vestry within this Government that doth not wiihin Forty Days after his being chosen\r\nby the Freeholders as i& before directed take the Oaths by Law appointed for the Qualification\r\nof Public Officers and repeat and subscribe the following Declaration to wit I AB do declare That\r\nI will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is by Law established And all and\r\nevery Person chosen and summoned as is hereinbefore directed who shall refuse or neglect to\r\ndo the same shall if he be not a Dissenter from the Church of England forfeit and pay the Sum\r\nof Forty Shillings Proclamation Money to be levied and applied as is herein after directed and if\r\nany Person or Persons chosen as is hereinbefore directed shall neglect or refuse to make and\r\nsubscribe the said Declaration the other Persons chosen as aforesaid or the Majority of them\r\nshall and may after their having taken the Oaths and repeated and subscribed the aforesaid\r\nDeclaration elect and choose another or other Freeholder or Freeholders in Place of him or them\r\nwhich shall so refuse or neglect to take the Oaths aforesaid or to repeat and subscribe the said\r\nDeclaration and such Person or Persons as shall be chosen and electe l by the Vestrymen in\r\nManner aforesaid shall after his or their taking the Oaths arid repeating the Declaration aforesaid\r\nbe deemed and held to be legal Vestrymen to all Intents and Purposes as if they had been\r\nelected and chosen by the Freeholders of the County \r\n\r\nXI.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Vestrymen of each and\r\nevery Parish respectively or a Majority of them shall and they are hereby directed within Sixty\r\nDays after Easter Monday Yearly to elect and choose out of the said Vestry Two Persons to\r\nexecute the Office of Churchwardens in each and every respective Parish and if the Persons\r\nelected Church wardens as aforesaid or either of them shall refuse to execute the said Office he\r\nor they so refusing shall forfeit and Pay Forty Shillings Proclamation Money to be levied and\r\napplied as is herein after directed and the Vestry shall immediately proceed to choose in the Room\r\nof him or them who refuse to execute the said Office another or other Churchwarden or\r\nChurchwardens out of the said Vestrymen Provided that no Person whatsoever shall be obliged\r\nto serve as Churchwarden in any Parish for more than One Year at the expiration of which the\r\nVestry shall again choose another to succeed him and the Churchwardens of every Parish shall\r\npurchase at the Expence of the Parish Books well bound in Vellum for keeping therein a Journal\r\nand Register of all Proceedings of the Vestry in which shall be fairly stated the Accounts of all\r\nsuch Monies as they from Time to Time shall receive in Virtue of their Office and all Disbursements\r\nand Expences made on Account of the Parish and within Ninety Days after their Wardenship shall\r\nexpire set lip in the Court house of their County on a Court Day and continue the same during the\r\nsitting of such Court fair Copies of such Accounts for Inspection of the Parishoners \r\n\r\nXII.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Churchwardens or in Case\r\nthey refuse or neglect any Three or more of the Vestry in each Parish respectively shall have full\r\nPower and Authority to call the Vestry together at any Time and upon any Occasion they shall\r\njudge necessary by Warrant or Warrants under their Hands directed to the several Constables of\r\nthe several Districts in each respective Parish who shall be obliged to execute the same according\r\nto the Tenor thereof under the Penalty of Ten Shillings for each Vestryman in such Warrant named\r\nwhom he shall fail to summon and every Vestryman who shall refuse or neglect to attend the Vestry\r\nagreeable to such Summons shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Ten Shillings Proclamation Money for\r\nevery such neglect unless he can show sufficient cause for his so doing to be admitted by the\r\nMajority of the Vestry at their next Meeting to be levied as is herein after directed \r\n\r\nXIII.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Vestries of the several\r\nParishes shall have full Power and Authority upon the Death or Removal out of their respective\r\nParishes of any Church warden or Churchwardens before the Time limited for the executing the\r\nsaid Office is expired to elect and choose out of the Vestry another Churchwarden or\r\nChurchwardens in the Room and Stead of the Person or Persons so dead or removed out of the\r\nParish aforesaid which Churchwarden or Churchwardens so elected shall serve until the Time\r\nappointed by this Act for the Election of Churchwardens \r\n\r\nXIV.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Vestry of each respective\r\nParish shall have full Power and Authority and they are hereby directed and required between\r\nEaster Monday and the First Day of November Yearly to lay such a Poll Tax as they shall judge\r\nnecessary for purchasing Glebes and satisfying the Expence of their respective Parishes \r\n\r\nXV.\tAnd for the better collection and paying the said Tax Be it further Enacted by the\r\nAuthority aforesaid That the Vestry of each respective Parish shall and is hereby authorized\r\nand impowered to nominate and appoint such Person as they shall think fit by the Name of\r\nthe Collector of the Parish Taxes to collect and receive the aforesaid Tax the Person appointed\r\ngiving Bond with sufficient Security that he will duly collect and receive the said Tax and pay\r\nand satisfy unto the Creditors of the Parish all Taxes levied for such Purpose and the Overplus\r\nif any to the Vestry or their Sucessors for the Use of the Parish which Tax shall be collected at\r\nthe Time and in the Manner that Public Taxes ought by Law to be collected and shall be allowed\r\nFive Per Cent for his Trouble and have full Power and Authority by Virtue of this Act upon Neglect\r\nor Refusal of Payment of the said Tax or any Part thereof by any Person or Persons chargeable\r\ntherewith to distrain the Goods and Chatttels of the Party refusing or neglecting and if the Owner\r\nthereof shall not pay what is due within Five Days after such Distress such Collector may and\r\nshall lawfully sell by Auction the Goods so distrained or so much thereof as shall be sufficient\r\nto satisfy the said Tax and the Charges of Distress and Sale returning the Overplus if any to the\r\nOwner but shall give Notice of the Sale by setting up an Advertisement in Writing at the Church\r\nDoor in the Parish or at the most Public Place of Worship where there is no Church and by\r\npublishing the same among the People immediately after Divine Service on the next Sunday after\r\nthe Expiration of the said Five Days which Sale shall not be more than Three Days nor less than\r\nSix Days after Notice so given and shall be good and effectual in Law against all Persons\r\nwhatsoever And if the Vestry of any Parish shall neglect or refuse to lay a sufficient Tax to satisfy\r\nthe Parish Creditors in such Case all and every the Vestrymen of the Parish neglecting or refusing\r\nshall be liable to the Action of the Party grieved his or her Executors or Administrators for all\r\nDamages which he or she shall sustain by such Refusal or Neglect \r\n\r\nXVI.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That in every Parish in this Province\r\nwhere a good and convenient Glebe is not already purchased and appropriated a good convenient\r\nTract of Land to contain Two Hundred Acres at least shall be purchased by the Vestry and assigned\r\nand set apart for a Glebe for the Use of the Minister of such Parish and his Successors in all Times\r\nhereafter \r\n\r\nXVII.\tAnd where Mansion and convenient Outhouses are not already erected for the Habitation\r\nof the Minister It is hereby Enacted That the Vestry of every such Parish shall have Power and they\r\nare hereby authorized and required to cause to be erected and built on such Glebe One convenient\r\nMansion house Kitchen Barn Stable Dairy and Meet house with such other Convenience as they\r\nshall think fit \r\n\r\nXVIII.\tAnd to the End that the Buildings already erected or hereafter to be erected upon every\r\nGlebe may be kept in good Repair It is hereby further Enacted That every Parish Minister within\r\nthis Province shall during the Time of his being Minister of the Parish keep and maintain the\r\nMansion house and the Out houses and Conveniences erected or to be eiected OB his Glebe in\r\ntenantable Repair and shall so leave the same at his Removal from the Parish or Death Accidents\r\nby Fire or Tempest only excepted and in Case any Minister shall fall to do so such Minister his\r\nExecutors or Administrators shall be liable to the Action of the Churchwardens of the Parish for\r\nthe Time being wherein the Value of such Repairs shall be recovered and Damages with Costs\r\nof Suit and the Damages so recovered shall be applied and laid out in necessary Repairs upon\r\nthe Glebe And every Vestry of a vacant Parish is hereby impowered and required to put all the\r\nBuildings upon the Glebe of their Parish into such good and sufficient Repair that they may be\r\nfit for the Reception of the succeeding Minister Provided nevertheless That any Vestry who shall\r\njudge that the Minister has not wilfully committed any waste on his Glebe may make such\r\nnecessary Repairs at the Charge of their Parish as they shall think fit \r\n\r\nXIX.\tAnd to the End that the Clergy may have a decent and comfortable Maintenance and\r\nSupport without being obliged to follow any other Employment than that of their Holy Function\r\nin the Cure of their respective Parishes Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every\r\nMinister hereafter to be preferred to or received into any Parish within this Province shall have\r\nand receive an Annual Salary of Eighty Pounds Proclamation Money to be levied assessed\r\nand collected and paid in Manner herein before directed Provided always That no Vestry shall\r\nat any Time make Presentation to any Parish of a Missionary whose Duty requires him at any\r\nTime to be absent from such Parish unless such Missionary shall agree with the Vestry for such\r\nYearly Salary as they shall think fit and reasonable considering the Time his Duty will require\r\nhim to be absent And whatever Agreement shall be so made between the Vestry and Minister\r\nshall be binding on such Minister during the Continuance of such Mission any Thing herein\r\ncontained to the contrary notwithstanding \r\n\r\nXX.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Right of Presentation of\r\na Minister to each respective Parish within this Province shall be and remain in the Vestry of\r\neach respective Parish for and during the Space of Twelve Months after a Vacancy shall happen\r\nin the same and if the Vestry in that Time shall neglect to make Presentation of a Minister to\r\nsuch Parish it shall and may be lawful for the Governor or Commander in Chief for the Time\r\nbeing to present and the Minister so presented to the Parish shall be deemed and held to be\r\nthe Minister of such Parish and entitled to the same Salary and Dues as if the Vestry had\r\nmade the Presentation as is herein before directed Provided nevertheless That in Case the\r\nVestry of any Parish that shall be vacant one Year shall procure some neighbouring or other\r\nMinister to serve in the Cure of such vacant Parish by performing Divine Service once in Three\r\nMonths they shall thereby save to themselves and retain the Right of Presentation for so long\r\na Time as such Minister shall so serve in the Cure of such vacant Parish Any Thing herein\r\ncontained to the contrary notwithstanding Provided also That no Vestry within this Province\r\nshall present for their Minister any Person who shall not first have a Certificate from the Bishop\r\nof London that such Minister hath been duly ordained conformable to the Doctrine and\r\nDiscipline of the Church of England and i& of a good Life and Conversation \r\n\r\nXXI.\tAnd be it further Enacted That any Minister of a Parish who shall be guilty of any\r\nnotorious Immorality in Disgrace of his Function and to the Scandal of Religion on Conviction\r\nthereof before the Supreme Court of Justice wherein Actions arising in such Parish shall be\r\ntriable shall lose his Salary and Dues which he would otherwise be entitled to and such Parish\r\nshall be held and deemed vacant and the Vestry impowered to make Presentation of another in\r\nthe same Manner as if the Minister so convicted had been naturally dead \r\n\r\nXXII.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Minister of each respective\r\nParish shall be obliged to officiate in such Parts cf the Parish and at such Times as the Vestry or\r\na Majority of them shall direct at the Time he shall be received into his Parish and in Case of\r\nFailure it shall be lawful for them to withdraw his Salary unless other Places shall be afterwards\r\nagreed on between such Vestry and Minister and the Vestry in Case of such Failure may and are\r\nhereby impowered to make Presentation of another Minister to such Parish as is herein before\r\ndirected to be done in vacant Parishes \r\n\r\nXXIII.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Vestry of every Parish shall\r\nhave full Power to call every Justice of the Peace or other Person or Persons whatsoever to Account\r\non Oath and pay to them the Monies in the Hands of him or them belonging to their respective\r\nParishes or accruing or becoming due to the same by Virtue of the Laws of this Province and if any\r\nJustice or Justices or other Person or Persons shall refuse to appear and account as aforesaid he\r\nor they so neglecting shall forfeit and pay Twenty Pounds Proclamation Money To be recovered by\r\nthe Churchwardens of the Parish for the Time being where such Money shall become due by Action\r\nof Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any Court of Record wherein no Essoign Protection Injunction or\r\nWager of Law shall be allowed and to be applied to the Use of the Parish And where any Suit shall\r\nbe brought by the Churchwardens and the Money shall not be by them recovered and received\r\nbefore the Expiration of their Office the Suit shall be carried on to Execution by the succeeding\r\nChurchwardens in the Name of their Predecessors who brought such Suit and shall be received by\r\nsuch succeeding Churchwardens to the Use of the Parish Provided that nothing in this Act shall be\r\nconstrued to repeal any Clause Matter or Thing in an Act of Assembly intituled An Act to enable\r\nthe Commissioners herein after mentioned to finish the Church already begun at Edenton \r\n\r\nXXIV.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the several Sums of Money arising\r\nand becoming due by Reason of the Forfeitures and Penalties by this Act infiicted and for which no\r\nMethod of Recovery or Application is before directed in this Act shall be levied within one Week after\r\nthey shall become due by Warrant of Distress from any Two of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace\r\nwithin the County where the said Penalty or Forfeiture shall be incurred and by Sale of the Defendant's\r\nGoods returning the Overplus if any to the Owner and the Money so levied shall be paid to the\r\nChurchwardens for the Use of the Parish \r\n\r\nXXV.\tAnd be it further Enacted That all and every other Act and Acts and every Clause and Article\r\nthereof or so much thereof except as before excepted heretofore made so far as they relate to any\r\nMatter or Thing contained within the Purview of this Act is and are hereby repealed and made void to\r\nall Intents and Purposes as if the same had never been made \r\n\r\nXXVI.\tAnd be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That this Act shall commence and be\r\nin Force from and after the first Day of June next and that all Acts heretofore legally made and done\r\nby Vestries heretofore chosen and qualified agreeable to the Laws of this Province are hereby declared\r\nto be as good and valid as if this Act had never been made\r\n<\/strong><\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I hope this information on North Carolina Parishes will aid you in your research. Listing of Parishes sent in by Donna Sherron Additional info and research from various sources In 1709, there were four precincts or parishes in the Albemarle…<\/p>\n