02/07/2026
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Notably, a significant number of the Founding Fathers were born and raised Anglicans.
For instance, George Washington served on the vestries of Truro parish and Fairfax parish and contributed to the construction of Christ Church, Alexandria. Similarly, George Mason served on the Truro vestry alongside Washington.
Although Thomas Jefferson's religious affiliation was nominal, he was raised Anglican, and other notable figures such as Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin also had substantial ties to Anglicanism. The latter's Anglican heritage is noteworthy despite his reputation as a freethinker.
Furthermore, Patrick Henry, the first governor of Virginia, was among this group of Anglicans. Approximately 60% of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, including prominent individuals like Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, and Benjamin Harrison, were Anglicans.
During the Constitutional Convention of 1789 in Philadelphia, a considerable proportion of attendees, roughly 49%, were Anglicans who engaged with the emerging leaders of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States.
The conservative religious tradition that formed many early patriots instilled an appreciation for precedent and tradition that shaped both the revolution and the emerging republic.
