Our History

By the mid-l820's worship services were periodically conducted in Winnsboro by Episcopal missionaries to the South Carolina backcountry.

After the arrival in Fairfield District in the 1830's of several lowcountry planter families, St. John’s Church, Fairfield was organized in 1839 as a mission church.

Named for St. John’s Berkeley Parish, services were conducted by the Rev. Cranmore Wallace, an Episcopal Missionary assigned to the “destitute parishes and other places,” of which Fairfield District was a part.

The Rev. Josiah Obear of Vermont came to Winnsboro in May of 1841 as the first rector of St. John’s. The following year the congregation erected a small frame church on Fairfield Street at the site of the present church cemetery. Dedicated by Bishop Gadsden on September 28, 1842, it was the third Episcopal Church to be built north of Columbia. This church was burned by Union Troops on February 21, 1865.

By 1866 the parishioners had made plans to rebuild the church on Liberty Street. Gothic in architectural style, the second church was consecrated by Bishop Davis on July 25, 1869. The sermon was delivered by the Rev. William Porcher Dubose, Rector of St. John’s from 1865 to 1867. On March 1, 1888 the second church was also destroyed by fire.

The corner of Liberty and Garden Streets was then selected as the site for the present church. On November 2, 1888, Bishop Howe laid the cornerstone of the present Gothic style brick church. It was designed by architect R. S. Schyler and built by George Waring. The first service in this church was conducted by the Rev. James G. Glass on March 20, 1889. It was consecrated on April 19, 1894. At the consecration, Bishop Capers both preached the sermon and celebrated Holy Communion.

The present Rectory was built in 1921 on lot adjoining the church. A Parish Hall was added to the Sanctuary in 1954 and the Narthex was added to the front of the church in 2000.

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