Parish History

of St. John the Beloved Catholic Church

Thank you for visiting our parish history page. This parish has a long and fascinating past, spanning 170 years.

The March 16, 1839 Diocesan newspaper, The United States Catholic Miscellany, gives the earliest mention of organized Catholicism in Summerville. Though not designated as a mission, Summerville was visited by several priests from the Charleston area: Rev. Felix Darr, Rev. Patrick Ryan, Rev, Francis Shadler and Rev, Louis Folchi. With great hopes for Summerville, Rev. Folchi wrote Bishop P. N. Lynch:

"We got the desired lot for Summerville Church donated by the S.C.R.R. with the condition of building a church in two years."
(Letter dated: July 2, 1873)

However, it was not until April, 1895 that Bishop Northrop was able to obtain by gift or purchase, a piece of property from the South Carolina and Georgia Railroad. At that time, Rev. Daniel Berberick, assistant at St. Joseph Church, Charleston, served the missions of Beaufort, Walterboro and other areas. Summerville also received his attention and in 1898, he built the first church in Summerville. Legend has it that Soldiers on the way to the Spanish American war helped build the original church building.

While we do not have direct documentation of this, we do have proof that the soldiers were in the area precisely at the time the church was being constructed, and that there certainly was a connection of some sort between them and the parish.


We could not locate a photo of Camp Marion, Summerville. The photo to the left is Camp Wheatherill, located in Greenville, SC, 1898. Source: http://www.knowitall.org/schistory/Search2.cfm If you have photos of Summerville from this era, please contact the stewardship office.


According to the legend, the soldiers who helped build the church were from a Pennsylvania Volunteer regiment. They were camped nearby where the church was being constructed, at Camp Marion, which was named after Brigadier General Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion of the Revolutionary War. This camp was for a brigade of the First Division, Second Army Corps. The camp was "located in Shephard Park near the site of the Pine Forest Inn in Summerville."

We know that there was some connection between these soldiers and the construction of the original church building, because there is a stained glass window in the Summerville Museum which came from our original church building, and is dedicated to these soldiers.

In addition to this evidence, we can firmly establish that they were indeed in the area during the construction project, using official military records.

For instance, an official report by Adjutant General Thomas J. Stewart, 1900, tells us a little more about how the Pennsylvania volunteer regiment came to be in the area in 1898.

"Pursuant to General Orders No. 137, Headquarters Second Army Corps, dated November 7, 1898, the regiment on November l4th proceeded by rail to Summerville, South Carolina, via Harrisburg, Pa., Washington D. C., Richmond, Virginia, and Columbia, South Carolina, arriving at Summerville, South Carolina, 11.30 A. M., November 16th, 1898. The entire Second Brigade, First Division, Second Army Corps, composed of the Fourteenth Pennsylvania, Third Connecticut and Ninth Battalion, Ohio (Colored), had been transferred from Camp Meade to Summerville, South Carolina. Colonel William J. Glenn, of the Fourteenth Pennsylvania, was placed in command of the Brigade, and retained command until relieved by Brigadier General Watres: The regiment remained at Summerville, South Carolina, until mustered out of the service on February 28th, 1899."

Source: Record of Pennsylvania Volunteers in the Spanish-American War, 1898, Thomas J. Stewart, Adjutant General, 1900.

To read more about the Pennsylvania Volunteers, visit: www.paspahishamericanwar.com/.

Since we know that the soldiers arrived Nov. 16th 1898, and departed Feb. 28th, 1899, we have solid evidence that they were indeed present when the original church was being constructed, and left just 6 weeks before the dedication ceremony. The existence of the surviving stained glass window dedicated to them provides enough confirmation that we can say with confidence that this parish legend is true.

Rev. John J. Hughes became the first resident pastor of St. John the Beloved.

During the Expansion of the "new church", the cornerstone of the original church was integrated into the baptistery of the expanded section of the church, and can be viewed by the public anytime the church is open.

At about the time of the expansion groundbreaking, it was discovered that the cornerstone to the old church contained a time capsule. The capsule was opened to reveal five mis-matched coins, and fragments of paper, which appears to have been the speech presented at the time the cornerstone was set.

We are still in the process of expanding our information base on the History of the parish. If you have knowledge, documents, or images of Summerville, or of St. John the Beloved dating from the era between 1898 and the 1960's, we would very much appreciate you sharing what you have with us. If you would like to help us fill in the blanks, please fill in the contact form below, and we will get in touch with you.