History of St. Louis Parish

Excerpts from the 75 years Celebration of its Founding in 2009

Miss Frances King, born in Dublin, Ireland came to Dillon, S.C. from Auburn, N.Y., after marrying Mr. David Biggs in 1919. Current information indicates she was the only Catholic in the city of Dillon and the whole county. Although Catholic services were held in Lumberton, N.C., and Florence, S.C., attendance at these services was difficult due to travel conditions. Because of Mrs. Bigg’s Christian example, helping her neighbors and the community in various ways, many people were baptized into the Catholic Faith.

The area was joined by other Catholics coming from Latta and Catholic Physician, Dr. Victor Banford who settled in Dillon, S.C. Father Tobin would travel from St. Anthony’s in Florence, S.C., to visit Frances Biggs’ home. And soon, Fr. Tobin was celebrating Mass in her home once a month. The buffet was moved into the living room to serve as an altar. After Mass, Father was always treated to a delicious breakfast by Frances. Father Tobin arranged for Sisters from Sumter, S.C., (probably the Sisters of Mercy) to come to France’s house on one Saturday a month to teach catechism instruction. On Sundays, Frances conducted Sunday school for the faithful. Thus, the firm basis for the future Mission Church was established by the late 1930’s.

The Mission Church

Land for the Home Church was purchased March 10, 1938 for $1,000 and construction began shortly thereafter. The work was to be completed by May, 1939. The first services in the chapel were conducted by Father Tobin on May 7, 1939. On May 27, several women were baptized by Fr. Tobin to include two sisters-in-law of Frances Biggs (Mary Biggs and Annie Lovell), along with a neighbor, Mrs. Todd. Frances King Biggs was honored as “Catholic Women of the Year” by the Diocesan Council of Catholic in October, 1954.

On May 28, 1939, Pentecost Sunday, the Chapel of St. Louis was dedicated by Bishop Emmett Walsh. The chapel and its small congregation officially became a mission of St. Anthony’s Church of Florence, S.C., under the pastorate of Fr. Tobin.

As the Home Church was expanding, Dr. Victor Branford was endeavoring to gain support for a local Catholic Hospital to serve Dillon and the surrounding areas. He sought and gained the Bishop Emmett Walsh of the Diocese of Charleston. The Bishop gained the help of the Sisters of St. Mary, St. Louis, Mo., to establish the hospital. Since many of the nuns from St. Louis would be locating here to provide medical/administrative services to the new hospital, Bishop Walsh agreed to provide a priest in Dillon to serve the “home church” and the sisters.

With the construction of the new hospital well underway, Bishop Walsh decided to establish St. Louis as a parish. On November 4, 1943, Father Charles J. Baum was appointed the pastor of the new parish of St. Louis, thus terminating its mission status with St. Anthony’s of Florence, S.C. Fr. Baum was to reside in special priest’s quarter in St. Eugene’s Hospital, once construction was complete.

Converts to Catholicism added to the numbers of the parishioners. Catholics from other counties, particularly Marion, journeyed to Dillon for Mass and other church activities. Eventually many Marion County parishioners attended Mass in the home of parishioners or at other sites. In 1967 (January 22), the Church of the Infant Jesus was officially established in Marion with the pastor of St. Louis also serving as its pastor.

Over the years, the St. Louis Church has been expanded ad modified to accommodate its congregation. A choir room (the extension on the right facing the altar) was constructed under the guidance of Father Anderson in the early 1950’s. The vestibule (at the entrance) was added under the guidance of Father Murphy in 1958. The grotto was built under the pastorate of Father Sheedy in 947. Modern heating and air-conditioning replaced the old oil stove and fans used previously.