Our History

St. John’s had its beginnings when Abigail Jouett Williamson came to Wytheville to teach in a private school for girls. She was disappointed that there was no Episcopal church in the town as she had been raised as an Episcopalian. After she married Epraim McGavock, a merchant, she became active in raising money for the establishment of an Episcopal church. Local citizens of various faiths made donations, and Abigail’s mother helped by raising money in New Jersey and England. The church was admitted into the Diocese of Virginia on May 18, 1846 as a mission of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Abingdon VA, and the congregation met in the courthouse and other churches until a building could be constructed. St. John’s became a parish, and its first resident rector, Frederick Goodwin, was chosen in December 1856. The original church building was completed in 1857 and is still in use today as the main worship center although new spaces have been added over the years.

Two battles were fought in Wytheville during the Civil War, and the basement of the church was used as a hospital for both Confederate and Union troops. Rev. Goodwin’s diary told of ministering to soldiers in the hospital and burying soldiers from both sides.

During the sixteen years after Rev. Goodwin’s retirement in 1866, five other rectors served the church. In 1882, Rev. Mercer P. Logan became the rector and served for twenty-two years. During his tenure, two chapels were established, and the first rectory was purchased.

From 1910-1965 most of St. John’s beautiful stained glass windows were donated by families or individuals in memory of beloved members of the congregation. In April 1960, Edith Bolling Wilson, the second wife and widow of President Woodrow Wilson, donated a window in memory of her parents, W. H. and Sally Bolling, who were prominent members of the church in the late 1800s. Mrs. Wilson was baptized, confirmed, and married the first time in St. John’s.

The Rev. Devall L. Gwathmey became the rector of St. John’s in 1921 and served until his retirement on January 1, 1956. During his tenure, the church held its centennial celebration with special services and a marble tablet listing the rectors of the church 1846-1946 was installed. Also, during his rectorship a new organ was installed and dedicated to his honor, and a new parish hall was constructed.

St. John’s Preschool began operation in October 1965 and continues to serve the community today. On October 29, 1995, the Memorial Garden and Columbarium, located between the church and parish hall, was dedicated. In 1996, for its 150th anniversary, the church commissioned Mary B. Kegley, a noted Wythe County and Southwest Virginia historian, to write a history of the church.

In 2008, the church was designated as a Virginia Historical Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2010, the church began a capital campaign to upgrade the facility with needed improvements, new spaces, and an elevator. The work was completed and the addition was dedicated in 2015.

Today, the congregation of St. John’s, while proud of the church’s vibrant history, focuses on its mission in today’s community through its many outreach activities.