St. Johns Episcopal Church

Bishop Polk

General Polk

St Johns Episcopal Church

718 Jackson Street
Thibodaux, Louisiana

Old Sanctuary circa 1849

St. John's Rectory

St. Johns Episcopal Church is the oldest Episcopal Church west of the Mississippi River. 

Leonidas Polk was a graduate of West Point and in 1838 was appointed Bishop f the Southwest .  This area included Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.  In 1841 he was appointed the first Bishop of Louisiana.  He selected Thibodaux as his home and became owner of the Leighton Plantation.    In February he organized the Parish under the name of St. Johns Church.  The cornerstone was laid on January 1, 1844 and Bishop Polk consecrated the church on Palm Sunday, March16,  1845.  The belfry and slave gallery were added at a later date.

The land for the church building, and eventually for the cemetery, was donated by George S. Guion, father-in-law of Governor Francis T. Nicholls. 

The church and adjoining cemetery are on the Nation Historic Register.  The cemetery has not yet been inventoried for the Lafourche Parish GenWeb site.