St. Louis Catholic Church — Dillon, South Carolina

St. Louis Catholic Church in Dillon dates to the 1919 arrival of Frances King Biggs, an Irish woman who came to the area as the bride of David Biggs. When she discovered that she was the only Catholic in Dillon County, she contemplated traveling to Florence or even as far as Lumberton, North Carolina for Mass. However, she decided that leaving Dillon for services was too difficult and instead practiced her faith through good deeds.

Frances Biggs’ contributions to her community resulted in others following her example and being baptized as Catholics. Soon other Catholics moved into other nearby communities such as Latta, and eventually a Catholic physician, Dr. Victor Branford, relocated to Dillon. The growing Catholic population led the priest of St. Anthony’s in Florence, Father Tobin, to hold a monthly Mass in the Biggs’ home.

Father Tobin later recruited the Sisters of Mercy from Sumter to teach catechism, and Frances Biggs herself taught Sunday school. By 1939 St. Louis Catholic Church was officially established, and in 1940 this church was erected to house the burgeoning congregation.

St. Louis Catholic Church Map

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