St. Anne Catholic Church in Sumter is the oldest Catholic congregation in Sumter County, dating to 1838. Originally located on Providence Plantation in nearby Dalzell, the first church building was sold within a few years so that the group could invest in a church in Sumter, then called Sumterville. In 1848 Catholics in Sumter purchased a Methodist church on West Liberty Street along with its surrounding property, which consisted of an entire block. They called their new home St. Lawrence.
As membership at St. Lawrence grew, the tiny, formerly Methodist sanctuary soon became too small for the congregation. By 1879 the older church building was sold and moved from the property, and a new church was built in its place. The new church served St. Lawrence well until the turn of the twentieth century; by then, a fourth sanctuary was needed.
The property on West Liberty Street was sold some time after 1906, while the congregation bought a lot on East Liberty Street. However, the sale of the lot on West Liberty posed a problem; the church had to relocate its graveyard. Land was purchased on West Oakland Avenue, and more than 50 graves were relocated to the new cemetery, which retains the name St. Lawrence today.
In 1909, the members of St. Lawrence began construction on their new church, located next to St. Joseph’s Academy, a Catholic school operated by Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy. (The sisters had come to Sumter from Charleston during the Civil War.) By 1911 the brick Gothic church was complete and christened St. Anne. In keeping with a tradition of education, St. Anne has operated its own school here since 1954, replacing St. Joseph’s. The congregation is also the mother church of St. Mary Catholic Church in Summerton.
Trying to find out who created the stained glass windows in St. Anne’s Church in Sumter. Was told they may be from Germany, but no concrete info. Please help. Thanks.
The church has been formally renamed as “St. Anne and St. Jude Parish.” https://www.sasjrcc.org/about-us/our-history
Is there any information on what happened to the St. Joseph’s Academy building? I recall a wood-framed building next to the church. I attended that school before the new one was built sometime around 1963.
My husband’s family (Kinney-Kenny) were members of the first church at Providence Plantation.They are mentioned in Jeremiah O’Connell’s book “Catholicity in the Carolinas and Georgia: Leaves of its history … A.D. 1820-A.D. 1878” Referenced on pg. 305 – “Widow Obrien and Mrs. Johanna Bogan” of the Kenny family. I am searching for records of their parents – Edmund and Mary McCarthy Kinney (Kenny). They also had a brother possibly named Edmund, a sister Ellen and another brother John. Any burial, marriage records, obituary announcements, or helpful information would be greatly appreciated. The parents are on the 1850 census but nothing is found after that date. Thank you for your help.
Debbie, this is a worthy quest and we hope someone who comes across this comment will be able to help you!
I was born and raised in Sumter, SC My (four generations ago) family’s last name was Doughty, then Dority, then Daughrity. Seven generations ago, William Doughty was an Irish explorer for Spain. What I want to know is if William C. Doughty Sr. or Jr. or any other last names given men, women, or children were married or buried in Sumter or interred at Catholic Cemetery on Oakland Avenue? I now live in Asheville,N.C. Thank You !