William L. Venning, the owner of a parcel of land at Saint Thomas Parish, Hartford Plantation, gave 1½ acres of land to St. John AME Church on March 29, 1877, for the residents of the Yellow House and Jack Primus communities. Three members of the Trustee Board signed the deed on behalf of the church: Brother Richard Chinnis, Brother Fortune Burns, and Brother Frank Heyward. The first worship service on the property was held under a bush tent, which was set up by the brothers from the communities. They offered praises and thanks to God, their Father, for the newly obtained property.

In 1900, the church was built under the leadership of Pastor E.B. Mack. On September 27, 1953, the church cornerstone was laid, bearing the names of:

Trustees / Stewards Aaron Green Sr., Richard Chinnis, Mike Green Sr., Sammy Binyard, Louis Kinloch Sr., Samuel Gathers, Henry Jenkins Sr., William Brown, Benjamin Venning Sr., David Alston, William Vanderhorst, Isaiah Wigfall – Secretary; Harold Lincoln Sr., Rev. Joseph Myers, Jerry Fordham Sr. Rev. Joseph Dixon, Gus Bryant and Tommy Lemon                                                                             

After years of worship, the church needed remodeling, which was carried out under Pastor Rev. Jerry Williams. Following his death, the church was placed in the hands of Rev. James Smalls. After Rev. Smalls, St. John received Rev. Henry Pinckney in 1974, which led to the construction of a new church. The cornerstone was laid, bearing the names of:

Trustees / Stewards Mike Green Sr. - Pres. Raymond Venning, Sr.  - Pres. Gloria Venning, Florine Green –– Sec, Willamae Venning, Harold Lincoln Sr – Treasurer, Samuel Gathers, Rosa Ellington, Rev. Benjamin Venning Sr., Arttie Lincoln –   Recording Sec., Emma Denmark, Isaac Vanderhorst, Rev. Joseph Myers, Geneva Dixon, Isaac Burns, Louis Kinloch, Mattie Lemon, Fred Rouse, Vernell Gathers, Thomas Lemon, David Alston, Francis Smith, Isabelle Rivers, Estelle Boyd, Edith Vanderhorst, Florence Alston,  William Venning, Gladys Lincoln

Over the years, God has blessed the church with the following leaders:

 Rev. L.B. Selby

Rev. J. Taylor

Rev. Cardwell

Rev. J.W. Hamilton

Rev. Jr. Weathers

Rev. S.L. Boston

Rev. Jerry Williams

Rev. James Smalls

Rev. Henry Pinckney

Rev. John Robinson

Rev. Robert Carter

Rev. Robert White

Rev. Arthur Reid

and currently our very own Rev. Rosetta Gant-Swinton.