EDGARD — In 1769 — seven years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence — settlers along the Second German Coast in Southeast Louisiana wanted their own church and priest.

The residents of the community began to search for a site and decided Jacque DuBroc, a single man with no one to support, should donate a portion of his 12 arpents of land (one arpent is almost an acre) in present-day Edgard for the church and cemetery.

They sent Michel Poché to Governor Alexander O’Reilly with their request.

On Feb. 21, 1770, Governor O’Reilly issued an order of expropriation for DuBroc to relinquish four arpents.

The Catholic church was built of hand-hewn cypress trees from DuBroc’s land. Fr. Bernardo de Limpach arrived in 1772 to pastor the new church, which was named St. John the Baptist Church.

When Louisiana was divided into 19 parishes in 1807, the church provided the name for present-day St. John the Baptist Parish.

“This is a very important church, because the civil parish was named for the church parish,” said Fr. Rob Morgia, current pastor of St. John the Baptist Church.

The original church stood until 1821, when a flood caused by the Poché Crevasse destroyed it.

A second church, made of handmade bricks, was built in the same spot and consecrated on March 17, 1822. Its high, center steeple provided a landmark for travelers, and the church served both banks of the parish until 1868, when St. Peter Church in Reserve was built.

In 1848, the parish seat was moved from Lucy to Edgard. The parish courthouse was built next to its namesake.

Fire destroyed the 96-year-old second St. John the Baptist Church on March 19, 1918, but three bells in a separate belfry were saved. The congregation, eager to replace their church, donated $90,000 (the equivalent of over $1.5 million today) towards a new building.

The new church, the present St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, was built at the cost of $146,000, debt-free, and consecrated Oct. 28, 1920.

Built in the Roman Renaissance style, the building is 146-feet-long by 69-feet-wide and has an interior ceiling that is 55-feet high. The altars and communion railings are made of white carrara marble, imported from Italy. Stained glass windows made in Munich, Germany, line the sides of the church.

“The church is an important part of my life,” Edgard resident Bettina Pierre Johnson said as she stood in front of the almost 100-year-old church. “I grew up here. I was christened, taught catechism by the nuns and made my first communion and confirmation here. It’s tradition.”

It’s been nearly 250 years since the desire for the church was birthed.

Although many things have changed in the world since then, the dedicated congregation of St. John the Baptist Church ensure it continues to thrive.

Church secretary Valerie Simon, who has enjoyed being part of the gospel choir that sings at the 11 a.m. mass on Sundays, is one of those people.

“When I was young, I would sit in church and wonder, ‘How does it all get done?” she said. “Who puts out the flowers and the cloths? Who writes the bulletin?’ Now, I’m one of the people working behind the scenes. My wheels are always turning.”

— By Ronny Michel