Founded in 1835 under the leadership of the Reverend William N. Lyster as St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, the church had been a mission of the pioneer parish he organized in nearby Tecumseh in 1833 until 1836. In 1853 the parish voted to change its name to St. John's Episcopal Church. Completed in 1835, it is the oldest remaining Episcopal church building in Michigan, and its handhewn beams, wainscoting, and stained glass windows all date back to 1835.