[3][4] In March, 1820, Reverend Rodolphus Dickerson founded St. James Mission in the village of Greenville Court House.

In 1825, Vardry McBee, who was an early industrialist in Greenville, gave 4 acres (1.6 ha) for the church.

Since these were felt to too elaborate and unaffordable, construction was delayed and Poinsett died.

It contained religious books, church and diocesan publications in a sealed copper box.

Although several sources,[3][5] quoting an 1856 article in the Southern Episcopalian, say that the brick bell tower is 130 ft (40 m) tall, the 1934 architectural drawings indicate that is 104.67 ft (31.9 m) tall from the top of the foundation to the base of its cross.

[3][4][5][8] In 1968, the north transept was built to complete the Gothic cruciform design, and an undercroft was added.

[8] The Historic American Buildings Survey documented the church with photographs and measured drawings in 1934.

In addition to Vardry McBee, clergy, church members, and former mayors, three politicians are interred: the post-Civil War provisional Governor Benjamin Franklin Perry, his son, U.S.