Florida had recently been acquired (in 1822) by the United States; with the acquisition came a surge of missionaries.

With some of the town's Protestants supporting him, Williston acquired a charter and the property to build a church.

[4] In 1829, the congregation was incorporated by an act of the territorial Legislative Council and in 1830, construction began.

[5] From May to July 1988, the University of West Florida began excavating the church in search of the graves of three early priests buried in the 1830s:[7]: 127–128  Reverends Saunders, Peake, and Flower.

[8]: 136  The excavation also found the remains of a burned First Spanish building and wall-structures not reflected on any colonial maps.