San Souci Baptist Church

San Souci Chapel 1944

During the 1930’s, the country was in a state of depression. Jobs and food were hard to come by and whole families migrated from one area to another, just to survive. D.D. Camps (Dukate & Dunbar), were a series of buildings set up for families to live while working at McPhillips, an oyster shucking plant. These were desperate times for many people and they may have been some of the poorest in the nation but they were the richest in the Spirit of the Lord.

As families migrated, across the bayou, they lived in a section of town near the railroad tracks and down toward San Souci Beach. The children would listen for the giant steam engine to signal that it would be down the tracks soon and watch for the familiar caring face of Mr. George Collins who would stand in one of the cars and throw cabbage and potatoes down to those waiting below. In these times of hardship and poverty, the Lord worked in mysterious ways and through many different people.

The families of San Souci mostly attended the First Baptist Church of Bayou La Batre where Rev. Louis Walker officiated. To attend church, families would walk to the edge of the bayou where they could take the fishing boat of Mr. Leslie Clarke to the bridge and walk the rest of the way to the church. Some took their path up the long slender railroad tracks while others were supplied an oyster truck by Mr. McPhillips. While attending the First Baptist Church, it went through various pastor changes such as, Rev. Louis Walker to Rev. Ray Meggison. Later in time, a bus was supplied by the First Baptist Church of Bayou La Batre for the families of San Souci.

This small community, was so overwhelmed in the teaching of God’s Word to future generations, that they worked steadily to obtain their own church. Mrs. Mae Barbour made a special request of Rev. Meggison to conduct Wednesday prayer groups in the homes of San Souci residents.

Special memories are held in the hearts of many San Souci descendants for Mr. George Collins, a deacon of the First Baptist Church, who bestowed many kind and generous acts of Christian love on them. Also for Mr. Joe Arnett without whom San Souci Chapel would not have had any Baptist literature for Sunday School and other classes. These people were God’s gifts to San Souci in order that it may survive and become stronger in the Lord.

Through the grace of God, Rev. Ray Meggison helped San Souci become a mission of the First Baptist Church of Bayou La Batre. Church was held in the homes of Leslie and Elizabeth Clarke, Jim and Catherine Kennerson, Joe and Mae Barbour, and Raymond and Cora Barbour. The spirit of the Lord filled the air when Mrs. Cleo Meggison would play the accordion while every man, woman and child sand praises to God. Services were held an hour early for San Souci in order for Rev. Meggison to preach at both the mission and at First Baptist.

Through many hardships and troubles, Rev. Meggison, Cleo Megginson, and Mrs. Ophelia Johnson, would walk down the creosote soaked crossties of the railroad with a broomstick pushed through the handles of the accordion for better handling. These most precious peoples stood by the community of San Souci, training its people to teach, organize and assemble their own church. They never asked for anything in return, only giving of themselves, so that today, we may be closer to God in our beloved church.

The land of our original church was built upon was donated by Mr. Jim Kennerson in the name of the First Baptist Church, for he too wanted to do the Lord’s work and not recognition. The land was purchased from his first cousin, Bessie Kirkindol, who happened to be a Holiness preacher. The other land that the land stands on today was purchased from Freddie and Christine Barber, Voncille Barber and Jeff Barnes. Sac Souci Chapel was erected in 1944 with lumber which came from the D.D. camps. How strange it is, that the same walls that protected these people, from the wind and the storm, is now protecting their souls from the windy and stormy times of life.

Without the loved ones of our past, our church would have perished, but they were determined to make it happen and strived even harder to make it grow and prosper. Their names are embedded in our hearts and memories. These were special people who have made this church possible. May we always remember.