St. John's was founded in 1715 by German Palatines and originally located in Tar Bush, south of the present village of Livingston. A second building was built to accommodate growing needs and was known as the Pict or Ther Bush Church. In 1821, the congregation moved to Manorton and erected a new house of worship which became St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. When the building was destroyed by natural disaster, another was erected in 1861. This building also met with tragedy and was destroyed by fire in July 1901. Faith unfailing, our current edifice was erected in 1902 and has served its congregation to the present. A Sunday School wing was added in 1959. In 2000, St. John's Lutheran Church in Manorton united with St. John's Lutheran Church in Ancram and Christ Lutheran Church in Viewmonte to form the Lutheran Parish of Southern Columbia County.