BETHLEHEM MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY, Madison, Madison County, Florida File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Joseph T. Burval, e-mail: JBurval@mindspring.com COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Copyright (c) 1990 by Joseph T. Burval, Publisher. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the Publisher. The publisher donates the contents of this file in digital format to USGenWeb Project Archives for inclusion in USGenWeb's Digital Library (Archives) for the purpose of making this work freely available to researchers under the rules and policies of The USGenWeb Project. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. This file may not be removed from this server or altered in any way for placement on another server without the consent of the State and USGenWeb Project coordinators and the contributor. CORRECTIONS AND ERRORS: Comments from readers concerning errors or additions to the data should be addressed to Joseph T. Burval, 1995 Parkwood Road, Charleston, West Virginia 25314, USA or e-mail at JBurval@mindspring.com ******************************************************************************* INTRODUCTION The tombstone inscriptions for the cemetery below are the same as those contained in the book "Madison County Florida Cemeteries" authored by Joseph T. Eichelberger (Privately Published: J. T. Burval, Charleston, WV (1990)). In some cases, additions and corrections have been made. They are digitally reproduced here to make this information available to the USGenWeb Project Archives. Mr. Eichelberger surveyed all the cemeteries of Madison County, Florida known to him over an eight year period from about 1985 to 1993. In most cases, the date of the survey, as well as, the date of his second survey used to verify his data is included at the end of the listing. The reader will note the detail that Mr. Eichelberger has used to record the inscriptions in this work. This work is more than a listing of names and dates. It is the next best thing to actually seeing the gravesite in person. Its content shows the author's obvious extraordinary effort to preserve what he called the "flavor" of the tombstone by recording full inscriptions. His work includes misspellings, error notation and describing the marker's location so it can be found by the reader. Often a description of the tombstone, especially if it was unusual or damaged is included. A truly outstanding work, which will serve to preserve our heritage. Mr. Eichelberger very concisely and modestly explained his work in part as follows: "This project has been a one-man effort. As a result the readings and the typing have not been checked by a second party. To make matters worse, the elapsed time between reading the tombstones and typing the listing from notes has been rather great. Reading old notes written hurriedly in the field can be a trying experience, especially if the writer's handwriting isn't too neat." "An effort was made to preserve the "flavor" of the inscriptions by retaining misspellings and errors. In general, no attempt was made to correct any data, but occasionally observations have been inserted. These are in square brackets [] except where no confusion should result. It is hoped that few errors have been introduced in recording and typing the data, but surely some have been." It is a pleasure to donate this work to the USGenWeb Project Archives to make this very valuable information available to all researchers interested in Madison County. J. T. Burval Charleston, West Virginia October 27, 1998 ******************************************************************************* SYMBOLS USED: A "/" is used to indicate a new line on the tombstone. A "//" indicates a new section of the tombstone. "FHMM" means funeral home metal marker. "CRI" means cannot read inscription. A "#" indicates a cross as used on stones and memorials, and denotes military Service. Brackets [] indicate the authors comments and are used to distinguish comments from the tombstone inscription. Two names side by side indicate either a common headstone or two headstones on a common pedestal. Two names side by side with a third name below and indented, indicate that all three names are included on a common headstone or that all three headstones are on a common pedestal. ******************************************************************************* BETHLEHEM MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY CHURCH AND CEMETERY ARE LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY ROADS 14 AND 158, 3.2 MILES SOUTH OF I-10. FROM THE CORNERSTONE OF THE CHURCH BUILDING: BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH ERECT. 1867 - REBUILT 1960 BY REV. GILL HANSON DEA. GEORGE TAYLOR - I.E. WRIGHT C.J. JONES - DAVE HUDSON BEN WILLIAMS - E.J. ANDERSON LONNIE BROWN TRUS. - JOE ROBINSON SEC. - LIZZIE ROBINSON REV. U.M. WILLIAMS, PASTOR NOTE: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM DEACON LONNIE BROWN - THE ORIGINAL CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1867, AND WAS LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF THE MAIN PART OF THE PRESENT CHURCH, AND JUST EAST OF THE PRESENT SOUTH WING. REV. GILL HANSON WAS THE MINISTER AND FOUNDER OF THE CHURCH. THE OTHER OFFICIALS NAMED WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REBUILDING OF THE CHURCH IN 1960. THERE WAS ALSO A SCHOOL BUILDING ON THE PREMISES. IT WAS LOCATED AT THE SOUTH END OF THE PROPERTY NEXT TO, AND IN FRONT OF, THE CEMETERY. BRO. BROWN INTENDS, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, TO PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF NAMES OF PEOPLE BURIED IN THIS CEMETERY. THIS WOULD INCLUDE MANY, HOPEFULLY ALL, OF THE PEOPLE BURIED IN NOW UNMARKED GRAVES. WHEN COMPLETED, IT IS HOPED TO PLACE THE LIST IN THE COUNTY LIBRARY AND IN THE LIBRARY OF THE FLORIDA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY IN TAMPA. BEGIN ON EAST SIDE (FRONT OF CEMETERY): FIRST ROW MARY J. MAJOR/3 14 1885/7 2 1979 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] STEVENS FHMM: C.J. HUDSON/1926 - 1974 [GONE IN 1989] GERTRUDE J. WILLIAMS/DIED - SEPT 10,1956DATA ARE ON MARBLE SOUTH FENCE. SECOND ROW FRED SILAS/JULY 11,1925/OCT 6,1988 [GRANITE MONUMENT ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] ALSO: BEGGS FHMM: MR. FRED SILAS/JULY 11,1925/OCT 6,1988 GRAVE - NO MARKER BEGGS FHMM: LONNIE LUSTER/AGE 41/MARCH 10,1955 [GONE IN 1989] ADJACENT TO THAT: #/LONNIE LUSTER/FLORIDA/PFC/3439 QM TRUCK CO/WORLD WAR II/SEPTEMBER 24 1912/APRIL 10 1955 UNMARKED GRAVE LIZZIE/LUSTER/JULY 10,1882/JULY 28,1958 WILL LUSTER/NOV 30.1871/MARCH 4,1962 BEGGS FHMM: EDDIE LUSTER/AGE 55/NOV 28,1963 FHMM MANGLED IN 1989] LUSTER/LUCILLE/JAN 9, 1917/NOV 3,1972 [CONCRETE SLAB.] UNMARKED GRAVE. HATTIE/JOHNSON/JULY 26,1907/NOV 23,1939 UNMARKED SUNKEN GRAVE FANNIE MAE DA______/APR 10 19?1 - APR 5 19?1/MOTHER [HEADSTONE IS FALLING APART] ALSO, BEGGS FHMM: FANNIE MAE DAVIS/APRIL 10,1921/APRIL 5,1961 [IN 1989, THE FHMM IS MANGLED. SOME OF THE LETTERS ARE NOW MISSING FROM THE MONUMENT.] THIRD ROW ALBERTA A. HILL/OCT 9,1904/MARCH 18,1975/THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE [CONCRETE SLAB.] J.C. AKINS/JAN 9,1925/JULY 12,1973 [CONCRETE SLAB.] JAMES AKINS, SR. MAGGIE AKINS 1874 - 1951 1879 - 1960 #/JAMES AKINS,JR./FLORIDA/ PVT/32 AAF AVIATION SQUADRON/WORLD WAR II/AUGUST 16 1909/MARCH 1 1950 [WORLD WAR I BRONZE MEDALLION AT HEAD OF GRAVE.] CLARENCE AKINS/1900 - 1959 #JIM/MCCRAY/WHITE/SGT/US ARMY/WORLD WAR II/AUG 6 1926/DEC 15 1982 [CONCRETE SLAB.] SOUTH FENCE. FOURTH ROW #/OSCAR/STANCIL/PVT/US ARMY/WORLD WAR II/DEC 15 1912 JAN 23 1988 AT LEAST ONE, POSSIBLY AS MANY AS FIVE UNMARKED GRAVES. #/JERRY ANTHONY ANDERSON/PVT US ARMY/AUG 14 1959 JULY 28 1979 [CONCRETE SLAB.] BEGGS FHMM: CORA BROWN ANDERSON/MAR ?,1900/FEB 24,1959 [IN 1989 A MONUMENT HAS BEEN ADDED:] CORA ANDERSON/3 28 1900/2 24 1959 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] CONCRETE SLAB COVERS THE GRAVE OF AN ADULT. TWO UNMARKED GRAVES TWO MORE UNMARKED GRAVES #/WALLIE/ZEEGLE/FLORIDA/PVT 20 ENGRS/WORLD WAR I/JANUARY 15 1895 DECEMBER 18 1943 SHELLIE ALEXANDER/MARTIN/DEC 12,1877/APRIL 27,1967/REST IN PEACE [DATA ARE ON MARBLE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] JOE McGHEE/9.13.1903 6.58 [DATES ARE DIFFICULT TO DECODE.] LILLIE MAE WILLIAMS/1928 - 1988 [FHMM EMBEDDED IN CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] FIFTH ROW TWO UNMARKED GRAVES BEGGS FHMM: BERTHA MILLER/SEPT 10,1907/NOV 11,1982 [GONE IN 1989.] AT LEAST FOUR UNMARKED GRAVES NAPOLEON BROWN/8 14 1940/5 7 1985 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] ONE TO THREE UNMARKED GRAVES. HAYWARD BROWN/JUL 1 1911/DEC 7 1989 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] ONE, POSSIBLY TWO, UNMARKED GRAVE(S). REV. BENJAMIN/BROWN/10 23 1938/11 27 1983 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] FREDRICK DePAUL/LEWIS/JULY 30,1975/AUG 2,1975 MANGLED BEGGS FHMM. "CHRISTOPHER" APPEARS TO BE THE MIDDLE NAME. UNDER "BORN:" 7-26-86 GRIFFIN. UNDER "DIED:" 7-26-86. THE CONCRETE SLAB APPEARS TO BE FOR AN ADULT. APPARENTLY THE FHMM HAS BEEN MISPLACED. SOUTH FENCE. SIXTH ROW PETER P. JOHNSON/FEB 14,1891/AUG 8,1968 [MARBLE MONUMENT ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] BEGGS FHMM: GEORGE TAYLOR/DEC 3,1891/JUNE 27,1973 [CONCRETE SLAB.] ALBERT MORGAN/SEPT 17,1913/MAY 6,1979 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] ALSO A DUNCAN BROS FHMM: MR. ALBERT MORGAN/d 5 6 1979, AGE 65 NORTH ROAD SEVENTH ROW PHILLIP MAYHUE/MAY 6,1913/MARCH 25,1984 [ROUNDED CONCRETE SLAB.] DUNCAN BROS. FHMM, ____VILLE [GAINESVILLE?], FLA.: SYLVESTER DAVIS/3 24 65/AGED 56 [CANNOT READ MONUMENT. IT IS OF CONCRETE, ON EDGE, AND COVERED WITH DIRT.] FHMM SIMILAR TO ABOVE. TAG IS GONE. ]ROUNDED CONCRETE SLAB.] BEGGS FHMM: MARIE TAYLOR/NOV 18,1891/JAN 15,1972 #/K.C. TAYLOR/FLORIDA/PFC CO D 357 ENGRS/WORLD WAR II/SEPT 6 1912/DEC 17 1958 [CONCRETE SLAB.] CONCRETE SLAB COVERS THE GRAVE OF AN ADULT. SOUTH OF THE ABOVE, AND SOUTH OF A CLUMP OF TREES, THERE ARE TWO, OR POSSIBLY THREE, UNMARKED GRAVES. SOUTH FENCE. EIGHTH ROW SMALL CONCRETE MARKER [FOOTSTONE?]. BESIDE IT IS A DOWNED CONCRETE MONUMENT: JANE MURRAY/BORN 1868[?]/DIED FEB 3,1907/HAVING FINISHED/LIFE'S DUTY/SHE NOW SWEETLY/RESTS SUNKEN GRAVE. MANGLED BEGGS FHMM: MRS. MARIE WRIGHT/SEPT 24,1909JULY 28,1954 BEGGS FHMM: IRA EDWARD WRIGHT/OCT 19[17?],1906/MAY 31,1981 [CONCRETE SLAB.] #/ED TAYLOR/FLORIDA/BTRY A CASUAL DET/WORLD WAR I/AUG 6 1893/AUG 7 1958 MARY JONE TAYLOR/BORN 11 AUG 1879/DIED 30 JAN, 1965/THE DAYS ARE PASSED/AND GONE. THE/EVENING SHALL APPEAR [ROUNDED CONCRETE SLAB.] CONCRETE SLAB COVERS THE GRAVE OF AN ADULT UNMARKED GRAVE BEGGS FHMM: ANNIE MAE MAYHUE/JULY 4,1917/JANUARY 12,1985 [GONE IN 1989. NOW THERE IS A GRANITE MONUMENT ATOP A CONCRETE SLAB.] RECENT CONCRETE SLAB. LULA KAY GAMBLE/JUNE 6,1910/JAN 31,1989 [GRANITE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] BEGGS FHMM WITH SAME DATA. NORTH ROAD. NINTH ROW BEGGS FHMM: MRS. JANIE SIMMONS WILLIAMS/JUNE 8,1892/OCT 4,1976 HERE THERE IS PROBABLY AN UNMARKED GRAVE [CONCRETE SLAB WITH ROUNDED TOP.] CONCRETE SLAB COVERS THE GRAVE OF AN ADULT DELLA McGEE/1 1 1911/8 29 1979 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] SUSIE M. JONES/5 5 1926/6 4 1977 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] LUCY RILEY/12-18-1917/6-2-1973 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] ELLA J. SCOTT/AUG 3,1930/NOV 29,1971 [DATA ARE ON GRANITE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] LUCY McGEE/4 7 1859/4 17 1958 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] HENRY McGEE/3 8 1857/2 19 1954 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] BESSIE JONES/JAN 15th 1892/APRIL 28th 1939 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] CONCRETE SLAB COVERS THE GRAVE OF AN ADULT BEGGS FHMM: MR. JOE ROBINSON/JANUARY 1,1904 CONCRETE SLAB COVERS THE GRAVE OF AN ADULT. AT THE HEAD THERE IS THE BASE OF A MARBLE MONUMENT. TOP IS MISSING. SOUTH FENCE. ELEVENTH ROW MAYHUE HOWARD ELLA DELAUGHTER SEPT 15,1903-JUNE 23,1979 JUNE 5,1905-JUNE 1,1964 COME UNTO ME, ALL THEE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE THEE REST. [CONCRETE SLAB] [CONCRETE SLAB.] UNMARKED SUNKEN GRAVE RACHEL/WIFE OF/JOSEPH SMITH/DIED/DEC 31,1909/AGED/50 YEARS [TOP OF MONUMENT IS BROKEN.] MAGGIE MURRY/BORN AT/MADISON, FLORIDA/JUNE 3,1874/DIED AT/PLANT CITY, FLORIDA/SEPT 6,1922/AGE 48/MOTHER [IN 1985, THIS STONE WAS DOWN AND ON ITS BACK. IT WAS NOT FOUND IN 1989.] THREE TO FIVE UNMARKED SUNKEN GRAVES TOMMIE C. JONES/11 7 1930/11 17 1974 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] [SIX-POINTED STAR IN CIRCLE] CURTIS/JONES/FLORIDA/PVT CO K/367 INFANTRY/WORLD WAR I/JULY 1 1891/JANUARY 22 1971 [CONCRETE SLAB.] MINNIE JONES/OCT 6th 1905/NOV 22nd 1964 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] DATA ARE SCRATCHED IN. NEARLY UNREADABLE IN 1989. THOMAS McGEE/1903 1968 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] [FHMM WITH SAME INFORMATION] #/CLEVELAND/MOORE/TEC 5/WORLD WAR II/JAN 27 1924 JULY 12 1976 [A SECOND STONE READS:] CLEVLEAND MOORE/1 27 1924/6 12 1976 [DATA ARE ON CONCRETE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] WILLIE J. CURTIS/8 16 1894/7 23 1980 NORTH ROAD. TWELTH ROW EMILY BRADLEY/BORN 1886 JULY 10/DIED OCT 16,1953 [SMALL BRONZE PLATE NAILED IN CONCRETE MARKER] RECENT CONCRETE SLAB COVERS THE GRAVE OF AN ADULT. WILLIAMS BEN BESSIE SEPT 14,1899 OCT 6,1903 SEPT 18,1969 APRIL 22,1966 EARNEST MAYHUE/APRIL 2,1903/AUG 2,1931/GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN [STONE BROKEN AND DOWN] JAMES MAYHUE/MAR ?,1898/JAN 10,1917 [ERODED MARBLE MONUMENT IS DOWN AND BROKEN. SOUTH FENCE. THIRTEENTH ROW RETURN TO NORTH ROAD. BEGGS FHMM: SAM WATKINS/NOV 10,1910/OCT 25,1975 [CONCRETE SLAB.] MANGLED BEGGS FHMM. [CONCRETE SLAB.] THIS IS PROBABLY - BEGGS FHMM: MAMIE WATKINS/OCT 20,1901/AUG 31,1974 [1971?] WHICH THE WRITER COULD NOT LOCATE IN 1989. CONCRETE SLAB COVERS THE GRAVE OF AN ADULT. #/MITCH/BRINSON,JR./NORTH CAROLINA/PFC/US ARMY/WORLD WAR II/MARCH 30 1918 NOVEMBER 19 1970 [BEGGS FHMM:] SAME NAME AND DATES. SUNKEN GRAVE. RETURN TO NORTH ROAD. FOURTEENTH ROW SUNKEN GRAVE. REATHER ANDERSON/HAGINS/1883 - 1976 [DATA ARE ON GRANITE PILLOW ATOP CONCRETE SLAB.] ALSO BEGGS FHMM: MRS. RETHER ANDERSON HAGINS/DEC 13,1883/APRIL 20,1976 JULIA SHAZER/2 15 1894/12 13 1977 [CONCRETE SLAB.] [IN 1989, A GRANITE MONUMENT HAS BEEN ADDED:] JULIA FIELDS SHAZAR/FEB 15,1894/DEC 13,1977 JESSIE FIELDS/LAURIA/NOV 16,1895/APRIL 16,1973 [CONCRETE SLAB.] LUCILLE WILLIAMS GREGORY O'BRYANT WILLIAMS TROY LACRAIG WILLIAMS JULY 22,1939 NOVEMBER 12,1976 SEPTEMBER 24,1970 JANUARY 18,1977 MARCH 30,1980 I HAVE FOUGHT A ASLEEP IN JESUS BLESSED ARE THE GOOD FIGHT EARLY DEAD SOUTH FENCE. END OF CEMETERY RECORDED 15 APRIL 1985 CHECKED 13 AUGUST 1989