San Patricio County Texas Archives Photo Place.....Bethel Baptist Church Of Christ And Cemetery Historical Marker September 9, 2005
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Charlie Ward cward@stx.rr.com September 10, 2005, 1:32 am

Source:             Unavailable
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/sanpatricio/photos/bethelba371nph.jpg
Image file size: 41.2 Kb

"Bethel Baptist Church of Christ and Cemetery

Organized on May 6, 1873, the Bethel Baptist Church of Christ was the first 
Baptist congregation in San Patricio County. The ten charter members 
represented the pioneer area communities of Sharpsburg, Moore's Lake 
Settlement, and Meansville. Under the supervision of L.D. Young, a Baptist 
missionary, John Walker Baylor was selected as the first pastor. Alexander 
Moore served as the first deacon.
Early worship services were held in Moore's Lake Settlement and in the 
Methodist Church Sanctuary at Meansville. In 1877, trustees of the Bethel 
Baptist Church of Christ purchased land at this site from J.M. Garner for 
construction of a chapel and for the establishment of a burial ground.
The cemetery was first used in 1877 for the burial of an unidentified Mexican 
girl. The earliest marked grave is that of E. A. Paschal (1857-1878). Also 
buried here are seven Confederate veterans of the Civil War and many pioneer 
settlers of the area.
For a brief time during the late 1870's, the church merged with the Nuecestown 
Baptist Fellowship, although the Bethel congregation never officially 
disbanded. Services were ended in 1914 after members began attending the 
Baptist church in Odem (2 miles North)."


This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/txfiles/

File size: 2.0 Kb