San Patricio County
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Bethel Baptist Church
of Christ and Cemetery
Historical Marker Text
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 Sharpsburgh, 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 1870s the church merged with the Nuecestown Baptist
fellowship. Although the Bethel congregation never officially disbanded,
services here ended in 1914 after members began attending the Baptist
Church in Odem (2 miles north).
1981
Location: County Road 64, 2 miles south of
Odem. Take Front Street (along railroad tracks) south to CR 64 turn east
and continue to cemetery
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