About this site
Old Bethel is a cemetery in near Clayton, Panola County. It is one of 80 cemeteries documented in Panola County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 132 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 32.1105, -94.5073 near near Clayton. The nearest cataloged historic site is Church Bethel (historical marker), about 1.7 miles away. Others within a short drive include Reed, Rev. Isaac, Clayton, and Williamson.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #7365008705. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
History
Old Bethel Cemetery marks the original grounds of Bethel Baptist Church near Clayton in eastern Panola County, on what was once the wagon road running inland from the river ports at Jefferson, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana. The site was part of the Reed Settlement, established in 1835 by pioneer Baptist minister Rev. Isaac Reed, who organized Bethel Church in 1843; the congregation moved to this location in 1874. Rev. Reed, killed in 1848, lies here with his wife Elizabeth and son Isaac Jr., some graves still marked by stones chiseled by enslaved laborers. The cemetery shows many sunken depressions from unmarked graves.
Sources: txgenwebcounties.comcemeteries-of-tx.com
