Weatherford in Parker County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Bethesda Cemetery

Photographed by Matthew G French, April 11, 2025

1. Bethesda Cemetery Marker

Inscription. Settlers in the 1860s called this area Dry Creek but renamed it Bethesda Community in 1876 after they built a schoolhouse used for Methodist worship. John G. Leach (1846-1930) and John Marshall Coalson (1826-1897) gave land near the school for a cemetery in 1877 when Leach's daughter Minnie E. (1872-1961) seemed near death with diphtheria. She recovered and the earliest marked grave is that of Charlie A. Walker (1879-1880). Childhood mortality accounts for many graves in the older part of the cemetery. Descendants of pioneer families donated land in 1973 to enlarge the site to five acres.

Erected 1978 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 394.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Education • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.

Location. 32° 53.541′ N, 97° 58.749′ W. Marker is in Weatherford, Texas, in Parker County. It is on Farm to Market Road 113 south of Oxen Lane, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6658

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FM 113, Weatherford TX 76088, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region

and in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Fondren Cemetery (approx. 1.8 miles away); Authon Cemetery (approx. 2.7 miles away); Rock Creek Cemetery (approx. 4.2 miles away); Whitt Seminary (approx. 5.1 miles away); Whitt Cemetery (approx. 5.2 miles away); Site of the Home in 1855 of Oliver Loving (approx. 6.3 miles away); Jack Llewellyn Knight (approx. 6.3 miles away); Dilbeck Cemetery (approx. 6.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Weatherford.

Photographed by Matthew G French, April 11, 2025

2. Bethesda Cemetery Marker

Old cemetery entrance image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Matthew G French, April 11, 2025

3. Old cemetery entrance

Bethesda Methodist Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Matthew G French, April 11, 2025

4. Bethesda Methodist Church

Across the road from the cemetery

Credits. This page was last revised on April 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2025, by Matthew G French of Fort Worth, Texas. This page has been viewed 371 times since then and 99 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 12, 2025, by Matthew G French of Fort Worth, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.