Bethel Cemetery - Bethel Methodist Church - Labadie, MO - Churchyard Cemeteries on Waymarking.com

County of cemetery: Franklin County
Location of cemetery: MO-T & Larett Ridge Dr., S. of Labadie
Number of graves: 960

In this cemetery is both a monument and the gravesite of Medal of Honor Recipient George Phillips

"In August 1867, the construction of the Bethel Methodist Church was begun and it was completed in the autumn of 1868. After completion, Bethel Church was dedicated in a special service by Bishop Marvin. The first pastor to serve the church was the Reverend J.E, Godbey. It is also believed that Godbey's two children were the first to be buried in the newly-formed Bethel Cemetery, which is located across Highway T from the church. The red brick buildings, which sits on a rock foundation, was built by several of the congregation members. The architect is unknown.

"The Bethel Church stands quietly on a hilltop overlooking the church cemetery, located south of the church across Missouri Highway T, as a silent witness and constant reminder of another date and time. Junior O'Brien (George Phillips), who was killed in action on March 14, 1945, and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously, is buried here in Bethel Cemetery. The main entrance to the old church faces south and is accessible directly from Highway T. On the adjacent property to the west is a small one story frame residential building, currently unoccupied, and a small two-story wood frame residential building formerly used as the original schoolhouse for this area. The adjacent property to the east is a residential development consisting of three acre sites. The adjacent property to the north is open lawn and slopes away from the old church, providing a pleasant view toward open pasture land and the wooded area beyond. The entire site is lawn area with several large trees. There are no paved drives or parking areas." ~ NRHP Nomination Form