No. 348 - Bell's Chapel Cemetery and First Site of UMC, Rockett, TX
Posted by: QuesterMark
N 32° 28.742 W 096° 47.047
14S E 708229 N 3595698
The church is no longer here, but the cemetery remains, now marked with a Texas Historical Marker as well as a numbered UMC plaque.
Waymark Code: WMQR9Y
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/22/2016
Views: 6
Text from the Texas Historical Marker:
"Founded 1875. Site for church and cemetery was given on Dec. 27, 1875, by local landowners John and Elizabeth Gibbons. This tract and some later purchases were deeded to the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
Church and cemetery were named in honor of Confederate War veteran Jodie M. Bell, a church and civic leader in Rockett community, and first person to be buried here, 1877.
Red Oak Masonic Lodge No. 461, chartered in 1876, helped build 2-story chapel and meeting hall.
The lodge moved to Red Oak in 1894. (1970)"
Wikipedia informs us that Bell's Chapel Cemetery is one of four cemeteries in the unincorporated community of Rockett. The community was named after John Rockett, who placed the first cotton gin in the area. Many of the Rockett family are buried here. (
visit link)