Cemetery with a Story

If you are a blog follower, you know we like cemetery geocaches. Not that we spend a lot of time looking at the headstones, but often times, there is a story that goes with the location or residents. That was the case for Bethesada Cemetery along the highway we were traveling.

Bethesda Cemetery is located at the intersection of I35W and Bethesda Road in Johnson County, just south of Burleson, Texas. It is located beside Bethesda Baptist Church, but it is no longer associated with the church. In 1977 Boyd L. Green copied the names of the graves in the cemetery. At that time there were 736 graves with legible head stones. Another 200 graves were marked by field stones or metal funeral markers and could not be copied.

Sarah's new headstone

Sarah's original headstone

one of the Unknowns

And now for the interesting piece...

When Malinda died in 1867, her mother could not be comforted thinking that wild animals would dig up her daughter's grave. In order to give his wife peace in the matter, Malinda's father built this house over the grave.

the house bricks are being held together with metal rods

for size comparison

must have been a prominent citizen 

to have his face engraved on his headstone

more Unknowns

a new headstone

I am impressed by the care given the 900+ headstones in this cemetery. The fact the rocks and broken markers have been noted, even if the person buried does not have a known name. Thank you Mr. Green. In some cases, new headstones for some of the older, broken ones AND keeping a story alive about a little, brick house in the middle of all the headstones.