Location: Bedias Baptist Cemetery—E of Bedias, 1870s-?—Recorded GRIM13—Parsons. SEE Grimes County Cemeteries, vols 1-5, John Maxwell, GCHS. H&P, Grimes Co Hist.: Local hist. map, p. 106-7, “Forest fire destroyed original Bedias bldg, [See Bedias Cem. Original] … In 1859 land bought from W. C. Bullock for church … child buried nearby about same time … one acre surrounding grave donated W. C. Bullock for church cemetery. Church divided over difference of opinion about 1895 … group left First Baptist Church of Bedias and began Bedias Baptist Church, a new building in town. … Old church revitalized about 1913 by R. E. L. Upchurch purchasing site … deed recorded, and rebuilt thru funds obtained by selling some of the original handcarved pews to Evergreen Baptist Church. Held singings, grounds covered with wagons buggies and later Model-Ts, house packed and dinner on the grounds … old Baptist Chruch issued invitations to others. Church dwindled in 1960s, historic buildin."THC Atlas (They Speak) The Rev. Anderson Buffington (1806-91), a Baptist missionary who fought at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, organized this church in 1848. Services were held in a small schoolhouse until the 1850s. In 1859 the congregation built this structure, which also served as a school until about 1903. Members of this fellowship helped start several other Baptist churches nearby. The congregation survived a split in 1913, but later dwindled because of population changes. The last regular service was held here in 1965. Restored in 1974, the building was deeded to the Bedias Cemetery Association.” – THC site visit MB 12/31/04 w/ J. Maxwell: Bedias, Tx FM 1696 to FM 2620 for 0.4 mile. Large fenced site, irregular, with large ell extension. Adjacent to old church site, THC marker, pastures, rural residential. Diversity of formal markers, large and small. Obelisks, spries, sculptures, also fieldstones, plain and engraved, and homemade markers., Some evidence of scraped earth in older section. One unique marker of stone carved as coffin, similar to marker in Old Bethel Cem. Many Cedar, Live Oak, Laurel, Juniper and Crape Myrtle marker trees. Some Gardenia marker shrubs. Abundant floral and decorative grave materials, also flags, windchimes, windsocks, figurines. US veterans, Masonic, Eastern Star, CSA, WoW.Low risk endangerment, adjacent marker, associated church, fenced, maintained, sign, still in use, cem. assoc. on map.
To address the problem of cemetery destruction and to record as many cemeteries as possible, the
Texas Historical Commission offers the Historic Texas Cemetery designation.
The Historic
Texas Cemetery designation was developed in 1998 to help protect historic cemeteries by
recording cemetery boundaries in county deed records to alert present and future owners of land adjacent
to the cemetery of its existence. Every county in Texas has at least one cemetery designated as a Historic
Texas Cemetery through this program. The HTC designation is the first step toward preservation of a historic cemetery.
A cemetery is eligible for designation if it is at least 50 years old and is deemed worthy of recognition
for its historical associations. The very nature of a cemetery being a landmark of a family’s or community’s
presence is considered to validate the criteria of historical associations. Any individual, organization, or
agency may submit a request for designation.