Two Old Bethels

Marker at Bethel in Clayton, Panola County, Texas

On September 23, 1843, Isaac Reed founded the Bethel Baptist Church in the Reed Settlement near Clayton in Panola County (still Harrison County at the time). It was possibly the third Baptist Church he organized in East Texas. Below are pictures of the old meeting locations of two descendant churches, Bethel Baptist at Clayton and Old Bethel Baptist at Reed’s Settlement. Neither are 1843 old, and neither building exists today.

Around 1870 the white church members of Bethel began to move from Reed’s Settlement to what is now the town of Clayton. The black members of Bethel continued to meet at Reed’s Settlement, perhaps at the original meeting location. In recent years (after I took these pictures in 2006) Bethel at Clayton built a new building at the same location, and Old Bethel at Reed’s Settlement has also moved to Clayton.

Bethel at Clayton, 2006

Old Bethel at Reed’s Settlement, 2006