Bethel Cemetery

This burial ground, named for the community that organized near Bethel Springs, was associated with a school and Methodist church. The earliest marked grave dates to 1879, although it is believed there are earlier interments. Features include Woodmen of the World monuments and vertical stones. Among those interred are founders of the city of Henderson and veterans of military conflicts, including A.K. Van Sickle, who served in the Texas War for Independence, the U.S.-Mexico War, and the Texas Indian Wars. In 1982, a cemetery association organized to care for the burial ground. Today, Bethel Cemetery, one of the oldest in Rusk County, is the last vestige of a once-vibrant community. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2008