"Bethel Cemetery is located about two and one-half miles west of Baxter in section 20 in Independence Township, Jasper County, Iowa.
"In August of 1855 Peter Dawson was buried probably on what was then the Dawson farm. In 1857 Rosella and Elizabeth Dawson were also buried near the first grave. That same year Jeremiah Linder was buried not far from the other graves, and it became apparent that an established cemetery was needed.
"From the Jasper County Recorder's office, Newton, Iowa:
Date: 7 November 1859 Date filed: 7 October 1876
Grantor: R. (Robert) B. (Boise) Dawson and wife Sophiah (Sophia) Jane (Reynolds Dawson) {she signed with her mark}. Grantee: Clear Creek Church of the Wesleyan Methodist Connxium [is British for connection]. For one dollar do convey to the Clear Creek Church of Peoria City Circuit of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexium, the Nw 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4, section 20, Township 81, Range 20, containing two and one-half acres according to the original survey.
Deed corrected in Book 117, page 409:
Same description as above but 1/4 more added. Also the name of the church listed as Bethel Wesleyan Methodist Church.
"Robert B. "Squire" Dawson and his wife Sophia Jane Reynolds Dawson, gave two and one-half acres of land for Bethel Church and Cemetery. They gave this land 'forever and ever' and stipulated the no charge ever be made for a cemetery lot. A drawn plat never existed. When a grave was to be opened the neighbors and undertaker decided where it was to be place. There was a church on the site for approximately 75 years. An existing photo of the church shows the date 1872 on the front of the building, which was torn down in 1947 and all that remains in the cemetery.
"We [Jasper County Genealogical Society] have researched records and drawn a map as accurately as possible as to the placement of the graves. The age of this cemetery makes absolute accuracy impossible. There are many unmarked graves, some visible, some not. The oldest graves are toward the north end. The grave having the oldest death date is that of Lemuel Perin in August 1853. However, since the cemetery had not been established yet at this time we feel the original burial of Lemuel Perin was probably in the Perin family or Hoy Cemetery then located on the Perin family farm. We know the grave was moved probably sometime in the early 1920's to bethel Cemetery."
Source: Jasper County, Iowa Cemeteries: Independence Township, compiled by Jasper County Genealogical Society, page 72; published by the Iowa Genealogical Society. Copyright 1994. Used with their permission.
To order this book and the listing of those known buried in Bethel Cemetery, contact the Iowa Genealogical Society.
| Last Name (Maiden) | First Name (Spouse) | Date of Birth | Date of Death |
| Beardmore | Ross (Marvel Haymond) | 16 Feb 1901 | 27 Dec 1994 |
| Bramble | LeRoy (Judith Ann Koon) | 23 Nov 1937 | 21 Mar 1989 |
| Bramble (Koon) | Judith Ann (Linsley LeRoy) | 7 Jun 1942 | 29 Jul 1998 |
| Gardner | Fred F. | 14-Apr-1904 | 16-Apr-1984 |
| Gardner (Westbrook) | Oma (Fred) | 8-Jul-1903 | 14-Oct-1983 |
| Harsha (Beem) | Zelda L. (Wayne) | 27 Nov 1906 | 22 May 1995 |
| Hays (Rankin) | Evelyn Mae | 27 Apr 1917 | 11 Nov 2001 |
| Hedges (Wright) | Flora M. | 27 May 1865 | 11 Dec 1947 |
| Hoy | Alva (Leonora Elizabeth Karr) | 22-Jan-1907 | 17-May-1988 |
| Kintz (Starr) | Ruth L. (Russell) | 8 Oct 1912 | 15 Jun 1997 |
| Koon | Lowell E. (Margaret Lowery) | 3-May-1915 | 6-Jun-1986 |
| Koon | James E. (Linda Sue Cavitt) | 22 Jun 1937 | 3 Nov 1989 |
| Koon (Lowrey) | Margaret I. (Lowell E.) | 13 May 1916 | 13 Feb 1995 |
| Lash | Arthur | 23-Apr-1912 | 9-Dec-1985 |
| Lash (Dawson) | Marjory (Louis Schroyer & Arthur Lash) | 2 Jun 1921 | 16 Oct 1991 |
| Mead | Lawrence Spike | 2 Nov 1896 | 31-Jul-1981 |
| Milligan | Jerold | 2-May-1954 | 7-Jun-1984 |
| Milligan (Warner) | Mabel (Harold Eldon) | 29 Jul 1904 | 5 Aug 1998 |
| Patterson (Koon) | Lillie E. (Clyde) | 17 Sep 1898 | 25-Mar-1981 |
| Patterson (Raridon) | Florence Amanda (Truman Henry) | 23 Sep 1904 | 27 Dec 1993 |
| Rankin (Tribby) | Nora (Carl) | 10 Jul 1898 | 18-Dec-1982 |
| Scott | John | 18-Aug-1924 | 20-Oct-1986 |
| Sewell | S. E. | 14 Feb 1896 | |
| Shattuck (Schmidt) | Esther Mae (Robert) | 12 Aug 1922 | 9 Jul 1996 |
| Toedt (Gearhart) | Gwendolyn Ruth (Dan) | 31 Jan 1921 | 17 Aug 1989 |
| Warner | Clarence V. | 14-Feb-1902 | 16-Aug-1979 |
| Warner | David Lee | 29-Oct-1940 | 21-Aug-1982 |
| Wright (Milligan) | Sandra (Harry) | 9 Feb 1959 | 14 May 1989 |
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