Photo taken in October 2015.

Bethel Cemetery Sign. Picture taken by Perry Youngs August 21, 2011 FAG 47511753

BETHEL CEMETERY ON THE 20TH MAY, 1848, EDWARD AND MARY BASSINGTHWAIGHTE SOLD ONE ACRE OF THEIR FARM LAND AT THE SOUTH END OF LOT 11 CONCESSION 11, IN THE TOWNSHIP OF REACH, TO THE METODIST CHURCH COMISSIONFOR THE SUM OF FIVE POUNDS. TRUSTEES FOR THE CHURCH AT THAT TIME WERE JOSEPH LEE, EDWARD BASSINGTHWAIGHTE, TIMOTHY CRAGG, JOHN WARD, JAMES WARREN, JAMES BURNETT AND JOSEPH DRINKILL. THE FIRST RECORDED BURIAL IN THE CEMETERY IS WILLIAM REAL, ON THE 16TH AUGUST, 1847. HE WAS THE 18 MONTH OLD SON OF JOHN AND AGNES REAL. ALTHOUGH THE ISAAC CRAGG HEADSTONE IN THIS CEMETERY MENTIONS BURIALS OF FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE 1830'S – INCLUDING DAVID CRAGG, THE PATRIACH WHO CAME TO GREENBANK IN 1833 AND DIED IN 1835 – THEY ARE NOT BURIED IN "BETHEL" BUT IN A FIELD ON THEIR HOME FARM, WHICH IS ALSO LOT AND CONCESSION 11, TOWARDS THE NORTH END OF THE PROPERTY. A WHITE FLAME BUILDING KNOWN AS THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH WAS DEDICATED 8TH OCTOBER, 1848 AND NAMED "BETHEL", WHICH MEANS –"THE HOUSE OF GOD". ISAAC CRAIG DONATED THE LUMBER, TIMOTHY CRAAG MADE THE SCONES – THE ONLY DECORATION IN THE CHURCH – AND FREE LABOUR WAS PROVIDED BY THE LOCAL MEN. IN 1866 THE CONGREGATION SPLIT BETWEEN THE PRIMITIVE AND WESLEYAN METHODISTS AND BETHEL CHURCH WAS ABANDONED. THE ENTRANCE GATES, ERECTED ON THE SPOT WHERE THIS CHURCH SAT, WERE DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF REV. J GEORGE MILLER, ON SUNDAY 20TH AUGUST, 1939. A LOCAL MAN, WILLIAM CLYDE, DONATED $200 TOWARDS THE BUILDING OF A NEW CHAPEL ON THESE GROUNDS. IN 1942 PART OF THE MARSH HILL METHODIST CHURCH WAS DISMANTLED AND REASSEMBLED ON THIS SITE AND ENCLOSED WITH CEMENT BLOCKS. THE CHAPEL IS KNOWN AS THE WILLIAM CLYDE CHAPEL. THE STEPS WERE DEDICATED TO EDWARD BASSINGTHWAIGHTE AND THE ENTRANCE DOORS TO THE GEORGE BEARE. THE CHAPEL VAULTS WERE BUILT BY WILLIAM PHOENIX, A DESCENDENT OF EDWARD BASSINGTHWAIGHTE. ON DECORATION DAY 29TH AUGUST, 1943, REV. JAMES ANDREW MILLER OF TORONTO, A GREENBANK BOY AND A BROTHER OF REV. J. GEORGE MILLER – DEDICATED THIS BEAUTIFUL CHAPEL TO THE MEMORY OF THE INTERMENTS ALREADY RESTING IN THIS SACRED GOTUND AND ENTRUSTED THE BUILDING TO THE CARE OF THE CEMETERY COMISSION. THANKS TO ALL OTHERS WHO HAVE ASSISTED WITH THE CARE AND IMPROVEMENTS OF THE CEMETERY OVER THE YEARS. ERECTED BY THE GREENBANK CEMETERY BOARD AND THE ONTARIO HERITAGE TRUST.