Bell-Fountain Cemetery

Panola Co  Cemeteries of TX

Submitted & Photos  by Gloria B. Mayfield   Panola County Coordinator

Directions: From Carthage  go eastbound on U.S. Highway 79 N for 14 miles to the point where there is a yellow blinking light at the intersection with FM 31. Turn left on to FM 31 and go northbound only 0.2 miles to the point where FM 1794 intersects on the left. Turn left on to FM 1794 and proceed westbound for 3.5 miles to the point where Panola County Road 3081 intersects on the left. Turn on to CR 3081   passing by Wayside Church on the left and go a total of 557 feet to the point where CR 3082 intersects on the left. Turn on to CR 3082 and continue the 803 feet to where the road ends at the cemetery.

In her survey notes made in 1969  Mrs. LaGrone stated that rows of graves had disappeared from this cemetery because the tombstones were stolen and the wooden markers had decayed. She noted that Bell-Fountain Cemetery is a five-acre plot enclosed with a fence and that " Bell-Fountain Baptist Church used to stand where a tabernacle has been built in recent years. Rev. Jerry R. Alexander was the last preacher to preach in that church. It was at this church that he was licensed to preach on Saturday before the 4^th Sunday in June 1877  with E. B. Eakin and Richard Ingram as Presbyters."

Mrs. LaGrone also stated "A Negro slave cemetery was beside this one. Wayside Negro Church is about 500 yards west; it is the Negro equivalent to Bell-Fountain. Four and one-half acres were given to that congregation."

She noted that the area had once been a thriving community and were served by the Kemlock Post Office. Credit was also given to the late John Dry who had assisted in making identification of many who were buried here. There are  reportedly some of the Wooten family buried here  but no marked graves were found.