Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery

The Bethel Baptist Church was founded out of a congregation of Baptists in Seneca Creek. The church was established in 1821 by 15 members and built a wooden church and adjacent graveyard. In 1863, the group officially incorporated, replacing the wooden church with a brick one. In 1897, a couple of years before the church moved to Washington and Jefferson Street, a small section of the cemetery was deeded to the city for the widening of van Buren street, in exchange, the city provided the church with electricity. In the trade, 16 graves were moved to Rockville cemetery, leaving a small triangle under the church's possession. 28 grave markers remain today, including Samuel Veirs. Samuel Veirs' son, also named Samuel Veirs was buried at Mt Zion Baptist Church, a church founded by members of the Bethel Baptist Church.

The Church moved to the Adclare Road facility and became the First Baptist Church of Rockville in 1971, but still kept possession of the cemetery from 100 years prior. In 1973, the church gave the land to the Montgomery County Historical Society, and the MCHS transferred it to Peerless Rockville in 1983. Peerless Rockville still currently maintains possession of the land and maintains and preserves it. It is one of two properties owned by Peerless, the other being the Montrose Schoolhouse on Montrose Parkway.

Baptist Cemetery, Peerless Rockville. Accessed January 3rd 2021. https://www.peerlessrockville.org/about/our-historic-properties/baptist-cemetery/