Jones Chapel United Methodist Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Way out in Bee County, there's a congregation with deep roots and a story that reaches back to 1888. This is Jones Chapel United Methodist Church, and friend, the story of how it got here is worth every mile of road.

The church was organized in 1888, originally known as Jones Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church. In those early days, it was part of a circuit, which meant ministers didn't have the luxury of staying put. They traveled by stagecoach or horseback, rotating Sunday services among churches spread across the land.

Jones Chapel shared the Reverend J.T. Jacobs with Fannin Street Methodist Church over in Goliad. Picture that preacher riding hard between congregations, making sure nobody went without a service.

That first year, the members held services in a schoolhouse. Just a schoolhouse. But they had something.

They had each other, and they had faith, and that turned out to be plenty. Then in 1889, the members built a sanctuary. The land came from a man named Captain A.C.

Jones, who donated it to three former slaves who served as trustees of the new church. Read that again slow. Three former slaves.

Trustees. That's what ownership and dignity look like taking root in Texas soil. The charter members of that congregation, their names deserve to be spoken out loud.

Classie Douglas. Ann Felix. Felix Garner.

Lawson Green. Serena Hodge. Ellen Jones.

Bell Lott, Leanna Lott, Mose Lott. J.J. McCloud.

Carrie McCampbell. P.M. McCarty.

Kimmie Nancy. Elvira Newton. Rebecca Simms and Wesley Simms.

I.E. Starnes. George Steward.

Katy Ware and Sam Ware. Harriet Williams and Mary Williams. Many of them were former slaves.

They built something that would outlast everything that had tried to hold them down. Over the years, members have remodeled and repaired that church more times than you can count, and they've made additions along the way. In 1913, they put up a bell tower.

Through all of it, the church never moved. It is still standing at its original location in Beeville. The congregation takes part in Bee County's Juneteenth festivities.

They run outreach ministries aimed at helping youth and the economically disadvantaged. They work to get food and other necessities to shut-ins in the community. More than a hundred years of showing up, in good times and hard ones, for the African American community in Beeville.

That 1888 congregation started in a schoolhouse with a preacher on horseback and land held in trust by men who had once been enslaved. What they built is still there, and it is still working. Some stories don't need an ending, because they haven't ended yet.

What the marker says

This church, organized in 1888, was originally known as Jones Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church. At first, it was part of a circuit, and ministers often traveled by stagecoach or horseback as they rotated Sunday services among churches. Jones Chapel shared the Rev. J.T. Jacobs with Fannin Street Methodist Church in Goliad, and during its first year held services in a schoolhouse. In 1889, members built a sanctuary on land that Capt. A.C. Jones donated to three former slaves who served as trustees of the new church. Charter members included Classie Douglas, Ann Felix, Felix Garner, Lawson Green, Serena Hodge, Ellen Jones, Bell Lott, Leanna Lott, Mose Lott, J.J. McCloud, Carrie McCampbell, P.M. McCarty, Kimmie Nancy, Elvira Newton, Rebecca Simms, Wesley Simms, I.E. Starnes, George Steward, Katy Ware, Sam Ware, Harriet Williams and Mary Williams, and many of the church's early members were former slaves. Although members have remodeled and repaired the church several times over the years and have made additions, such as a bell tower in 1913, the church is still at its original location. The congregation remains active in Beeville's African American community. Members take part in Bee County's Juneteenth festivities and participate in a variety of programs, including outreach ministries to help youth and the economically disadvantaged. Members also aim to provide food and other necessities to shut-ins in the community. Even after more than 100 years, Jones Chapel fervently continues to serve the African American community in Beeville. (2006)