WISES CHAPELL MISSIONARY BAP *

Pictured here is the Wises Chappel Missionary Baptist Church. The church was established in 1890, and the adjacent cemetery probably dates from the same period. The church and cemetery are located in the old Crossroads Community about two miles north of Pineville, Izard County, Arkansas, in Township 18 North, Range 10 West, Section 30. The church and cemetery are about 1/2 mile west of Arkansas Highway 223 on the old Military Road.

Like many of the older cemeteries in the area, many of the older graves are only marked by field stones without any further identification. There are in excess of 50 unidentified graves that are so marked in this cemetery.

For years, the cemetery, like the church, was known by the Wises Chapel or Chappel name. Note that all of the signs associated with the church do have a double "P" in the name. In more recent years, the cemetery has become known as the Crossroads Cemetery. This sign points the way to the Crossroads Cemetery and a sign on the cemetery fence has the name Crossroads Cemetery. As recently as 2007, there was a large sign that was around 16 feet long and a foot tall that was attached to the fence with the name Crossroads Cemetery on it, but that sign is no longer there.

Most of the older obituaries for people buried in this cemetery indicated that burial was in the Wises Chapel, Wise's Chapel, Wises Chappel, or Wise's Chapple Cemetery. The bulk of the obituaries since 2000 or a few years earlier have indicated burial was in the Crossroads or Cross Roads Cemetery.

(Photo courtesy of Vera Reeves)

Contributed on 7/20/11 by maxparnell
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Record #: 564770

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