Orr's Chapel Cemetery — View all Interments

Often shown (in error) on maps as Arch Chapel, this cemetery is located near where Bryans Ferry was located on the opposite side of the Red River and at the location of a Brush Arbor church meeting conducted by two Methodist Preachers, brothers, Henry & Nicholas Orr. The Chapel was built from lumber & the windows brought from Jefferson by Mr. J. B. Denton and Mr. Stallings. [J. B. Denton died in May 1841, killed by Indians. Denton County, TX is named for him. You can read more about John Bunyan Denton off site at the Handbook of Texas Online.]

The chapel was not built until about 1880, though camp meetings had been there earlier. The cemetery predated the Chapel by a couple of years. The deed for this cemetery was not recorded until 3 Dec 1883, though the burials had already begun in the decade before. It is estimated the first burial occurred about 1879. The Orr brothers had both worked on the building of the chapel but one of them died prior to the completion of the work. The church was named in his honor.

The original camp had been the preaching place of Denton and The Reverend's Orr. They may have been twin brothers. Today this important Methodist Church and historic place seems to have lost it's correct name on Texas maps and shows up as "Arch Chapel", We can only assume it was due to a misunderstanding by map makers of thick Texas accent! It has also been seen recorded in family records as "Orice Chapel".