The only information I’ve been able to locate on the history of Wesley Chapel, located in the forgotten community of Beatrice, is that it was established in 1838.

That date comes from the old South Georgia Conference-provided sign at the front of the church. The sign is of a type used by the conference in the 1930s-1940s or thereabouts.

An architectural survey dates the present structure to 1890. The stained glass windows appear to be later additions.

Perhaps as interesting as the church itself is the historic cemetery which lies adjacent to the structure. The earliest burials I noted dated to the early 1840s. The cemetery affords excellent views of the surrounding countryside and is characterized by two large enclosures made of local stone. They are great examples of early vernacular funerary architecture.

The shady respite of the Sims Plot is enclosed by a local stone fence, abundant with Resurrection Fern.

The plot of pioneer Thomas Turner House [18 April 1787-14 June 1851] & Elizabeth Young House [20 Jun 1787-5 December 1863] and family is made of local red stone and is a massive enclosure.

A gate once guarded the plot but is long gone.

The fence was well built and has survived largely intact, though this section has collapsed. It is likely descendants have made repairs over the years.

Update: I drove past this site in early December 2023 and the church has been demolished. There’s just a patch of red clay where it once stood.