Capote Baptist Church Cemetery-2

The Capote Black settlement of Guadalupe County, Texas was anchored by a church, school and cemetery on adjacent tracts. All three properties were donated for community use by Hiram (Hyram) Wilson in the late 1800‘s. The school structure no longer exists. The church structure, cemetery and land still carry the physical legacy of the original community. The cemetery contains at least two hundred graves, with the earliest dating from 1880. A variety of marker styles are present, ranging from classical to vernacular. All of the burials have not been African American, or members of the church or extended Wilson family. So, it can be said that the Capote Cemetery is as “American” as any other anywhere in the country. Far too many African American cemeteries have been lost, forgotten or accidentally unearthed. Capote is one of those rare resources with physical integrity and historic content.