The History of Burrell Chapel Baptist Church

Before the incorporation of the community of Snipe, a settlement of freed slaves formed along the west banks of Oyster Creek just north of Snipe’s current location, the site was heavily wooded and flood-pronged. After Emancipation in 1865, the freed slaves from the William Ward Plantation, the Retrieve Plantation, and other neighboring plantations settled in this rich and fertile section of the Oyster Creek bottom to farm the land and shield their families from the horrors of a post-slavery society. This land and the settlers’ subsistence farming aided their survival. The Burrell Chapel Baptist Church, established in 18671, played a pivotal role in the community’s survival, providing a safe haven and a platform for social, political, and religious networks vital to their existence. God’s spirit embodied in this Freedom Colony and its Church has been a testament for 157 years to these freedmen’s resilience and determination.

Burrell Chapel, like many post-emancipation churches, was the bedrock of the Freedom Colony near Snipe. The Church was not just a place for ministering to the settlers’ spiritual and social needs but also a beacon of hope, inspiring the community to overcome the challenges of a cruel outside world. It was a training ground for community leaders and crucial to building a sustainable community. The first church building in the settlement was erected in 1867, just north of Dane Lake, inspired by God under the leadership of Reverend Burrell. The church was later named after its first pastor, Burrell Chapel Baptist Church. Mr. David Jameson generously donated the original land for the church and cemetery. The succession of pastors at the initial Church location were Rev. Cushinberry, Rev. Fanniel, Rev. Ben Hall, Rev. Joe Hall, Rev. Cannon, Rev. Hawkins, Rev. Commings, and Rev. James H. Cook. Deacon Lemon “Boots” Franklin, Henry Darts, and their respective families were prominent early Burrell Chapell members, contributing to the strong sense of community.

By the mid-1870s, the era of Reconstruction drew to a close, and freedmen feared a complete loss of liberties. Many of the subsistent farmers took a bold initiative to ensure their survival. They decided to purchase their land formally, a testament to their empowerment and determination. Almost simultaneously, driven by the need to sustain their liberties and freedom, the community assembled its scarce resources and knowledge to provide an educational program in the Church — the Burrell Chapell School was established in 1879. 2 The church building served as a school Monday through Friday and a place of worship on Sundays.

The school was not just a place of learning but gained recognition among its associated school programs as a site for interscholastic activities. On March 12, 1912, the Houston Daily Post reported plans for a meeting of the Colored Institute at the Burrell Chapel on March 20- 24, 1912. Reverend H.L. Lunford is mentioned as the pastor of the Burrell Chapel and an officer of the Colored Institute.