The town of Bethune – originally known as Lynchwood – was established in the early nineteenth century by settlers from the Highlands and Hebrides Island of Scotland. These settlers attended a nearby church, Pine Tree Presbyterian Church (no longer extant), which was formed some time after 1820 in nearby Cassatt. When Lynchwood was renamed Bethune in 1901 to honor Daniel Murdock Bethune, who allowed a railroad to be built through his property, local Presbyterians established a congregation of their own.
The new church was called Bethune Presbyterian Church, named for Daniel Murdock Bethune’s father, also named Daniel Bethune. The elder Bethune had been a leader in both Pine Tree Church and in his community. The church building was completed in 1901 on land donated by Daniel Murdock Bethune’s brother, Neil Alexander Bethune, and J.A. McCaskill. Several members of Pine Tree Church and Bethune Presbyterian are interred at the Scotch Cemetery, including brothers Daniel Murdock Bethune and Neil Alexander Bethune.
Is Scotch Cemetery THE cemetery for Pine Tree Presbyterian or are there two cemeteries – in other words, is there a Pine Tree Grave yard and the Scotch Cemetery or are they one and the same?
According to family members, our first and second generation attended Pine Tree and are buried in the church cemetery..however, no one seems to be certain as to where that cemetery is.
It appears from my own research that the Scotch Cemetery was not affiliated with any ONE church but was the chosen burial site for many of the immigrant highlanders. Can you clarify? Thank you.
In case you have not found the cemetery you seek, it is located off of US Hwy 1 south of Bethune, SC on west side of the Hwy. No church building on site, you can see it from the Hwy if you are looking there is an arched steel entry with cemetery name on it. Several old markers circa early 1800s.