New Home Baptist Church Baptizing of Bethel and Ethel Bates

This is the baptizing of Bethel (Buster) and Ethel (Deedle) Bates by old Preacher Stover in the 1930s.  The men would dam up the creek on the church property with bags of dirt about a week before the baptizing so that the water would be deep enough.  Bethel and Ethel Bates are the twins of Lem and Lillie Smith Bates. 

Bethel (Buster) Bates

Bethel (Buster) Bates was born February 27, 1923.  He is the son of Lem and Lillie Smith Bates. Buster is the twin of Ethel Bates.  He was a born farmer until he died August 1, 1993. Buster had a road side market for his own fresh vegetables at that time. He married Mildred Gravitt, the sister of James Elvin Gravitt.  James Elvin Gravitt married his twin sister Ethel (Deedle) Bates.

Bethel (Buster) Bates

The Bethel (Buster) Bates children Barbara, Floyd, Thomas and Gene.