Old Bethel Church was formed by the African-American members of Bethel Methodist Church in downtown Charleston. When Bethel built their new church, Old Bethel acquired the old church building at the back of the Pitt St. property. Later, the building was moved to 222 Calhoun St. The church's North Charleston cemetery (tracts 71 and 72 in Magnolia Umbra) was acquired in October 1873 (Charleston County DB F16, pg. 377). The property was sold to seven named trustees of the church: George Shrusbury [Shrewsbury], Francis Perry, James Brown, Scott Fell, Edward Miller, John Bresman, and Emanuel Laurence.