Chappel, established in the 1850s, was one of San Saba County's earliest settlements. This cemetery stands on part of 16 1/2 acres donated by Joab B. Harrell that he formally deeded in 1886 to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Harrell, the county's first chief justice, had buried his own son at this site some fifteen years earlier. The M.E. church, a school, and a store served as the center of the community. The burial ground chronicles the lives of pioneers and families that are Chappel's heritage, and the Chappel Cemetery Association was established in 1976 to ensure the site's preservation and perpetual care.