A Methodist Missin began in 1926 at 1900 Andry
Street, in the lower 9th Ward The first members were
Mr. and Mrs. James Dunson, their five children, Mrs. Mary Turner, her son,
James, Mrs. Ruth Thibodeaux, Rev. J. O. Richards, Pastor of Thompson Methodist
Episcopal Church, Rev. Daigle, another Methodist Minister, Mr. Leonard Brown,
Sunday School Superintendent of Thompson Church and his two daughters. This
group met at 1900 Andry Street.
In 1927, Rev. William Daily Martin and District
Superintendent Rev. J.W. Turner met with the group, now meeting at Mary Turner's
home on North Miro Street. Mrs. Turner was the District Superintendent's
sister-in-law. The church
was incorporated on March 23, 1927 and was named after Bishop Hartzell.
. Three lots were purchased on
August 8, 1927 for $2,200. The two homes on the lots were used as
the church and parsonage. Shortly after Rev. L.V. Blunt's arrival in 1928,
the church building burned.
Services were held in the front two rooms of the parsonage for several years.
Rev. D.L. Riley, a carpenter by trade, began rebuilding the church in 1934. A 1942 storm
destroyed the still uncompleted church when Rev. T.E. McElroy was pastor.
After Rev. C.D. Small (another carpenter by trade) arrived in 1943, the church
was finally completed.
During Rev. Nathaniel Paul Williams' twenty-one year
tenure, Annual Conference was held at Hartzell (1961).
After being damaged by hurricane
Betsy, the church was rebuilt in 1966. Services were temporarily held at
Little Bethel African Methodist Church and Church of God during construction.
. Rev. James S. Davidson (who had been a member of
Hartzell) served the church from 1978 to 1986. The church's debt was
retired under his leadership.
In 1989, additions and renovations
were made on the church. |
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