Methodist Society, Hartford United Methodist Church

A Methodist society was formed as early as 1855.  Old school house was used for meeting place. 

Among the first members were Charles Doty (who was class leader), John and Maggie Van Ostrom, Fannie Goodenough, Mr. and Mrs. Abram Young, James Hastings, Helen J. Engle, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Hammond.

Some of the early clergymen who attended the charge were Revs. J. Hoyt, C.C. Kellogg, H.H. Jay, T.T. George, G.A. Buell, J.W. Miller, F.I. Beard, J.W. Webster and J.P. Force.

The first Sunday School was organized in 1858 with Jefferson Dowd as superintendent. When the Civil War broke out Mr. Dowd enlisted and went to the front and Mr. Cenius H. Engle took up the work and for more than 30 years was superintendent of the school.  This Sunday School was held in the old school house (which stood on the corner where the Roman Catholic Church now stands on Main St. and Edwin St.) until the new church was built in 1866.

Revival meetings were held in the community and the organization for a Methodist church was the outcome. 

The following trustees were appointed and elected viz:  John N. Van Ostrom, Charles G. George, Cyrus Boynton, William Day, Charles Doty, Cenius H. Engle, Washington A. Engle, John G. .Van Ostrom and Andrew Bartlett. 

Andrew Bartlett, John G. Van Ostrom and Cenius H. Engle were appointed a committee to select a site for the new church.  The location was described as follows:  On a rise of ground on the south side of the east and west road east of Hartford Center about half way between the Center and the school house.  The amount of ground purchased was 12 rods on the highway and 7 rods deep.  On the 12th day of February, 1866, it was decided that the new church should be 60 ft. long and 36ft wide and that W.W. Shepherd make bill of timber necessary to build the church.  William Day paid his subscription in part by stone for the foundation and Edwin Day, his son, delivered the first load of stone on the ground. Mr. Bartlett, a local mason, laid the foundation and the contract for the building of the church was probably let to a Mr. White of Keeler.

Nov. 10, 1867

Church dedicated with services in afternoon and evening with Elders Miller and Rease preaching.  The subject of the sermon either in the afternoon or evening was "Time Written."  During the war, Mr. Doty enlisted in the army and William Day was appointed as a class leader which position he held until his death in 1903. The choir in the early days was made up of Mrs. Helen Engle, Mrs. Beattie, Mrs. Hammond, Mr. and Mrs. John Van Ostrom, Mr. And Mrs. Curus Boynton, Mr. Hatch, the choir director, and Mrs. Helen Engle acted as organist when Mr. Hatch brought over his melodeon.

The church, however, was not recognized as a separate charge until 1873 when E. A. Tanner became its pastor. For a number of years afterwards the churches at Hartford and Lawrence were united as one charge under the ministrations of the same preachers

Church history from the book  A History of Hartford  by Charles A. Spaulding

Information for this web site was gathered from personal interviews, newspaper articles, scrapbooks, personal photo albums, and other documented materials - many available to the public at the Hartford Public Library or Van Buren County Historical Museum.  Please report any typographical errors, updated information, or incorrectly stated information to the webmaster for correction.  Reprinting for personal and instructional purposes is permitted, however, unauthorized commercial reprinting of this information or unauthorized linking to photos-pictures on this site is strictly prohibited without written permission from the webmaster. 

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© 
A Pictorial History of Hartford, Michigan
Emma Thornburg Sefcik,
Competent Secretarial Service
Copyright © 2000 - All rights reserved.


Revised: May 09, 2008