History of Our Building

Among its early trustees of the Methodist Hospital were William L. Clayton, Jesse H. Jones, and Walter W. Fondren. A long-term benefactor was Ella Cochrum (Mrs. Walter W.) Fondren, who became a trustee after her husband's death and who for many decades was the only woman on the board. Methodist struggled to survive during its early years. It remained open during the Great Depression only through the management of its administrator, Josie Mooring Roberts. It took a new direction after World War II due to the actions of two Houston philanthropists, Monroe D. Anderson and Hugh Roy Cullen. Anderson left a bequest of $22 million that led to the development of the Texas Medical Center at Houston. Cullen, a legendary oilman, and his wife Lillie gave $1 million to Methodist Hospital, a gif that enabled it to move to the Medical Center. The new 300 bed facility opened in 1951.

Methodist became a teaching hospital for Baylor University College of Medicine, which had also moved to the Texas Medical Center. Because of Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, the Baylor affiliation transformed Methodist from a good hospital into a great one. DeBakey, who joined Baylor in 1948, pioneered cardiovascular procedures that brought him wide acclaim. Patients from all over the world, including the Duke of Windsor, came to him for treatment and taxed the facilities of the hospital during the 1950s and 1960s. To accommodate these patients and the growing population of Houston, Methodist enlarged to 1,040 beds by 1971 under the administration of Ted Bowen. The growth continued under the administration of Larry Mathis, who succeeded Bowen in 1983. By 1990 the Methodist Hospital complex included more than 1,500 beds, outpatient facilities, office buildings, parking garages, and a hotel. By various agreements, Methodist also included a number of hospitals in other locations that utilized its specialists and high technology. While maintaining its position as a cardiovascular center, Methodist, in cooperation with Baylor, also pioneered in organ transplants, neurological disorders of children, and other areas of research and development. Chairmen of the board of directors have been John T. Scott, Raymond P. Elledge, Walter L. Goldston, Robert A. Shepherd, Sr., O'Banion Williams, Curtis B. Delhomme, and A. Frank Smith, Jr. (Sibley).

Sarah Francelia McElroy was born in 1825 in Hartford, Connecticut, and came to Texas with her four siblings and parents, Philip and Almyra McElroy, in 1832, first settling on the Colorado River, eight miles below the present city of Austin. This early Texas pioneer family then settled the next year with Stephen F. Austin at San Felipe de Austin. Founded by Austin in 1824, San Felipe de Austin, located on the west bank of the Brazos River at the Old San Antonio Road crossing, was the unofficial capital of Texas and became the first urban center in the Austin colony. The town, simply called San Felipe, was unquestionably the social, economic and political center of the colony. One of the earliest newspapers in Texas, the Texas Gazette, began publication there in 1829. Sarah's father, Philip McElroy died in 1835 near San Felipe de Austin, Austin County, and her mother, Almyra, his widow, and all of her children left their possessions behind, and traveled on horseback to the banks of the Sabine River for safety when on March 30, 1836, the town was burned to keep it from falling into the hands of the advancing Mexican army. The fleeing eastward was known as the Runaway Scrape. According to a biography of Sarah's brother, Charles S. McElroy, which was published in the "History of Fort Bend County," the family left the Sabine River and after the Battle of San Jacinto, then came to Harrisburg, and from there to Houston in 1837 where they lived "in the first house built there." "The house was double log cabins, situated at the foot of what is now Main Street, on Buffalo Bayou, and if still standing would be in the middle of the street."  After the victory at San Jacinto, many returned to San Felipe, as did Almyra McElroy.  On February 4, 1838 as widow of Philip McElroy, she was granted one labor of land.  She was married for a second time shortly thereafter to George W. Powell, another early Texas pioneer, who had been granted a 1/3 League on July 1836, for being a "Citizen of the Republic."  They had a son named George P. Powel.  Almyra McElroy Powell died shortly thereafter on November 20, 1839 and was buried in Old Founder's Park Cemetery in Houston, as were some of her children who had preceded her in death.  Sarah Francelia Bell's sibling were:  Elizabeth McElroy, who married 1) Zadoc Hubbard and 2) F. N. Butt; Henry P. McElroy; Charles S. McElroy who married Elizabeth R. Little; and Mary Almyra McElroy and Napoleon B. McElroy (the only child born in Texas in 1832),both who died young and are buried in Old Founder's park Cemetery on W. Dallas Street, in Houston. 

Sarah McElroy was first married on September 19, 1844 in Houston to Andrew Crawford, a tailor, entrepreneur, and charter member of Shearn Methodist church (History of Shearn Church).  This is where his close affiliation with the Methodist Church began.  While married to Crawford, they adopted a girl with the given name of "Savannah Georgia" before 1860 as the seven year old girl was living with the Crawfords in the 1860 census.  The "adoption" is confirmed in the will of Sarah F. Bell, dated July 13, 1911 (probated after her death on August 12, 1914, Harris County, Texas), in which she mentions her adopted daughter, "Mrs. Savannah G. Cohen."  according to family descendants, Savannah was most likely a daughter of one of the four Terry brothers, of Harris and Brazoria County, who were sons of Joseph Royall Terry and Sarah "Sallie" D. Smith, daughter of Obedience Fort and David Smith (Ancestry.com).  Obedience Fort Smith was another early Texas pioneer.  Research completed thus far, has not produced conclusive proof regarding the actual parents of Savannah.

Andrew Crawford, husband of Sarah McElroy Crawford, was engaged in the clothing business as he was listed as a tailor in the census and city directory of Houston, although he had other business interests as well.   Andrew Crawford, who had been a charter member of Shearn Church, became a prominent citizen of Houston.  He died on March 29, 1867 (tombstone) and was buried in the Old City Cemetery (now known as Founder's Park) on W. Dallas Street.  Andrew J. Burke was the executor of the will of Andrew Crawford, and Charles Shearn, Founder of Shearn Church, assisted in the inventory.  The cemetery where Crawford is buried was known as "old Methodist Cemetery" according to the 1866 city directory of Houston.  Their daughter, Savannah used the name of Crawford when she was married in Houston on Feb 6, 1868 to Laurence L. Cohen.  He was a native of South Carolina and a veteran of the Confederacy.  He later became a member of Dick Dowling Camp, Houston, Texas.  

After Andre Crawford died, Sarah Crawford is found living with her sister, Elizabeth Butt, and her husband, F. N. Butt, in the 1879 Census of Harris County.  According to the History of Shearn Church, Mrs. Butt was a charter member of Shearn's Ladies Aid Society, " organized in 1876, to provide relief to the poor.   Savannah Georgia Cohen's husband, Laurence Cohen, Sr., who was listed as a portrait painter in the Houston City Directory and in the 1880 Census Harris County Texas, also was a Professor of Art.  He and his wife were also very active members of the Methodist Church as was Mrs. Bell and her sister.  In March 1882 Cohen was named Superintendent of the Methodist Mission of North Houston, where Shearn Church began to provide worship services and a Sabbath School to those living along White Oak Bayou.

Sarah McElroy Crawford married her second husband, John W. Bell, later in that year on October 11, 1870 in Harris County.  John W. Bell was a native of Scott County, Kentucky having come to Houston soon after completing his service in the Confederate army in Mississippi, where he was commissioned as a Lieutenant. He began work as a carpenter in Houston, but later became engaged in the business as a railroad builder.  He, like Laurence Cohen, husband of Savannah G. Crawford Cohen, was a member of Dick Dowling Camp No. 197 in Houston.  The Bells lived at 1014 Walker Street at Fannin.  John W. Bell died at his home on September 5, 1911 and was buried in Glenwood cemetery.  His monument reads: Major John W. Bell, born near Lexington, Kentucky December 4, 1835, Died September 5, 1911, A brave solder in the Mexican War - A staunch defender of the Confederacy - A prominent Mason, A soldier of Christ.:  The Cross of Honor has also been bestowed on his grave by Robert E. Lee Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy. 

His wife, Sarah Francelia Bell, died at their home on August 12, 1914 and is buried in Glenwood Cemetery.  The inscription of the joint monument with her husband John W. Bell reads "Born in Hartford, Connecticut December 10, 1825, died in Harris County, Texas August 12, 1914."  Her obituary revealed she was a Charter Member of Old Shearn Methodist church.  According to the History of Shearn Church (1908), the church was the first brick church in Houston, and it was dedicated in 1843.  The pastor in 1844 was Rev. Josiah W. Whipple, and when he married Sarah McElroy (Sarah Francelia Bell) to Andrew Crawford there that year it was one of the first weddings in which he officiated as a minister.  Mrs. Bell and her second husband John W. Bell, are also mentioned in the history which recounts that "she and her husband are constant attendants at the church service at this time (1909)."  At the time of Mrs. Bell's death, Shearn was known as First Methodist Church , at Main and Clay.  Dr. C. S. Wright, pastor officiated at her funeral as did Rev. J. W. Moore of Chattanooga, Tennessee, one time pastor of Shearn.  Sarah's obituary also referred to her as any early pioneer of Houston.  It  also mentions that when Mrs. Bell and her family fled San Felipe, they had to abandon all their worldly possessions except for a large family bible, which Mrs.. Bell and her mother carried on Horseback, now in Mrs. Bell's possession.  The funeral was held at First Methodist church, and the bible used during the service was the very bible saved by Mrs. Bell and her mother.

Sarah Francelia Bell had been very generous in her bequests to her daughter and other relatives in her will, while leaving the bulk of her estate for the purpose of assisting indigent Methodist women of Houston.  Her daughter Savannah Georgia Crawford Cohen, died on January 28, 1945 in Houston at her home at 2702 Hamilton Street, which she had inherited from her mother as provided for in her 1911 will.  Savannah, according to her obituary in the Houston Post, had lived most of her life in Houston and had been an active member and worker at St. Paul's Methodist Church and in her bible class.  Her husband, Laurence Ludlow Cohen, had preceded her in death on August 20, 1918 at their summer home in Kemah, Galveston County, Texas.  Both are buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Houston.  The Cross of Honor has also been bestowed on Cohen's grave by Robert E. Lee Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Found among the burial records at Glenwood Cemetery was a letter and brochure dated 1991 written by Rev. Dr. Guston H. Browning, United Methodist Foundation, Texas Annual Conference, Houston, Texas.  The information included about Mrs. Sarah Francelia Bell was placed there in the hopes that someone would visit the cemetery one day and discover information about "An Untold Story" about service to elderly women.  The brochure begins: "An Untold Story - Unknown to most people in the Texas Annual Conference, a small group of seven trustees elected by the Conferences seek faithfully to assist in caring for needy elderly women according to the wishes of Mrs. Sarah Francelia Bell, a Christian woman who died August 12, 1914.  Hers and theirs is a story which needs to be expanded in order to fulfill more completely the vision Mrs. Bell expressed in her Will."  It goes on further to state: "After certain specific bequests, Mrs. Bell in her will left the remainder of her property for 'the establishment and maintenance of an old ladies home, to be built of brick  in the city of Houston.  It was to be operated under control and supervision of the Texas Conference 'to shelter, support, and accommodate, first, indigent widows of ministers of said church...and then, if more can be accommodated, aged, indigent lady members of said church in the State of Texas, and such others, especially the sick, infirmed or helpless, as the Trustees of said Home, in the spirit of Christianity, may see proper to admit."  Furthermore, it states according to "The Methodist Hospital of Houston" by Sibley "when construction costs exceeded original estimates and funds on hand (for the building of the Methodist Hospital), the Sarah Francelia Bell Trust loaned the Methodist Hospital $60,000 at 7 percent interest and took a mortgage on the assets of the hospital.   With the Bell loan, the construction continued, and during the  Great Depression, "the interest rate on the Hospital's load was reduced by the Bell Trustees to 6 percent.  Final payment on the loan was not made until late 1944 when 'for the first time in its existence (the hospital) was out of debt.  The payment cleared the way for a new building program.'"  And then the brochure states: "It is interesting to speculate if the great Methodist Hospital of today would even be here now if the Sarah Francelia Bell Trust had not come to its aid in 1922."

In her will, Mrs. Bell said "I pray God's richest blessings upon said Home and trust that it shall be and remain a Christian shelter, refuge and home for those in need of its accommodation."

BACK