City Directories and History: 1908 – Chester Drug Company, W. H. Hardin, E. H. Hardin, George D. Heath, Paul Hemphill (Attorney), 1940 – Hardin and Stone Insurance,
Hemphill and Hemphill, John M. Hemphill, Paul Hemphill, Robert W. Hemphill, 1958 – Brice Insurance Company, Hemphill and Hemphill, 1978 – Tyre D. Lee Jr., – Richard Hall Realty
In the early 1850’s one of Chester’s important general stores opened at this location. James Graham operated his establishment “meat market” here after acquiring the property from the Roseborough family. For many years his family also lived here, where he prospered. Following the Civil War, he sold the property to W.H. Hardin in circa 1872 and the location was used by the Hemphill Law Firm, the Chester Reporter, operated by Perkins and Irwin, and those listed in the City Directories. [Other persons in this general area included; John Combest, a blacksmith, and Jimmy Adair, the brick maker both worked near the Court House. James Adair sold his property in 1805 to William Curry and part of the description was as follows, “Lot contains house and mill and cotton machine.” [Recollections of Chester – D.S. Mayes]
It has been suggested this was the first two story building in Chester’s downtown.
Yorkville Enquirer, Wed Eve June 8, 1864: Chester Relief Association
Relief for the soldiers. The editor noted that the ladies of Chester were feeding and caring for wounded and sick Confederate soldiers at their train station and called on the neighborhood for assistance. York “should certainly lend a helping hand” to the ladies of Chester because of their good work and because so many York District soldiers were stuck at the Chester depot of hours and received such good succor there. Any assistance from York citizens should be sent to Mr. James Graham in Chester. “We hope our people, especially the ladies, will set on this suggestion with their usual spirit and promptness.”
Yorkville Enquirer, Wed Eve June 15, 1864: Yorkville ladies to Chester: high morale
Ladies from Yorkville rode down to Chester daily to assist the ladies there in caring for soldiers as they pass though the railroad station. There were large numbers of Union POWs passing through Chester on the way to Georgia and they will see how Southern women support the war. This will strengthen morale among southerners and teach those in the North who hear of it that the South will not be subjugated. Help was needed from the country. In Chester foodstuff was given the ladies from the supplies at the depot and they prepared it. Could this not be done in Yorkville?
Informative link: National Register
“John Edward (Blue) Brice was born on West End, Chester, South Carolina, in the house known as the “Carson House” in 1901. He was a son of Margaret Clowney and William White Brice.
He was educated in the Chester Public Schools and was graduated from the Medical College of South Carolina at Charleston. For a number of years he was associated in business with F.L. Harden in the ownership and management of Harden-Brice Drug Store which was located on Gadsden Street in the building now occupied by Black’s Drug Store.
In February of 1936, Dr. Brice accepted a position with the Chester Drug Company and held that position until his death. Dr. Brice was married to Marguerite Brannon and they had one child, Peggy Brice. Mrs. Brice was a piano teacher for many years in Chester. She was organist at Purity Presbyterian Church for a number of years. Peggy Brice married Charles Curtis Cates on January 29, 1956, at Purity Presbyterian Church in Chester.”
(Information in part from: Chester County Heritage Book, Vol. I, Edt. by Collins – Knox, Published by the Chester Co Hist. Society – Jostens Printing, 1982)
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