113 Neely Court – The Historic Neely Family Home

The Rock Hill Herald reported on July 26, 1883 – “We are told their is a spring on Mr. T.S. Neely’s place in Ebenezer that affords an excellent flow of sulfur water which is said to be equal to the noted water at Patterson’s Springs.”

The Herald reported on Jan. 26, 1888 – “During the last year 24 new graves were made in a colored grave yard on Mr. T.S. Neely’s plantation in Ebenezer Township.  These people all lived within a radius of three miles.”

City Directories and History: The Hall-Neely house was constructed during the Civil War circa 1863 by Robert F. Hall and his son John R. Hall. The contract for original sale read, “lumber to complete the house and kitchen now in progress of being built.” The house was shortly sold to John R. Hall and subsequently to and by Joseph W. Steele, Cephas J. Kee, and Ida J. McConnell.  John B. Neely acquired the property in 1894 and resided here until 1947. Two of his daughters Misses Aline and Juanita Neely continued calling this their home until it was demolished for a residential development in 1977. [Courtesy of Ebenezer Pres., Church – S.B. Mendehall]

The Neely home shows as a dot on the Walker Postal Map of 1910, between Old Point and Ebenezer Church.

The John Neely family consisted on several children, two of whom moved to Lancaster, SC. Juanita Neely continued living in the house and continued as a home-demonstration agent with the agricultural extension service. Dr. Alton Brown stated, “we called her the chicken doctor.”

Aline Neely was a graduate nurse. She married into the Coffey family of N.C. and often returned home in a chauffeur-driven Cadillac.

Rock Hill historian, Wm. B. White, Jr. wrote in 2008 – One local planter who wanted to relocate his family in 1856 was Cephas J. Kee (or Key), whose wife, Matilda R. S. (Rives) Kee, was related to the family of William P. Broach.  Perhaps he wanted to move West with the Broaches.  His advertisement in the newspaper states that his plantation consisted of 1497 acres, with mills, etc., and that it was located two and one-half miles from the railroad bridge across the Catawba River and seven miles from Rock Hill Depot.  After the Civil War, Kee and his family, moved to Brazil and lived there for a few years, returning to the United States in later years.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Kee died at Rock Hill in the 1890’s.  Along the Land’s Ford Road, Vol. I by Wm. B. White, Jr. – 2008

The Rock Hill Herald reported on Nov. 16, 1882 – “Mr. C.J. Kee will open a full stock of general merchandise at Ebenezer soon.”

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