City Directories and History: 1914 – RH PO Ledger states: Mrs. Sudie Henkle, Ms. Lola Henkle (Moved to 148 Lacy Street in Chester, S.C.) 1922/23 – Joseph and Elizabeth Bartha, gardener, Wilma (Clerk with the Pryor Co.)
Joseph Bartha worked for Hamilton Carhartt at his Lodge on the Catawba River. See article below for information.
JOSEPH BARTHA, HORTICULTURIST – By Paul Gettys for R&R 8.13.19
Joseph Bartha was a native of Hungary who lived and worked in Rock Hill as a gardener and horticulturist in the early twentieth century. Although we associate the early settlement of York County with Scots-Irish immigration, during the early twentieth century, many new residents arrived from a variety of countries, enriching our society and bringing new talents.
Joseph Arthur Bartha (c.1879-1957) was born in Fornos, Hungary, the son of Andrew and Susan Cuckrie Bartha. We know very little about his early life in Hungary, but he had some college training in landscape architecture and horticulture. As a young man, probably about 1901, he married Elizabeth Fabin, who was born on June 22, 1882 in Salank, Hungary, and whose parents were Andrew and Patake Fabin. The couple had two children while still in Europe. The first was Wilma, who was born about 1903 in Hungary. A son, Joseph, Jr., was born on December 13, 1906 in Bremen, Germany, where the family had moved while Joseph was working as a gardener in the municipal parks in Bremen, Germany.
Joseph had an older brother named Peter Bartha, who was also a gardener. He was born around 1869. Peter came to America, and somehow found his way to York County, where he worked as a gardener for Hamilton Carhartt. Mr. Carhartt, from Detroit, purchased the downtown cotton mill in Rock Hill around 1906 known originally as the Rock Hill Cotton Factory. He revitalized the mill and made it part of his denim empire, feeding cloth to other mills which made overalls. While Mr. Carhartt never moved to Rock Hill permanently, he amassed a large property on the Catawba River near Nation Ford in the area now known as Red River. Here he built a large house overlooking the river, and used it as his base when visiting his local mills. Peter Bartha began working on the estate and beautifying the property. According to family lore, Peter never learned to speak English well, and while he could speak German with Mr. Carhartt, he longed for family. He asked Mr. Carhartt if his brother Joseph could have a job as well.
Peter Bartha can be found in the 1910 Census living in the Carhartt Mill Village. This was the mill village in downtown Rock Hill surrounding the Carhartt Mill #1. His age is listed as 41 and his wife Lizzie was 38. They were both born in Hungary and both are listed as gardeners. There are no children listed in the household. In the 1913 Rock Hill City Directory, Peter and Elizabeth Bartha are shown living at 38 Welfare Street and he is still listed as a gardener. It is not clear if he is still working for Mr. Carhartt, but this is likely since they were still living in the mill village. This is the last evidence I have found for Peter and Elizabeth Bartha in Rock Hill.
Joseph Bartha, his wife Elizabeth, and their two children came to America on the SS “Brandenburg,” leaving Bremen, Germany and arriving in Baltimore on November 14, 1907. Their son Joseph would have been an infant when this trip was undertaken. The family evidently came directly to South Carolina, but they lived for two years in Walterboro. About 1909, they came to Rock Hill, where Joseph began working for Mr. Carhartt. He worked on the estate for 17 years. His work included laying out walks at the mansion, using river stones for the borders. He planted a number of varieties of trees and shrubs. When Mr. Carhartt built part of the house, Joseph arranged for the porch to be built around trees. There was a nursery on site, where Bartha propagated plants, trees, and shrubs, when possible using native species. It is not clear if the family lived at the Carhartt mill village as Joseph’s brother Peter did. During this period, the Barthas had a third child, Violet, born about 1916. I have been unable to find the family in Census records from 1910 or 1920. In the 1920 Rock Hill City Directory, Wilma Bartha is shown as living at 148 Ebenezer Avenue and working as a clerk at the McCrory Five and Dime Store. In 1922, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Wilma are listed at the same address. Joseph is listed as a gardener and Wilma is a clerk for S. W. Plyler.
The Carhartt family lost its investments in cotton mills in 1925 and in 1937 Mr. and Mrs. Carhartt were killed in a traffic accident in Detroit. Records indicate that Joseph Bartha worked for Mr. Carhartt about 17 years, so he probably ended the employment about the time that Mill#2 was sold. At some point, Joseph Bartha worked as a horticulturist for Winthrop College, but the dates are not known at this time.
In 1921, Joseph joined First Associate Reformed Presbyterian (ARP) Church of Rock Hill by profession of faith. Elizabeth joined the church in 1923 with the following note “Mrs. Joseph Bartha appeared before the Session and stated that she was a member of the Reformed Church in Hungari (sic) and was received into the full membership of the church.” In 1926, Viola [Violet] was received by profession. The Reformed Church of Hungary shared a similar Calvinist theology and church government with the Presbyterians from Scotland, so it was a natural fit for the Barthas to join another Reformed church.
The family is shown in the 1930 Census living at 1016 India Hook Road. Joseph is shown as a gardener by profession. Wilma is married and she and her husband, Merlin W. Talbert, are living with the family. Mr. Talbert is listed as a farmer. Son Joseph, then aged 23, is listed as a farm laborer. Violet is age 14 at this time. Also in the household is Lizzie Mahoney, a boarder.
On November 27, 1937, Elizabeth Bartha died from pulmonary edema at St. Philips Hospital in Rock Hill. At the time, the family was living at 562 Walnut Street. The funeral was at First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church with Dr. A. S. Rogers officiating, assisted by Rev. O. W. Carmichael, pastor at Neely’s Creek A. R. P. Church. Mrs. Bartha was buried in Laurelwood Cemetery.
The family is shown in the 1938 City Directory living at 562 Walnut Street, with Violet and Joseph, Jr. still living at home. Joseph, Sr. is described as a “landscape gardener.” The 1940 Census shows the now-widowed Joseph Bartha still living at 562 Walnut Street. In this report, Joseph, Jr., then aged 33, is listed as the head of household. Daughter Wilma Talbert and her husband Merlin are also living in the home. Interestingly, all three of the Barthas are shown employed by a hospital, most probably St. Philips Hospital on North Confederate Avenue. Joseph is described as a “landscaper – hospital,” Joseph, Jr. is described as “maintenance- hospital,” and Wilma Talbert is described as “nurse – hospital.” At some point, Wilma had become trained as a registered nurse.
During World War II, there was considerable suspicion among some of anyone with a German background. Although Joseph, Jr. was of Hungarian nationality, he was born in Bremen, Germany while his father was working there. On March 25, 1943, Joseph, Jr. applied to be naturalized as an American citizen. He was not married at the time. He was aged 36 and described as six feet 1 1/2 inches tall and weighing 158 pounds. He described himself as Hungarian, but of German nationality. He lived at 562 Walnut Street.
Joseph, Sr. continued to work as a landscape architect and horticulturist. Son Joseph later described his childhood as including jaunts to estates of wealthy landowners to help his father in landscaping jobs. An article in the Rock Hill Herald from 1948 covered an old family home in the Neely’s Creek area of York County and described large trees, including a holly. “Joseph Bartha, Rock Hill’s horticultural authority, says that the lovely old holly must be at least 125 years old.”
Joseph Bartha died on June 15, 1957 at the age of 76. His home address was given as 346 State Street. His occupation at death was described as horticulturist for St. Philips Hospital in Rock Hill. He died in the State Hospital in Columbia after an illness of several years. The funeral was held at First ARP Church, officiated by Rev. W. P. Grier and Dr. A. S. Rogers.
Joseph, Junior continued to live in Rock Hill for the remainder of his life. He married Sudie Gardner, and they had a daughter, Patricia. Joseph worked in maintenance for various organizations in his earlier years, but for 41 years he worked in maintenance for the Rock Hill School District. The family lived at 1203 Deas Street. They belonged to Adnah Methodist Church, where Sudie was active in the Cemetery Association. Joseph was a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Rock Hill Moose Lodge. Joseph died on February 27, 1992 at the age of 85 and is buried at Adnah Methodist Church.
Wilma Bartha Talbot worked as a registered nurse. At some point, she retired to Merritt Island, Florida, where she died in 1989 at age 87. She had one son, Merlin Talbert, Jr., two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Violet Bartha Clyburn also retired to Florida.
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