
William Joseph Roddey of Rock Hill, S.C.
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Feb. 19, 1916 – “Mr. W.J. Roddey of Rock Hill calls himself A Professional College Trustee, he is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of three colleges, Erskine, Davidson and Winthrop, and is also a member of the board of the Un. of S.C. He was recently instrumental in beginning a campaign to raise $100,000. for the endowment at Erskine. College Pres., J.F. Moffatt will spend a week in Rock Hill to seek funds for the campaign.”
City Directories and History: 1906 – W.J. Roddey, Mrs. Perry Roddey, Catherine Roddey, Joe Roddey, W.L. Roddey Jr, (also listed earlier at 620 Oakland Ave.,) 1913 – James A. (Anderson) Barber, farmer, 1917 – Joseph Roddey, 1922/23 – Same, 1936 – William J. Roddey, 1946 – Mrs. Perry D. Roddey, 1963 – Mrs. Perry D. Roddey
W.J. Roddey constructed his original home here in the late 19th century as he and next door neighbor, J.M. Cherry were pushing the development of Oakland Avenue and the newest and best place to reside for Rock Hill’s business and professional community. His home was a large Queen Anne style house on the corner of Oakland and Wilson streets built by Rock Hill’s premier builder A.D. Holler. The Roddey family lived here for decades and witnessed Oakland become a highly successful

W.J. Roddey home in the early 1950s. Image courtesy of the WU Pettus Archives – Eliz. Reed Collection – 1950s.
venture along with most of Mr. Roddey other undertakings. He determined he wanted a new home and had the original moved to the adjoining lot and it was sold to Dr. Wallace Fennell at #128 Oakland Avenue.
The Herald reported on Oct. 9, 1906 – “That Mr. W.J. Roddey is having his residence in Oakland rolled to an adjoining lot which is the property of Dr. W.W. Fennell, who has bought the Roddey residence. Mr. Roddey will erect a colonial mansion on his lot in the near future. In the meantime, Mr. Roddey and his family are occupying the Brice residence in Oakland.”

1902 print of the Roddey House as shown in the SC Exposition promoting Rock Hill, S.C. It was this house that was moved next door to become the home of the Fennell – Patrick Home.
By 1914 he had constructed a massive new dwelling for his family which was one of Rock Hill’s largest and well built homes. Mr. W.J. Roddey was a prominent banker, textile manufacturer, federal official, and insurance broker. The new Roddey home was built at a cost of about $47,000. It had a spiral staircase, spanning three floors, ending in a rooftop skylight. There was also a billiards room on the third floor and a gym and servants quarters in the basement. The home had one of the first central vacuum cleaning systems and remote control electrical locks for the outer doors. [Louise Pettus, The Roddey Family – 1998] (SC Industrialist – Entrepreneurs History)
The McElwee Store ledger of 1915 states that Wm. Joseph Roddey and Perry D., (W.J. Roddey and Co., Pres. Nation Un. Bank and Pres. of First Trust and Savings Bank), held and account.
The SC Architects: 1885 – 1935, Wells and Dalton, 1992 reported “that a new home for W.J. Roddey was designed by Charles C. Hook and built in 1912 at a cost of $20,000.”
OTHER COTTON MILL OPERATIVES:
- 200 Oakland Avenue (Cherry Home)
- 149 Oakland Avenue (Barron House)
- 639 College Avenue (Long House)
Click on the More Information > link found below the picture column for additional data or pictures. (Large image of the Roddey Home). Or click HOME to be returned to the Oakland Tour.
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