208 Hampton Street – Historic J. J. Water’s Home / Staff Colonel in Gen. Wade Hampton’s Confederate Regiment

City Directories and History:  1908 – J. J. Waters (Ethel Biggers is also listed at this address – Bookkeeper for the RH Steam Laundry),  1913 – V.Q. Hambright – Bookkeeper People Nat. Bank, 1915 – Harry E. Ruff and wife Inez (Pres. of Ruff Jewelry Co / 148 E. Main) 1917 – J.E. Sadler, 1922/23 – Mrs. B.C. Barnes (Furnished Rooms), 1936 – James O. Neely, 1936 – R.C. Morton

R&R HISTORY LINK: Later home of Harry E. Ruff

The Water’s home sat next to the First Baptist Church on Hampton Street and stood until urban renewal efforts in the fall of 1960. He was at one time a city magistrate as well as head of the Rock Hill School Board.

Images of the original location of the St. John’s Methodist Church in Rock Hill. These images are courtesy of the Couick Collection – 1961` The Herald reported on Feb. 5, 1942 – “James Healan has assumed charge of the Hampton Street Esso Station after Edgar Healan has volunteered for army service.”

“Next to the Waters house, on the southwest corner of Black and Hampton streets, where the Rock Hill City Hall now stands, once stood the first church building ever built in the original corporate limits of Rock Hill. It was the Methodist Church, organized in 1856 and the building erected in 1857. Eventually the congregation wanted a larger building, so they moved up on Main Street and built a brick house of worship in 1876. The old Methodist parsonage sat where the brick church was built; and when it was decided to use the lot for the brick church, the church officers had the parsonage building moved down to the site of the original frame church building at the corner of Black and Hampton streets. This house stood on that corner until the late 1930’s. This house, dating probably from the 1850’s, had dormer windows.”  [Robbins – White Tour Booklet]

The Waters home was designed by Architect, Hugh Edward White (1869 – 1939), born in Fort Mill, S.C. he attended Fort Mill Academy and started his practice in about 1894. Remained in Rock Hill until about 1903 and later returned to work. In the 1890’s he worked in an architectural firm in Atlanta. Between 1903-1918 he was a field supervisor of the Supt. Architect Dept. of the Treasury. For about three years 1918-21, he was employed with Charles Coker Wilson in Columbia or Gastonia, N.C.

The Herald reported on Jan. 17, 1903 – “Mr. J.J. Waters has removed his office from the National Union Bank Building to one of the rooms over J.N. McElwee Store.”

The Rock Hill Record reported on March 15, 1904 – “J.W. McFadden has moved his office from the room over McElwee’s Store to the front of S.T. Frew’s place. P.D. Barron, Esq., will move into the room vacated by Mr. McFadden.  He will also occupy the adjoining room, formerly used by Col. J.J. Waters as a office.”

The Record contained an ad on March 5, 1908 for J.J. Waters Real Estate, providing rent collection services with an office over the  Bank of Rock Hill.

The Fort Mill Times  reported on Aug. 18, 1910 – “The Ruff Jewelry Store of Rock Hill has been chartered by the state with a capital stock of $10,000. to be a general jewelry business. The officers are; H.E. Ruff – Pres. Treas., (note that Harry Ruff and his wife are long-term boarders at the Waters Home), A. Ruff, WP, and C.E. Tucker, sec.

The McElwee Store journal list Harry E. Ruff and his wife, Inez as account holders at the store on Main Street and living at this address. It also listed the Waters as holding an account, Mrs. Frances L. Waters, the widow of John J. Waters, in 1915.

The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Feb. 9, 1917 – “A small blaze on the roof of the Water’s house on Hampton Street, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Sadler was extinguished with little damage.”

The Herald reported on Nov. 15, 1918 – “A new tea room will open in the residence of Mrs. B.C. Barnes on Caldwell Street near the Post Office.  Mrs. Barnes and Mrs. J.E.W. Haile are proprietors and it will be named the Bonhale.” (Unsure if this venture opened and by 1922 she is living at this address.)

The RH Record reported on Dec. 2, 1918 – “Mr. and Mrs. V.Q. Hambright has bought the old Sloan House on Hampton Street.”

The Herald Reported on Jan. 7, 1925 “That Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Neely and family are moving today to the Waters residence on Hampton Street, recently occupied by Mrs. B.C. Barnes.”

The Herald reported on Aug. 12, 1941 – “Fire has heavily damaged the home at 208 Hampton Street.  The large two story house belongs to the estate of J.J. Waters and has operated as a boarding house by Mrs. M.E. Duncan.”

Click on the More Information / Newspaper Article > link found below the picture column for additional data.  Click on Laurelwood Cemetery Tours for his gravesite.

Stay Connected

Explore history, houses, and stories across S.C. Your membership provides you with updates on regional topics, information on historic research, preservation, and monthly feature articles. But remember R&R wants to hear from you and assist in preserving your own family genealogy and memorabilia.

Visit the Southern Queries – Forum to receive assistance in answering questions, discuss genealogy, and enjoy exploring preservation topics with other members. Also listed are several history and genealogical researchers for hire.

User comments welcome — post at the bottom of this page.

R&R HISTORY LINK: the First Baptist Church on Hampton Street

R&R HISTORY LINK: the Brice Home – Woodard, S.C.

Please enjoy this structure and all those listed in Roots and Recall. But remember each is private property. So view them from a distance or from a public area such as the sidewalk or public road.

Do you have information to share and preserve? Family, school, church, or other older photos and stories are welcome. Send them digitally through the “Share Your Story” link, so they too might be posted on Roots and Recall.