The Rock Hill Herald reported on June 18, 1885 – “Work on the splendid residence of the Frews is progressing rapidly.” Later the paper reported on Aug. 20, 1885 – “The Frew residence has been finished and is now one of the most imposing dwellings in this section. The family moved into the house last Monday.”
On April 5, 1888 the Herald reported – “Mr. S.T. Frew has moved his tin shop to the Williford Storehouse on Depot Street. He has good workman and keeps an excellent stock of tinware and stoves.”
On Oct. 24, 1888 the YV Enquirer reported – ” the S.T. Frew and Co., have moved to the new store on Main Street.”
City Directories and History: 1908 – S.T. Frew, (Electrician) (1908 R.W. Cranford, border), 1917 – S.T. Frew, 1922/23 – S.T. Frew, 1936 – Samuel T. Frew, Hilliard Brown, A. Holland Lynch, 1963 – Standard Life Insurance and Casualty Company
The Rock Hill Herald reported on April 21, 1887 – “Frew Brother and Steele Brothers and Co., storehouses stood on ground belonging to Mr. W.M. Russell, from whom it was leased in 1880 for twelve years, with the understanding that at the termination of the lease the building were to become property of the landowner. They have made a settlement with Mrs. Russell. She will re-erect the buildings on that property and will let the contract within a few days for two two story building, each 30-100 feet.” Later in the same issue it stated that Frew Brothers have purchased a lot on East Main Street in the vacant space between the stores of J.R. Allen and Co., and A.E. Smith and Company and will erect a two story building 30-100 feet.
The Charleston News and Courier reported on June 7, 1890 – “S.T. Frew and Co., are dealers in furniture, stoves, tinware and coffins. They occupy three floors in the spacious building near the library. The firm is composed of four men, and their business is not confined to Rock Hill or even York County.”
The YE reported on May 25, 1892 – “Mr. W.J. Caveny and family are now in Fort Mill. Mr. Caveny is in-charge of the business of S.T. Frew in that place.”
The YE reported on July 27, 1892 – “Mr. S.T. Frew has purchased the Cox Cottage on Hampton Street and expects to occupy it soon.”
The Herald reported on March 7, 1896 – “Mr. Louis Blumberg has bought the residence of Mr. S.T. Frew on Hampton Street and expects to occupy it in a few week.” (R&R believes this is Mr. S.T. Frew’s older home, not at this location.)
On May 27, 1896 – “The Spratt Machine Co. of Fort Mill has awarded the contract for the residence of Mr. S.T. Frew on Hampton Street. From the plans it will be one of the handsomest in the city. ” The Herald reported the same day, “Ms. Norma Bonniwell, a skillful architectural designer of Hickory N.C., visited the family of Mr. S.T. Frew last week. She has furnished the designs for Mr. Frew’s new house, and is figuring with J.M. Cherry and W.J. Roddey, who are thinking of building.”
The Herald reported on Aug 26, 1896 – “Mr. S.T. Frew and family will move into their elegant new home on Hampton Street next week.” On Sept.5, 1896, the Herald reported, “W. W. Moore is moving into the F.O. London home on Oakland Ave., J.O. Matison (Madison), and family, the former occupants have taken rooms in the home of S.T. Frew.”
The Herald reported on Dec. 16, 1896 – “That Samuel T. Frew and Charles S. May, under the name, Frew and May, are now representing the Blue Ridge Marble Company.”
The Herald reported on Feb. 24, 1900 contained an ad – “S.T. Frew, undertaker, located one door above the PO. We are supplied with coffins of every kind and burial robes. Our repair shop is in the room at the rear of the coffin shop.”
The Herald on Sept. 12, 1900 reported on a major fire with broke out on Saturday, Sept. 8th. The fire broke out in the Frew Machine Works. It consumed that building and moved southward to the building occupied by Morison’s Laundry, then the wooden buildings of the Rock Hill Wagon Works and the tin shop of J. Westberlund. The fire then moved to the warehouses of the Rock Hill Hardware Co., at that point, the whole of the business section of Main Street was in danger because the warehouse is connected to the Hardware Co., on Main Street. The fire company was able to slow the spread of the fire. The bakery of McElwee and Russell, connected with their store, caught fire. The warehouse of Roddey Mercantile was saved from the sparks however across Black Street, the wagon warehouse of Roddey Mercantile was damaged but not destroyed.”
The Herald on Nov. 21, 1900 reported – “Mr. S.T. Frew is erecting a wooden build of one story on the Green St., behind his home lot in which will be located his foundry and machine shop. It will be 130 – 32 feet.”
The Herald reported on Jan. 25, 1902 – “Mr. I. Blumberg has sold his house and lot on Hampton St., to Mr. G.A. Buchanan, for $1,000. He will buy or build a house in Main Street. Mr. Buchanan has not decided if he will live in the house or rent it out.”
The Herald reported on March 16, 1902 – “Mr. J.F. Bailey, while assisting in removing a partition in the store of S.T. Frew and Co., a few days ago, suffered a very painful bruise on the right foot.”
The Herald reported on Sept. 25, 1907 – “J. M. Deas, a contractor of Charlotte, has located in Rock Hill. He already has four contracts for new houses, two on Hampton Street (correction – Greene St.) for Mr. S.T. Frew, a two story house on East Main for Dr. C.M. Kuykendale, and the residence of R.A. Beall of East Main. Mr. Deas can be found at the home of Capt. A.E. Smith.” The Record reported on Jan. 30, 1908 – “Mr. S.F. Seagle of Newport has moved to the City and will occupy one of the Frew houses on Greene Street.”
The Rock Hill Record reported on Oct. 5, 1908 – “Mr. S.T. Frew is now incharge of the lumber yards of R.T. Fewell and Company.”
Known as the Frew house, this lot was extensive and went all the way through to Green Street. The Samuel T. Frew family owned the property for decades until it too was demolished in the 1960’s.
“Across Hampton Street from the Waters house was the large two-story house of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel T. Frew. Mr. Frew was connected with the City of Rock Hill. Mrs. Frew was a McElwee and had a brother with the surname of Poag. Older residents will remember that the Frews had a pair of stone or cement lions guarding the entrance to their front walkway.” [Robbins – White Tour Booklet]
The Rock Hill Journal reported on Nov. 27, 1901 – “S.T. Frew is Supt. of the RH Waterworks and Chief of the Fire Dept. He also operates and undertaking parlor in the A.H. White building. ”
The Herald reported on June 28, 1902 – “That Mr. R.A. Erwin, who has been employed in the undertaking establishment of S.T. Frew and Co., has left for Wilmington to work with the Bell Telephone Co., which is constructing a line between Wilmington and Raleigh.”
The Herald reported on July 12, 1902 – That Frew’s Machine Shop and Foundry has been leased and will be reopened. Mr. Edward R. River’s of Beaufort, S.C., has leased the plant of Mr. S.T. Frew. It is well located and it is Mr. River’s intention, to use the machines now in place and install new ones as soon as possible. Mr. Rivers was a machinist for the Coosaw Manufacturing Company for a number of years. He will bring with him two machinist and and foundryman. Mr. Rivers, his wife and three daughters have rented the Russell house on Main Street.” (The 1908 RH City Directory list Edward R. Rivers, wife Eva, electrician at Winthrop College. They live at 632 College Ave.,) (The Herald ran an ad in Sept. 1902 for the Rivers Machine Shop, E.R. Rivers prop., having leased the Frew Machine Co., Shop – “Best Blacksmith in the State.“)
Samuel T. Frew and Mattie, working with the City Pressing Club, held an account at the McElwee Store in 1915-16 and lived at this address.
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