City Directories and History: 1908 – Allison F. Romedy (Hackman), Cornelius S. Romedy (Wheelwright with J.M. McFadden), 1922/23 – A.F. Romedy,
The Herald reported of Feb. 26, 1896 – “Mr. J. M. McFadden is repairing and overhauling the hurst which belongs to the city.”
The Rock Hill Herald on Dec. 11, 1901 reported, “that Mr. Claude Romedy is now engaged in erecting a telephone line from Lancaster the Kershaw.”
The Herald reported on June 10, 1903 – “Romedy Brothers have embarked in the livery and drayage business. Their stables are on Green Street, where they are always ready and willing to answer calls, day or night.”
The RH Record reported on April 1, 1904 – “That Romedy Brothers (Allison F. Romedy), lost a fine horse last Tuesday. The animal dropped dead almost instantly while harnessed to a wagon at the Highland Park Mill.”
THE ROMEDY FAMILY OF ROCK HILL
During the period following the Civil War, the growing village of Rock Hill attracted new residents from a number of surrounding counties. One family which came to Rock Hill in the late 1870s was the Romedy family. Typical of many families of craftsmen and tradesmen, they supported the growth and development of the city.
Cornelius S. Romedy was born in December 1854 in Winnsboro. His parents were William and Harriet Romedy. William was a carriage maker, an important trade in that period. Cornelius had at least five siblings. In 1878, Cornelius married Martha Cornelia Jones of Lowrys in Chester County, and they moved to Rock Hill shortly thereafter. Cornelius is described as a wheel wright in the 1900 Census. The couple had four children: Allison Fewell Romedy, born in 1880, Claude L. Romedy, born in 1882, William U. Romedy, who died as an infant in 1887, and Mary Lou Romedy, born in 1901. The family lived for many years at 303 Green Street.
In the 1908 City Directory, Cornelius is described as a wheel wright working for J. M. McFadden, who ran a large blacksmith and metal working business near the corner of Main Street and Railroad Avenue (later Trade Street and now Dave Lyle Boulevard). Eldest son Allison (often called Fewell in some records) was living with his parents at 303 Green Street, and worked as a hackman, a delivery driver. Son Claude and his wife Lula were living at 252 Johnston Street, and he was working as a Foreman with the Rock Hill Water Works.
Martha Romedy suffered from a heart condition and passed away in June 1910 at the age of 49 when their daughter Mary Lou was about 10 (Rock Hill Record, June 16, 1910). In the Census of that year, Cornelius was listed as owner of a wood shop, doing repair work. Fewell was still working as a hack and Mary Lou was a student. Son Claude had moved next door on Green Street and was now listed as an electrician. He and wife Lula had three children.
Cornelius, Fewell, and Mary Lou continued to live at 303 Green Street. Cornelius was listed as a cabinet maker in the City Directories in the 1920s. Fewell was listed as a chauffeur or drayman. In 1928, Cornelius died at the home after an illness of only a few hours. The family evidently attended First Presbyterian Church, as the minister of the church performed funeral services for both Martha and Cornelius. The obituary for Cornelius states that he was “resident of Rock Hill for about 50 years and was held in high esteem” (Rock Hill Record, December 27, 1928). It also states that Claude had moved to Waxhaw, N. C.
In 1930, Mary Lou married John Franklin Rhyne from Charlotte. The couple lived for many years at 1827 The Plaza in Charlotte. The 1940 Census does not list any children.
Fewell continued to live at 303 Green Street and is listed in the City Directory an employee of a café and in 1936 he has no employment listed. He died in February 1938. After that year, there were no Romedys listed in the directory. Apparently, Fewell never married. Article researched and written by Paul Gettys, 2016
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