The Yorkville Enquirer contained an ad on Jan. 6, 1876 – “Marks and Reid of Rock Hill, furniture house. S.K. Marks and W.G. Reid – Furniture – Coffins
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Jan. 29, 1880 – “Mr. R. T. May is building a house on Johnston Street. He will take position of it as soon as it is finished. The house he lived in last year has been bought and is now occupied by Mr. W.G. Reid.” On Tuesday May 13th, the family of R.T. May moved into their new house.”
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Oct. 14, 1880 – “The firm of W.G. Reid and Co., has been dissolved by mutual consent. It is succeeded by Reid and Gill who will continue the business at the same location.”
The Herald reported on Oct. 13, 1881 – “Mr. A.D. Holler began work last week on the new buildings being constructed for A.E. Hutchison on Main Street. The building to be occupied by Fewell and Steele as a drugstore will be 60 ft deep by 36 ft wide. The building to be occupied by Reid and Gill as a furniture store will be 100 ft deep by 36 ft wide. The second floor of both these buildings will be 60 ft long. The brickwork on the buildings for Frew Brothers and for B.N. Craig and Co., is finished. He will proceed at once on the woodwork.”
The Herald reported on Nov. 12, 1890 – “W.A. Hayes will erect a four room cottage on Hampton Street adjacent to W.A. Coxe. And W.G. Reid intends to erect a four room cottage on the lot adjoining Mr. Hayes.“
City Directories and History:1908 – W.G. Reid (Mary I.) W.G. Reid and Son Furniture Co., 1917 – Mrs. M.I. Reid, 1922/23 – Mrs. M.I. Reid, 1936 – Edwin H. Stultz, 1963 – Roy B. Hall
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Nov. 22, 1888 – “Mr. W.G. Reid has commenced the erection of a neat cottage on Moore Street to the rear of his own dwelling.”
“Across Hampton Street at this point (northwest corner of Moore and Hampton) stood the large, impressive residence of W. G. Reid and family. He was the owner of W. G. Reid and Son, furniture and buggy dealers and also the local funeral directors. His son J. Ed Reid was associated with his father in the furniture and funeral business. The W. G. Reid house had three entrances. This was unquestionably the most attractive house in that part of town.” [Robbins – White Tour Booklet]
William G. Reid opened a wagon, carriage, and farm repair and sales business. In 1866, Reid and Gill Company conducted their business on Main Street. Later, the W. G. Reid and Company, furniture dealers, became one of the largest in the county. (Information from: The City Without Cobwebs – Douglas S. Brown, 1953)

The early furniture firm of Marks and Reid, soon became that of the W.G. Reid and Son Company on Main Street. Courtesy of the White Family Collection – 2008
William Gregg Reid, son of George and Rachel Amanda Boyd. He was born in 1842 on the “Old Reid Homestead” at Fishing Creek. He was one of nine children and the older brother of Samuel Lafayette Reid, ten years his senior. In the summer of 1861, when not yet 20 years old, he went to Rock Hill to enlist in the Confederate Army and served until Lee’s surrender (Company H, 12th, Regiment of SC Volunteers, McGowan’s Brigade of Infantry). He served under Jackson and Lee and fought most of the major battles in Virginia. He was wounded twice. The second time, he was shot in the arm 12 days before the surrender of General Lee. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
There is a family anecdote about W.G. Reid and a friend (Wherry) together on a Confederate battlefield after a battle near the end of the war. Wherry remarked on the carnage and threw down his rifle in disgust. The rifle discharged, killing Wherry. W. G. Reid gathered his friend’s belongings and returned them to the family at the end of the war. After the war he returned to the Reid Homestead, in Chester County near the York County line. He opened a wagon, carriage, and

Note the location of the Reid properties on the edge of York County at Smith’s Turnout, as shown on Walker’s 1910 Postal Map.
farm implement repair and sales business. This business proved successful and during its growth was reorganized and increased in size several times. In 1866, Reid & Gill Co. conducted the business on Main Street. Later in connection with that business, Reid & Stultz Co. started a furniture store.
In 1869, he married Mary Isabelle Gill (“Belle”) of Chester County and they had ten children, nine of whom survived. Mary Isabelle Gill was the oldest child of Louis Harrison Gill and Elizabeth Jane Drennan. She was a cousin, as her mother was the daughter of James Drennan and his Aunt Mary Ann Boyd.
Mr. Stultz moved to Gastonia, NC and in 1895 W.G. Reid’s firm was known as Reid & Wroton – Vehicles and Furniture. The form then became W.G. Reid & Company and grew to be the leading furniture business in the County which was also one of the largest “business houses” at the time of his death. He lived in Rock Hill on the northeast corner of the intersection of Hampton and East Moore Streets for 35 years.

Sanborn Insurance Map of the subject, 1926 – 1959. The Reid’s Furniture business operated at 146-148 East Main Street. Courtesy of the Galloway Map Collection.
When he died in 1908, after a “long siege of illness”, there were many tributes to his “kind and genial disposition and his open hearted charity”. He was lauded for his honest business dealings and cited as “a faithful husband and a kind and considerate father”. His pallbearers included J.J. Roddey. His death is recorded in The Reid Family Bible, which was in the possession of Mabel Stultz as of the 1930’s.
His children were:
William Harrison Reid: 1870-1872; born in York County,.
George Gill Reid: 1872-1918; born in York County; died in Rock Hill; unmarried.
John Edwin Reid: 1874-1930, born in Rock Hill, SC, married Mary Agnes Campbell in 1900. She was the daughter of Reverend James Boykin Campbell. He succeeded his father in the business. Sons John Edwin Reid Jr. and James Campbell Reid (graduate of Presbyterian College of SC.)
James Lafayette Reid: Born 1876 in Rock Hill, married Addy Carroll in 1900, moved to West Virginia; son Harvey Lafayette Reid (1901-?); daughter Margaret Isabelle Reid (1902-?).
Willie Belle Reid: Born 1878 in Rock Hill, married Walter H. Brice, a veteran of the Spanish American War; remained in Rock Hill and died in 1925. Daughters Margaret Isabel Brice; Virginia Brice. Sons William Reid Brice, Walter Harvey Brice Jr.
Alva Reid (son): born 1880 in Rock Hill; lived in Goldsboro, NC.
Louis Simpson Reid: Born 1883 in Rock Hill, married Susan Mills (1886) in 1908, died in Rock Hill in 1932; daughter Rebecca Reid (1909-?) married Dr. Samuel Brice Fewell in 1934.
Augustin (Gus or Gussie) Eugene Reid: Born 1885 Rock Hill; unmarried.
Jane A. Reid: Born 1887 and lived in Rock Hill; married Jesse Logan McKee (1887-1949). Son Jesse McKee Jr.
Mary Hope Reid: Born 1890 in Rock Hill, married John Knox Neely. One son John Knox Neely, II
Click onLauelwood Cemetery Tours for W.G. Reid’s gravesite.
The Herald reported Nov. 12, 1890 – “W.A. Hayes has let a contract for the erection of a four room cottage on Hampton St., adjoining the home of W.A. Coxe, and W.G. Reid intends to erect a four room cottage on the lot adjacent to Mr. Hayes to the East.”
The YV Enquirer reported on Feb. 24, 1892 – “Mr. W.A. Cox (Coxe), foreman of the Rock Hill Construction Co., has accepted a similar position with B.M. Spratt and Co., of Chester and has moved there…”
The Rock Hill Record reported April 15, 1907 – “The Roddey – Crawford building is nearing completion. The sign says W.G. Reid and Son, leading furniture men will occupy the entire building.”
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