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York County

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Ad displayed in the Yorkville Enquirer Newspaper, ca. 1900s.
    AERIAL VIEW OF THE EQUITABLE BUILDING
  • AERIAL VIEW OF THE EQUITABLE BUILDING
    • Click on image to pan and zoom. AERIAL VIEW OF THE EQUITABLE BUILDING - TOO
  • AERIAL VIEW OF THE EQUITABLE BUILDING - TOO
    • Click on image to pan and zoom. IMAGE OF DEMOLISHION WEST OF FRIEDHEIM'S STORE - RHED CORP. 2011
  • IMAGE OF DEMOLISHION WEST OF FRIEDHEIM'S STORE - RHED CORP. 2011
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Note the original Equitable Building to the far right of this early Rock Hill image. It was this building which burned prior to the more modern one being constructed (pictured). Courtesy of the White Family Collection - Pettus Archives WU.

Note the original Equitable Building to the far right of this early Rock Hill image. It was this building which burned prior to the more modern one being constructed (pictured). Courtesy of the White Family Collection - Pettus Archives WU.

 Mr. C.O. Patton was the long-term cashier of the Equitable Company. Courtesy of the Fennell Collection - 2012

Mr. C.O. Patton was the long-term cashier of the Equitable Company. Courtesy of the Fennell Collection - 2012

Equitable Assurance Offices – Roddey Company

Get Directions Latitude: 34.9264906     Longitude: -81.0279714

101 East Main St.

The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Jan. 2, 1879 – “The three new store rooms in the Roddey brick building on the corner of Main and Depot Streets are occupied by: Capt. L.M. Davis, B.N. Craig and the Frew Brothers.  W.G. Reid, the furniture dealer and cabinet workman will occupy the building lately occupied by Capt. Davis.”

The Herald reported on March 21, 1932 – “W.J. Roddey, who has been manager of the Equitable Life Assurance Society for S.C. and western N.C. since 1888, announced the Edwin R. Jeter and John Roddey are now associated with him in the management of the agency.”

City Directories and History: The Herald reported on Jan. 17, 1889 – “Mr. A. J. Clark of Lancaster and Mr. W. J. Roddey of Rock Hill have been appointed general agents for the Equitable Life Assurance Society for a S.C. office to be located in Rock Hill.  The name of the firm is Clark and Roddey.”

R&R HISTORY LINK:  Home of Edwin R. Jeter

The Charleston News and Courier reported on June 7, 1890 – “The general agency for the Equitable company is located in Rock Hill for both NC and SC.  It’s agent is Mr. W.J. Roddey, who employees a large number of agents for both states. The office has been nicely fitted up in the Roddey Building adjoining the bank (First National), and is one of the nicest and best appointed offices that can be found outside of New York City.  Besides representing Equitable, Mr. Roddey is also the agent for about forty other insurance companies. The other insurance agents in the city are: J.M. Cherry, David Hutchison and M.P. Alexander.”

The Herald on Dec. 2, 1896 – “W.J. Roddey’s Insurance Office, the First National Bank, and the Savings Bank are all heated by steam from the Rock Hill Machine Works Plant.”

The Herald reported on Jan. 21, 1899 – “Captain W.L. Roddey’s new building at the corner of Main and Depot Streets is under construction.  He contemplated an addition of a fourth story which would be used by the Masons. Several masons objected to the number of flights of stairs needed to reach the hall and so the building will be completed without the fourth floor.”

The Herald reported on Jan, 25, 1899 – “The Board of the National Union Bank meet on Jan. 10th.  Capt. W.L. Roddey, who has been the Pres of the bank and it’s predecessor the First National Bank, since its organization, declined re-election to the office.  His son, W.J. Roddey was elected President, J.M. Cherry elected V.P., replacing D. Hutchison who has resigned.”

The Associate Reformed Presbyterian magazine for October 19, 1898: “We learn that Capt. Roddey is putting up a handsome three-story brick building for the home of the new bank at Rock Hill.  There is to be a combination of two banks and their quarters is to be in the new building.”  R&R Note: A fire on April 3, 1898 destroyed the original Roddey Building at this site and the building shown here is a replacement.
The Record reported Jan., 7, 1907 – “Mr. W.J. Roddey’s force of Equitable workers now occupies a suite of five rooms on the second floor of the National Union Bank Building.”
         The Herald reported on Aug. 20, 1940 – “Workman are busy tearing away the spire of the old Central Union Bank Building on the corner of Main and Trade Streets.  This landmark has been here a generation, about forty years.  It was recently purchased by the J.L. Phillips Drug Co., there is a small marker on the Trade St., wall of the building which was placed in 1903 by a government survey and fixes the height above sea level at that point of 667 feet.”
Courtesy of the Dantzler Family Collection - 2016 (L. P. Keitt Policy)

Courtesy of the Dantzler Family Collection – 2016 (L. P. Keitt Policy)

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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.

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