The Rock Hill Herald reported on Oct. 25, 1888 – “Mr. J.A. Giles has rented the Hutchsion home near the Standard Cotton Mill and will move to Rock Hill the first of the year.”
City Directories and History: One of the oldest homes in Rock Hill is the Steele home on Hutchison Street.
“The next place we would mention is nearly opposite the Whyte house, on the north side of White Street, at the corner of Hutchison and Standard streets. This place is called the Neely-Pride-Steele place. It was built about the early 1830’s by William Neely and his wife, Cynthia Sturgis Neely. Mr. Neely died in 1838. Mrs. Neely moved west (to Arkansas) about 1858-59. There are three tall chimneys projecting above the roof line of this lovely old place, with two main entrances — one facing the Land’s-ford Road and the other facing the west. When the Neelys moved, they sold a portion of their large plantation to the Jones family and the other part was sold to the Steele family. Robin C. Jones, who purchased the land, was killed in action during the Civil War. Most of the Jones lands were to the north of the house. The Steele lands were around the house and to the south of the Landsford Road. Eventually the Standard Cotton Mills plant was built on the Steele lands purchased from the Neelys. In the 1860’s Col. Cadwallader Jones Pride and his family leased and occupied the home built by William Neely. The Prides called the place “Asheland.” Colonel Pride’s daughter Anna Ross Pride was born in that house. She later married Dr. William R. Simpson, Rock Hill dentist.
The Rock Hill Herald reported on May 3, 1888 – “The recently erected cottage of Mr. T.P. Roddey in Egypt is ready for occupancy.”
That particular part of Rock Hill was always so dark at night that all the young people who went into that area to visit in the old days talked about “going down to Egypt”. [Robbins – White History Tour]
The Herald reported on May 9, 1889 – “That Dr. R. H. Hope, Wm. Whyte, A. E. Smith, J. T. Roddey and W. B. Wilson, Jr. have donated to the county the right of ways through their lands Southeast of Rock Hill for a road. This will be a continuation of Main Street and will intersect with the Landsford Road near the home of J. G. Steele.”
The Herald reported Sept. 5, 1896 – “Capt. John G. Steele, is making improvements at his famous mineral spring, one mile east of the city. He has had a force of hands at work there all week and the looks are greatly improved. He is now shipping his water as far north as the mountains of Pennsylvania.”
The Rock Hill Record of Aug 8, 1907 reported – “City Council can not accept Hutchison Street in its present condition.”
The Herald reported on May 8, 1909 – That J. Edgar Poag, Broker will have an auction on Saturday May 15th for “the large old mansion known as the Steele or Pride residence, fronting on Hutchison Street, north of the Camden Branch of the Southern Railroad. It is on a nice lot and with a few hundred dollars repairs will rent for $15-20. per month.“
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