William Gregg Reid (1842 – 1908) When the Civil War began, W.G. Reid enlisted at Rock Hill in Co. H, 12th South Carolina Volunteers, McGowan‘s Brigade of Infantry. He served throughout the War and was twice wounded. One anecdote of his military service has survived. One of his good friends was John F. Wherry, from the Neely‘s Creek section of York District. They had marched off together to the War. On July 3, 1862, following a hard-fought struggle, Wherry looked at the Carnage and threw down his gun in disgust. The weapon discharged, killing Wherry. W.G. Reid gathered his friend‘s belongings and carried them with him for the rest of the War. Upon returning home in 1865 he returned Wherry‘s effects to his widowed mother (Margaret D. [Workman] Wherry) and thereby gained the everlasting love and respect of the Wherry family.
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Jan. 8, 1880 – “Mr. W.G. Reid has just finished his carriage factory.”
Not long after the War W.G. Reid opened a wagon, carriage, and farm implement repair and sales business at Rock Hill. The enterprise turned successful. He re-organized it and increased its size several times. In 1866 the name was Reid & Gill Company and the location was Main Street. It was not long until he added his brother-in-law John S. Stultz to the firm and created Reid & Stultz Co., a furniture store. When ―Mr. Johnny Stultz moved to Gastonia, the W.G. Reid firm became Reid & Wroton in 1895. (The Herald contained an ad on Feb. 19, 1896 – for Reid and Wroton, describing various lines of furniture, buggies, and harnesses.) The firm dealt in vehicles and furniture. After this, the name was changed to W.G. Reid & Son, dealers in wheeled vehicles and in furniture. He also operated a mortuary and in connection with the furniture department of the business and lasted far beyond the death of W.G. Reid. The funeral department was Rock Hill‘s first full-service mortuary and continued many years following the death of J. Ed Reid. The last of Reid‘s professional embalmers was Toy H. Greene, who organized Greene Funeral Home at Rock Hill, which today (2003) is the city‘s oldest and largest funeral home, being, in a sense, a continuation of W.G. Reid & Son. [Much of this information was taken from Wm. B. White’s – Along the Lands Ford Road, Vol. II]
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Feb. 4, 1886 – “The carriage, buggy, and wagon factory of W.G. Reid and Co., is one of the most important and successful manufacturing establishments in Rock Hill.”
The Herald reported on Oct. 19, 1901 – “Mr. Fred H. Ganung of New York City arrived on Thursday in Rock Hill. He and Mr. Jim Barron will be in charge of the undertaking and embalming department of W.G. Reid and Son. They have purchased a hurst which will arrive soon.”
The Herald reported on Jan. 15, 1902 – “Mr. Fred H. Ganung, funeral director and embalmer for the firm of W.G. and Reid and Son, is to be married in Charleston to Ms. Helen B. Fairchild of New York City. The couple will board with Mrs. Philip Taylor.”
The Herald reported on May 14, 1902 – “That Fred H. Ganong, who has had charge of the undertaking business of W.G. Reid and Sons, leaved today for Detroit, where he will have charge of the Branch of the S.W. Marther Casket Company.”
Click on the following links for added information: Ried Home – Reid’s Store
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