John T. Misskelley aged 66 passed away on June 18, 2025. He was born in Miami, Florida on May the 3rd 1959, moving to Rock Hill, SC in July 1996.
The fourth child of Hugart Moyne Misskelley, Sr., of Rock Hill, SC and Monna Aileen Bacon Misskelley of Miami Florida, siblings Gloria Darleen Misskelley, (passed) Hugart Moyne (Butch) Misskelley, Jr., of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Harry Bryant Misskelley of Jacksonville Florida, and James Arthur Misskelley of Port St. Lucie, Florida, also four nieces and nephews, Heather Lynn Misskelley, Brad Allen Misskelley, Ross Colding Misskelley and Kacey Maree Misskelley.
Mr. Misskelley and family moved from Miami to Plantation Florida when he was three years of age, and this is where he spent his youth and early manhood. Mr. Misskelley attended Plantation Elementary School, Parkway and Seminole Middle Schools, and graduated from South Plantation High School Paladins in 1977.
On graduation from high school, Mr. Misskelley entered the electrical trade in 1977 and this was his early life’s work, and where he remained working in south Florida from Miami to Vero Beach on different construction jobs. In June of 1992 Mr. Misskelley injured his back in a construction accident which caused him to undergo a surgical spinal fusion of the L.-4, L-5 vertebrae in May of 1994. After two years of recovery, Mr. Misskelley ended that phase of his life, and packing up moved to the family homeplace of Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Mr. Misskelley was very civic and historically minded and served on many boards including The Old Town Association, board of directors (2009-2012), the Rock Hill Historical Marker Committee (2010), the city of Rock Hill Board of Historical Review (1999-2002), vice-president of Historic Rock Hill (1999), Saluda Street Redevelopment Committee (1999), the city of Rock Hill Parking Commission(2000-2013), volunteer 18″ century interpreter at Historic Brattonsville (1997-2015), board member of the Friends of Historic Brattonsville (1999-2000), founding member of the New Acquisition Militia re-enactment group, President of the New Acquisition Militia, proud past member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Private Thomas Caldwell Camp #31, The Historic Preservation Committee, CHM (1999-2000), President of the Historic East Town Neighborhood Association (1999-2000, 2009-2010, 2011-2012), and for many years did a historic walking tour of the business section of Rock Hill for Christmas Ville (2007-2015). Mr. Misskelley was also published in several magazines concerning the American Revolution in the south and authored several books including, “Selected Sources From the 18″ Century South, the Carolinas & Georgia” which was a source guide for modern day re-enactors, and A Long and Bloody Year, a historical novel set in the New Acquisition District, South Carolina during 1780.
Mr. Misskelley was predeceased by his father, Hugart M. Misskelley, Sr., of Rock Hill, SC who served our country in WW II, Grandfather James Edward Misskelley, Sr., of Rock Hill, SC who served our country in WW I, Great Grandfather James Thomas Misskelley, of Rock Hill, SC, Great-Great Grandfather John James Misskelley, of York County, SC who served our country in the War Between the States, Great-Great-Great Grandfather Alexander Misskelley, of York County, SC, Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather William Misskelley, of York County, SC who served our country in the American Revolution, and Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather James Misskelley, who traveled from Pennsylvania, and purchased property here in present day York County in 1766, then Tryon County, North Carolina. This was the homing device that brought Mr. Misskelley back to his people. Mr. Misskelley was Associated Reformed Presbyterian by faith and served as a Deacon at Union Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church in Richburg, SC.
First taking work in Rock Hill at a deli/coffee shop, Mr. Misskelley worked at this establishment for one year, when he was offered a position as Asset Manager for Roger’s & Associates in 1998, owned by David L. Rogers who specialized in historic renovations, and who were tasked with removing the roof from the old Town Center Mall and reestablishing the infrastructure of the streets and sidewalks of Old Town Rock Hill, where he then bought and restored five of Old Town’s historic buildings. It was here that Mr. Misskelley realized his dream of working and managing historical buildings that once were graced and looked upon by the descendants of Mr. Misskelley, and here he remained as a loyal employee of Roger’s & Associates for 14 years. Also important was in August 1997 Mr. Misskelley purchased his first home located at 131 N. Confederate Ave, a lovely late Victorian single-story home built circa 1880, and once owned by pillars of the community, Mr. D.D. Moore, the city’s first librarian, and Mr. James Chauncey Poag an early real estate developer. Mr. Misskelley has lovingly restored this home back to its original beauty and was living there at the time of his death. Mr. Misskelley spent the last five years of his working career doing maintenance at the Rock Hill Business & Technology Center in Rock Hill, SC, and was medically retired from the effects of 41 years of labor in 2019.
There will be a celebration of life on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 11 AM at Union ARP, 3594 Lancaster Hwy, Richburg, SC, 29729.
Condolences may be made to the family at greenefuneralhome.net.