02/11/2026
Celebrating Charles "Broadway" Rouss on his 190th Birthday. Born February 11, 1836.
The short story of a local boy that rose from adversity to greatness, never losing touch with his roots and the community he called home.
The streets were abuzz with activity as the wagon came to a halt following its twelve-mile journey. The young boy hopped barefoot to the earth packed pavement, awaiting instruction from his father he gazed in amazement at the sprawling city. The year was 1843 and Charley had accompanied his father on the trek to bring produce to the town’s market square. It would be his first visit to Wi******er and the beginning of a relationship that throughout life would keep Charley returning to where his heart considered home. Five decades later he would describe his experience. “The market house was filled with wagons from Morgan and Hampshire and Hardy and Page and Warren and Clarke. The steeples seemed to reach up to the very Heavens.”
At the age of ten Charley was sent to board at the Academy in Wi******er. It was not easy for him at first, many of his classmates were from much more affluent families. His attire and lack of polished manners were often ridiculed by his peers. Charley however would eventually earn their resect by his savvy nature in and outside of the institute. By the age of fifteen Charles felt he had more than enough education and left the Academy to venture into the world of business.
Charles would begin his business career in Wi******er by selling and auctioning merchandise. In the early stages of the Civil War and as the Union Army was making its way through the Shenandoah Valley and into Wi******er Rouss would move his wares to Richmond where he ran a store on Main St. Charles eventually felt an obligation to abandon his enterprise and enlist in the Confederate Army as a private serving as a member of Company B, Twelfth Virgina Cavalry. After the Confederate surrender at Appomattox and his fortune lost, he set his sights on New York City where he had first visited and purchased goods in 1857. Reluctantly leaving his wife and son behind he departed for new opportunity with only twenty-eight dollars in his pocket. He arrived in New York City on March 20th, 1866, by now nearly penniless and still wearing his worn and tattered Confederate uniform. At thirty years old, he set his sights for bigger and better things.
The first few months where extremely difficult for Charles. He would often sleep in the park, under wagons, in the police station, where he could snuggle next to the stove amongst the other unfortunates of the time. Nothing came easy as he would wander the streets broke looking for his next meal. Good fortune however was about to find the man who knew no quit. It came in the form of the Wardlaw Brothers, past business associates who had goods they had a difficult time moving. Charles made the offer to sell the stock for a percentage which he managed in short order. With his earnings he was able to purchase additional merchandise and soon he would be back in business. Over the next thirty years Charles would go broke again in 1878, rebuild, and restructure until his name was mentioned in the same sentences as Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Du Pont. From a barefoot kid with big dreams in the dusty streets of Wi******er to one of the wealthiest men in New York City Charley had clawed his way to the top of the heap.
Charles Bradway Rouss world never forget where he came from or the people of Wi******er, he considered friends. The few vacations Rouss was known to take would be a short visit to his hometown bringing with him much fanfare among the residents of the town. He once said, “It was worth more than money, the grand generous welcome of historic old Wi******er to her wayward prodigal.” (Wi******er Times, Oct. 12, 1887) One trip to Wi******er however was not filled with merriment for Mr. Rouss this time it was for a sorrowful purpose. His eldest son Charles H.B. Rouss who Mr. Rouss was said to “have loved more than everything else in the world.” died on April 15, 1891, and was transported to Mount Hebron Cemetery for interment. Having noticed that the old wooden fence was in such a state of disrepair Mr. Rouss made the decision to make a difference. In his first sizable act of philanthropy to the city of Wi******er he sent a $7500 check to pay for a decorative iron gate and fence to enclose and secure the cemetery. Over the next ten years Mr. Rouss would make many other generous donations to the City of Wi******er to include funding to create an additional water source for the city in 1894, $5000 to construct Rouss Fire Company in 1895, In 1899 he donated $30,000 to help the Town construct Rouss City Hall. Two weeks before the dedication of Rouss City Hall Mr. Rouss wrote in his concise and phonetic style detailing his desire to build a mortuary at Mount Hebron Cemetery.
“I will give ten thousand dollars if U give ten thousand, but if U think sumthing less expensive would answer al rite, but I am willing to put $10,000 if U people will put down the other $10,000.” (Evening Star, Mar. 9. 1901). Charles Broadway Rouss would not live to see the completion of the beautiful Gatehouse that he would help fund. He would pass on March 3rd, 1902, and be interred in his magnificently designed mausoleum that had only been completed the previous year.
Charles Broadway Rouss is entombed with his wife, surrounded by generations of family members. Section B Rouss Mausoleum
