FAMILY LEGACY

The three Munson Brothers

The three Munson brothers, pictured here in 1895, had a major impact on Denison and Texas. From left: Volney, Theo, and Ben. (T.V. Munson viticulture and Enology Center)

Munson family photograph

Daniel Munson, Eliphalet Munson, William Munson II.

The three Munson Brothers

The three Munson brothers, pictured here in 1895, had a major impact on Denison and Texas. From left: Volney, Theo, and Ben. (T.V. Munson viticulture and Enology Center)

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W. B. Munson Sr., born and reared in Illinois, had come to Sherman, Texas at the age of 21 in search of opportunities.

In the fall of 1871, Mr. Munson had begun to read law with Jot Gunter, a prominent Sherman attorney, with whom he was to later form several partnerships for various business ventures. In that year Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad was building south through Oklahoma with entry into Texas across the Red River into Sherman. The Railroad requested from the people of Grayson County a subsidy of $150,000.00 to build the road into Sherman. Leaders in Grayson County thought the $150,000.00 was too high, refusing any subsidy, feeling that MK&T would have to build into Sherman anyway, for they had later subscribed a subsidy of $100,000.00 for the Houston and Texas Central railroad to build to Sherman form the south.

Family-Owned & Operated
Established In 1915

The history of the Munson Realty company parallels the history of the City of Denison in Grayson County, Texas.

W. B. Munson and a few others in Sherman then attempted to interest Sherman in offering $50,000.00 to the MK&T to build into Sherman and join the H&TC. That effort failed but W. B. Munson learned that R. S. Stevens, principal promoter of the MK&T, was determined to run his road into a new town just to the south of Red River and north of Sherman. Immediately Mr. Munson began to lay plans with Mr. Stevens to secure land needed for the new townsite. All of this land was secured without revealing the identity of the purchasers and the name of Denison was chosen to honor George Denison, a Vice President of the Katy (the short name for MK&T Railroad)..

Immediately Mr. Munson began to lay plans with Mr. Stevens to secure land needed for the new townsite. All of this land was secured without revealing the identity of the purchasers and the name of Denison was chosen to honor George Denison, a Vice President of the Katy (the short name for MK&T Railroad).

A City was laid out in 1872 on the land acquired by Munson and Stevens, and on September 23, 1872, the first lots in the new town were sold at auction with 31 lots sold the first day. Immediately business got underway with new enterprises and construction of houses. By September 25, 1873, the population had reached more than 3,900.00.

Meanwhile, the Houston and Texas Central had secured an injunction to prevent the Katy from completing its line across Red River. The H&TC was planning to build on from Sherman to “Red River City” and hoped to induce the Katy to join them there in a common terminal.

Ready for all eventualities, Mr. Munson had in the meantime secured over 2,000 acres in the neighborhood of the site H&TC had selected for “Red River City”. An agreement was finally worked out between the Katy and K&TC for the Katy to build into Denison while H&TC went into the “Red River City” with a common interchange between the two cities. H&TC abandoned “Red River City” a few years later and terminated their road at Denison.

With the land acquired by Mr. Munson in Denison and near “Red River City”, the foundation for the Munson Realty Company was laid. W. B. Munson was joined by his brother J. T. soon after W. B. moved to Denison. Through the years they dealt in real estate. Some property was acquired jointly and at other times individually.

W. B. bought property in all directions from Denison. For many years they operated under the name of Munson & Bros., but it was not until 1915 that they incorporated under the name of The Munson Realty Company.

Much of the property held by The Munson Realty Company today was acquired before the turn of the century and is located in Grayson County. The holdings are varied, ranging from large to small tracts of farm land, commercial buildings and development sites.

Cotton Mill

The Denison Cotton Mill was incorporated Aug. 5, 1905, with W.B. Munson as president.

T.V. Munson

The "Grape Man" of Texas whose studies were instrumental in saving the wine industry in France.

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MEET THE MUNSON REALTY COMPANY

Executive Board Presidents

Meet the current and past Munson Realty Board Presidents. Through their leadership and vision, these realty professionals successfully continue the legacy built by WB Munson in 1915.