Washington Iron Works Inc.

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Washington Iron Works Inc. in Grayson County. Now settle in, because this one starts with a man on horseback and ends up going worldwide. In 1875, a young man named Solon Totten made not one but two horseback trips from Quincy, Illinois, all the way down to Texas.

He was searching, the marker says, for better conditions for the family blacksmith business. Two trips. On horseback.

You don't do that unless you find something worth going back for. And Solon did. He found stage companies operating out of Sherman that needed blacksmith services, and he rode home convinced.

He persuaded his father and the whole family to pull up stakes and make the move. One year later, in 1876, Solon and his brother Levi Totten opened Totten Bros. Blacksmith on Cherry Street.

They made wheels for freight wagons and stagecoaches and repaired the vehicles. Honest, heavy work. The original stockholders were L.

L. Roussel, Adolph and Max Seisfeld, Noah Swain, and Levi and Solon Totten themselves. Then came 1881, and the name changed.

Totten Bros. Blacksmith became Washington Iron Works. Something about that name has weight to it, doesn't it.

By 1890 the firm moved to East Lamar Street, and that's where it settled. By 1893, the Totten brothers and their father Joseph had gained full ownership of the operation. The family had bet on Sherman, and Sherman had paid out.

After 1904, Solon ran the company alongside his sons Harry and Jesse, right up until Solon retired in 1922. Then Harry kept going, and eventually Harold Totten stepped in to run the company alongside his father Harry, after Jesse's death. The foundry section closed in 1938, but the shop was not done.

During World War II, Washington Iron Works made gun barrel molds. Let that land for a moment. A business that started shoeing horses and fixing stagecoach wheels was now contributing to the war effort.

After the war, the company kept expanding, reaching into worldwide service for oil and gas processing, petrochemical plants, power generation, and marine interests. The marker calls it the oldest industry in Sherman. It remains in the Totten family.

Two horseback trips in 1875, and something lasting was set in motion.

What the marker says

In 1875 Solon Totten (1847-1932) made two horseback trips to Texas from Quincy, Ilinois, searching for better conditions for the family blacksmith business. Finding stage companies operating out of Sherman which required blacksmith services, he persuaded his father and family to move here. In 1876 Solon and his brother Levi Totten (1844-1915) opened "Totten Bros. Blacksmith" on Cherry Street. The business made wheels for freight wagons and stagecoaches and repaired the vehicles. L. L. Roussel, Adolph and Max Seisfeld, Noah Swain and Levi and Solon Totten were the original stockholders. The name changed in 1881 to "Washington Iron Works". In 1890 the firm moved to East Lamar Street and settled here. By 1893 the Totten brothers and their father Joseph (1821-1906) gained full ownership. It remains in the Totten family. After 1904 Solon operated the company with his sons Harry (1877-1964) and Jesse (1880-1946) until he retired in 1922. Harold Totten (1900-1969) ran the company with his father Harry after Jesse's death. The foundry section closed in 1938. During World War II, the shop made gun barrel molds. This industry, the oldest in Sherman, has expanded to a worldwide service for oil and gas processing, petrochemical plants, power generation and marine interests.