Entrepreneurship goes back 5 generations for the Munce brothers and the Munce family has a long history with our city.
Trevor and Walker’s great, great grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Munce, moved to Sioux Falls in 1885 and produced 3 sons (William, Charles & Fred) that grew up with the city.
In 1911, William, at the age of 27, bought his neighbor’s small drayman business for $100. A ”drayman” was historically the driver of a dray, a low, flat-bed wagon without sides, pulled generally by horses or mules that were used for transport of all kinds of goods. Williams’ brothers, Charles & Fred, soon joined the operation and together, they developed the Munce Bros. Transfer & Storage Co. which they operated for many years.
They hauled anything they could, including household goods, heavy machinery, merchandise, coal, and livestock. In 1911, they began with six horses and three wagons. By 1914 they had 22 horses and six wagons. They sold off the last of their horses in 1930 and were pioneers in bringing trucks to the state of South Dakota, including the first closed van for household goods.
The early truck bodies had to be specially built in local blacksmith shops. The manufacturer only provided the truck bare chassis. William purchased all interest in the company in 1956 and turned it over to his sons Howard and Kenneth who were still in business April 1987.
Howard is Walker’s and Trevor’s grandfather and would be proud to know his legacy has been carried on to future generations.