JOHN J. MUNDY, a capitalist, engaged in the real estate business in El Paso, was born in Allegany county, New York, and is a brother of H. M. Mundy, in connection with whose sketch on another page of this volume is given the ancestral history of the family. To-day John J. Mundy is one of the well-known old-time firm of Mundy Brothers, who have for many years been extensively identified with the business life of El Paso and are among its most esteemed pioneer citizens. The firm of Mundy Brothers was never formally organized as a business corporation. They simply grew up together in business life. Entering upon pioneer experiences on leaving their New York home they settled in Montgomery county, Kansas. This was in the latter sixties and they were the first in that part of the state to grow a crop of wheat, purchasing their land from the Osage Indian Reservation and selling their entire crop for seed wheat. At this time the partners in the business interests were H. M., L. L., John J. and George Mundy, who made their way to El Paso and were followed by John J. Mundy early in 1881. For many years they were engaged extensively in the fine stock business, making a specialty of exporting fine breeds of cattle, horses and sheep to Mexico, in which industry they were pioneers and for which they had been semi-officially recognized by the Mexican government as doing a work of beneficence in introducing higher grades of stock in the republic. They also handled live stock and meats for the local trade on an extensive scale, and to accommodate this branch of the business the Mundy Brothers built, in 1883, a three-story brick building on south El Paso street, in the center of the town, the first three-story building in the city, a fifty-foot front and one hundred and thirty-four feet deep. The ground floor is occupied by two stores, the second floor by offices and the third floor is used as a lodge hall. After some years the old firm of Mundy Brothers sold out their meat and live stock interests, since which time John J. and H. M. Mundy have devoted their attention largely as capitalists to local real estate and building enterprises, developing the two finest residential sub-divisions in El Paso, Mundy Heights and Sunset Heights, the former of which is mentioned in connection with the sketch of H. M. Mundy. John J. Mundy’s sub-division known as Sunset Heights, adjoins Mundy Heights, and the improvements have been of the same high character and value as those of Mundy Heights. Seventy-five thousand dollars has already been expended in improving Sunset Heights for grading, paving, curbing, etc., and much more will be expended before the work is completed. It is a re-districted residence portion of the city situated in the most aristocratic neighborhood. It was originally a part of the Satterthwaite addition to El Paso and was purchased by Mr. Mundy in its raw state and by him has been brought to its present high condition of improvement. He also has other valuable realty and building interest in El Paso and is the owner of Concordia Seminary and the president of the El Paso Commercial Company.
Mr. Mundy was married in Elgin, Illinois, to Mrs. H. Dickinson, of that city, and they maintain their residence in El Paso, where they have now resided for a quarter of a century. Mr. Mundy is a man of splendid business discernment and unfaltering enterprise, and in his vocabulary there is so such word as fail. He has made a close study of business conditions and indications, realizes opportunities and possibilities for successful accomplishment and so directs his labors as to produce maximum effect with minimum effort, which is the real secret of success in the business world. Moreover his efforts have been of a character that have proven beneficial to the city and El Paso has profited by his development of its realty interests.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. II, p. 477.