The Denison public library lists the first Chinese laundryman in the earliest city directory 1876-1877.  The laundryman was John Wah Chung.  He worked for Alonzo Hunt at the City Laundry located at 106 South Main Street.

It appears that most of the Chinese came to Denison to work on the Katy Railroad laying railroad tracks.  Some may have come to work in early day eating establishments.

Dick Lee operated a Chinese laundry in 1888, located at 111 North Rusk which also served as his residence.  Another laundry was run by John Hing at 114 South Austin.

In 1890, Woo Sing had a laundry at 425 West Main. Wing Sing operated a laundry at 112 North Austin.  He employed Lee Hop and John Hing. Both lived on the premises.

Between 1891 and 1892 five of seven laundries listed in the Denison City Directory were owned and operated by Chinese.


The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, June 2, 1895

DENISON REMINISCENCES
A Weekly Summary of What Transpired in the Gate City 20 Years Ago
Tuesday, May 15, 1875   ~ Fire broke out in the Chinese laundry of Hop Sing on Main street, but it was put out before serious damage resulted.


In 1901-1902, Hong Yuen operated a laundry at 113 North Rusk.  Lee Hung was another Chinese laundryman whose employment was on West Main.

Chinese Laundries in Denison were:

DATE	PROPRIETOR	LOCATION
1890-1892	Hong Sing	118 West Woodard
1890-1892	John Hing	112 South Austin
1890-1892	Law Hop	Alley near Gandy
1890-1892	Wing Sing	112 North Austin
1890-1892	Woo Sing	424 West Main
1893-1894	Quan N. Fun	209 North Travis

Another Chinaman mentioned in the edition of the Frontier Diary, Denison Herald, was Gin Sling (1890). No other information was provided.

There is a tombstone located in the Oakwood Cemetery that is engraved in Chinese characters.  Dr. Lloyd W. C. Tang, a practicing dentist in the 1960s, translated it to read "The Grave of Fore-Father, Ng Seong, Ngah, died during the Royal Ch'ing Dynasty". The Royal Ch'ing Dynasty lasted from 1944 to 1911.