Flower Mound Man Rallying to Buy Family's Historic Property

For the past decade, Ralph Morriss has lived on a property that sits along Morriss Road.  

His great-grandparents first settled on the property in the 1870s, and it has remained with members of his family ever since.

"It's a legacy in my mind, and I, if I may be so verbose as to say so, I think I'm a part of that legacy," Morris said. "After all, I'm a Morriss, full blood."

Morriss Road is even named for his family, according to Morriss.

(Additional history can be found here.)

Morriss says five generations of family have lived in the house that remains on the property. 

"The older brother owns the entire 1.22 acres that's left," Morris said. "That's all that's left out of the 123 of the original acres."

But, Morriss' older brother recently passed away and left the property to his daughters. 

The heirs have offered to sell the property to Morriss and other family members at what they say is six percent below the proposed 2016 tax appraisal value of $205,000. They are asking for $193,000 and add that any family member who wants to make an offer but believes it's too high can make a counter offer.

"There has been no thinking beyond offering the property to Ralph and members of the family," said Joe Watson, husband to one of the heirs. And, he added in an email, "the heirs have made it clear they want to keep the property in the family if at all possible." 

However, Morriss told NBC 5 he believes they will put the home on the market if someone doesn't come forward in time.

"If and when they say 'well we've been patient enough. We're going to put it on the market,' and if it sells and I got to go then. I'll cross that bridge when I have to," Morriss said.

Morriss wants to buy the property, but is on a fixed income and cannot qualify for a loan. 

"Only thing I could think to do was go out to my friends and neighbors and ask for help," Morriss said. 

His granddaughter has created an online fund to raise money, which as been shared on social media including the well-know Facebook page Flower Mound Cares. 

"To me, it's pretty cool to say - 'hey, I'm sitting here today on this property.' It's a legacy with me," Morriss said.

Morriss is also known in Flower Mound and beyond for selling vegetables grown in a large garden he tends alongside the home. 

"I am the most popular guy in Denton County when I have tomatoes for sale," Morriss said. "That's the truth. I mean it."