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Melissa is located seven miles northeast of McKinney on the D.E.W. Babb and the John and William Fitzhugh surveys. From this community came many individuals and families who have been prominent in the business and professional life of Collin County. Some of its first settlers came from the old Highland community, two and a half miles north of present Melissa. It was here that C.H Wysong settled as early as 1846. A postoffice was established and Issac N. Foster became the forst postmaster on September 9, 1853.
In 1872 the Houston and Texas Central Railroad was built through the community and the town of Melissa was laid out. Then many of the residents of Highland, which was not on the railroad, moved to the new location. Among the pioneers who settled near Melissa were the residents Dr. William E. Throckmorton, R.E. Moore, G.W. Taylor, T.M Scott, John and William Fitzhugh, Albert Sherley, Lewis Shirley, James M. Graves, Hogan Witt, John Coffman, Thomas Rattan, Josiah Nichols, Jesse Martin, John M. Nicholson, Lindsey Lewis, J.M. Kincaid, and the Orenduffs.
Sources disagree as to the origin of the name of the town. Some state that Melissa was named for Melissa Quinlan, daughter of George A. Quinlan, an official of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, while others say that it received its name for Melissa Huntington, daughter of C.P. Huntington, a prominent railroad executive. On May 16, 1873, James R. Rogers was appointed its first postmaster.
In 1886 Melissa had a flour mill, a cotton gin, and several business houses. It became a stop on the interurban in 1908.
On April 13, 1921 a tornado struck the town, killing eight persons and injuring fifty-four, five of whom died later. Many homes and business houses were destroyed. On august 8, 1929 a disastrous fire burned a large part of the town.
The population of Melissa was 57 in 1880, 266 in 1900, 375 in 1930 and 285 in 1950.
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