BIO: William Y. GRAY, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  WILLIAM Y. GRAY, of the firm of Gray & Guelich, the well-known 
carriage manufactures of Philipsburg, Centre county, is one of the most 
highly esteemed citizens of the county, being not only an able and 
successful man of business, but an active worker in all the lines of 
effort tending to the welfare of the community. He was born July 30, 
1833, in Northumberland county, Penn., a son of George and Susan 
(Keffer) Gray, and his ancestral history is of especial interest as in 
the maternal line he represents the fifth generation of the famous 
pioneer, Morris Lawrence, who was the first permanent white settler of 
this section of whom we have authentic record. Morris Lawrence was a 
native of Alsace, France (now in Germany), born May 5, 1682, and in 
1710 made his home at the site of the present town of Milton, in 
Northumberland county. At that time there was not a white man within 
ten miles of his primitive abode, and the solitude of the forest 
avenues was broken only by the passing of the Indians, while the 
swiftly gliding canoe darted over the surface of the quiet Susquehanna 
river. There Mr. Lawrence passed a long and peaceful life, passing away 
June 14, 1792, at the advanced age of one hundred and nine years. His 
daughter, Mrs. Marie Eve Keffer, died in 1815, aged ninety-seven years, 
five months and twenty-four days, and her husband Martin Keffer, died 
in 1815, aged ninety-eight years, ten months and twenty-one days. At 
the time of Mrs. Keffer's death her twelve children were all living, 
and she had 138 great-great-grandchildren, and two great-great-great 
grandchildren. Morris Lawrence had a brother, a Catholic priest, who 
remained in France, and left a large estate which the heirs have not 
been able to secure. The Lawrences of Minersville, Penn., among whom 
are Frank and Jacob Lawrence, the operators of the Lawrence colliery at 
Mahanoy Plane, Penn., are of this family.
  On the paternal side Mr. Gray belongs to an old and highly respected 
family of German origin. His father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, 
and a tobacconist by trade, was eighty-three years old at the time of 
his death, which occurred in Pittsburg, Penn. By his marriage with 
Susan Keffer, George Gray had four children: John A., formerly of 
Decatur, Ill., now deceased; James L., and Jane C. (twins), the former 
of Wooster, Ohio, the latter married to a Mr. Buckheister, of 
Philadelphia, Penn., but now deceased; and William Y., the subject of 
this sketch. The mother of these dying, the father married a Miss 
McClure, and by this union there were seven children: George, Mattie, 
Lydia, Emma, Tillie, Hattie and Edith.
  William Y. Gray spent his youth in Milton, Northumberland county, 
attending the district schools and learning the carriage makers' trade. 
After prospecting for a suitable location, he settled at Salona, Penn., 
and worked at his trade for eleven years, and then he went to 
Clearfield for eleven months, finally establishing himself in 
Philipsburg, where in 1880 he opened his present shop. His careful 
workmanship and admirable business methods have given him the leader

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  409

ship in his chosen line of work, his custom being extensive. For about 
eleven years his son-in-law, C. H. Guelich, has been a partner in the 
business.
  In 1853 Mr. Gray was married to Miss Mary J. Lunger, a native of New 
Jersey, born in 1834. They have four children living: (1) Anna (Mrs. C. 
H. Guelich) has one son - Paul L.; (2) Josephine (wife of W. S. Jones, 
of New Castle) has one child - Ruth G.; (3) Sarah (wife of E. F. 
Townsend, of Philipsburg) has four children - Helen M., Warren G., 
Harry A. and William McKinley; (4) Cora married John A. Apgar, of 
Clearfield, Penn., and has one son - William A. Mr. and Mrs. Gray have 
had four children who did not long bless their home with their 
presence: Lucy died at the age of three years; Amelia also passed away, 
at the age of twelve; James lived to the age of eighteen; and Harry M. 
was taken from his bereaved parents February 9, 1885, under peculiarly 
painful circumstances. He was out hunting with some companions, when a 
gun carried by one of the boys was accidentally discharged, and the 
bullet passed through young Gray's body. A neighbor who was passing in 
a vehicle was quickly summoned by the boys, but death had already set 
his seal upon the frame which but a few moments before had been full of 
vigor and energy, and before the sad group could reach the home in 
Philipsburg, life was extinct. The grief of the stricken family touched 
all hearts, and the sympathy of the community has seldom been so deeply 
stirred. Mr. and Mrs. Gray are members of the Baptist Church, he for 
forty-seven years, and he has been a deacon therein for seventeen 
years.
  Mr. Gray is a Republican in politics, and has always shown a genuine 
interest in local progress, and has taken an active part in any 
movements for the public good. Fraternally he is a member of the 
Masonic order, and for years past he has held a high rank, having 
devoted much time to the work which has been to him the pleasantest 
occupation of his life. An interesting and protracted correspondence 
with M. Etienne Stephanos, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of 
Greece, was only interrupted by the latter's death, of which Mr. Gray 
was especially notified by Madam Stephanos, the widow of the deceased. 
The following record will be of interest as showing Mr. Gray's progress 
in the order. He is a member of Milton Lodge No. 256, where he was 
entered April 18, 1864, passed May 16, 1864, raised July 18, 1864, 
installed junior warden, December 26, 1868, senior warden, December 20, 
1869, worshipful master, December 27, 1872. In Clearfield Chapter No. 
228, Clearfield, Penn., he was marked January 17, 1887, received 
February 21, 1887, exalted March 21, 1887. He is a Knight Templar also, 
and was first connected with Mountain Commandery No. 10, Altoona, and 
knighted March 30, 1888, but withdrew to become a charter member of 
Moshannon Commandery, K.T., No. 74, Philipsburg, Penn., of which he has 
been installed as prelate. He has been a welcome visitor of Moshannon 
Lodge No. 391, for twenty years. Besides the correspondence above 
mentioned, he has had extensive intercourse by letters with many other 
leading Freemasons all over the world, and without doubt has the 
largest collection of photographs of prominent and foreign Masons, of 
any one in the State. Mrs. Gray, also, has quite an assortment of 
mementoes and souvenirs sent her by many of her husband's friends in 
various parts of the world. The most valuable are those from the Island 
of Malta; Athens, Greece; Madras, India; BudaPesth, Hungary; Sophia, 
Bulgaria; London, England; Kingston, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; and 
Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands.
  Mr. Gray was a soldier in the Union army, served until the close of 
the war, and was mustered out at Clarksburg, W. Va. He is a member of 
John W. Geary Post No. 90, G.A.R., of Philipsburg, of which he has been 
chaplain since 1891.