Biography

06/03/1830 - 02/23/1907

Colonel Henry Wolf Gray, Sr. (R4) Philadelphia (Part) County 1872

Early Life:

Colonel Henry Wolf Gray, Sr., born June 3, 1830, Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; son of Justus and Barbara Getz Gray; educated, York public schools; left school, piano manufacturing; engaged, iron and mining; married, Wilhelmina “Mina” Schomacker Gray, 1857, (d.1878) children, Frances Gray Malin, Justus Gray, Henry Wolfe Gray; manager, inventor, president, Schomacher Piano Forte Manufacturers Company, 1857-1907; aide, Governor John W. Geary staff, Colonel, Civil War; member, Philadelphia Select Council, 1864; unsuccessful Republican primary campaign, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1868; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate,1872; charter member, Philadelphia Union League; married, Maria Louisa Albert Gray, 1878, children, Helen Gray Elmer, Luther Albert Gray, Marie Louise Gray Irving; died, February 23, 1907 (age 76 years 8 months 21 days), interment, West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Left school to work with John F. Steinman piano manufacturer, aide, Governor John W. Geary staff, Colonel, Civil War. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Unsuccessful Republican, primary campaign, Pennsylvania State Senate, 2nd district, defeated, Alexander Wilson Henszey, 1868.  

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 4th district, Philadelphia (Part) County, 1872; vacancy, death, George Connell; committee assignments, Judiciary Local, Private Claims and Damages. Unseated, Colonel Alexander Kelly McClure.

Legacy:

Wife, Wilhelmina “Mina” Schomacker Gray, daughter, John Henry Schomacker. The Schomacker Piano Company was one of Philadelphia’s earlier and more successful piano manufacturers. 

Invented electro-gold string for pianos. 

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "G". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1872) Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 501, 503, 506-508.

Schomacker - Antique Piano Shop  

The Semi-Weekly New Era (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) Wednesday, February 27, 1907, page 3. 

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Monday, February 25, 1907, page 16.

Henry Wolf Gray (1830-1907) - Find a Grave Memorial