Husband Hiram Hultz Wray 1 2 3
Born: 24 Jan 1848 - Kiskiminetas Twp, Armstrong Co, PA 4 5
Christened:
Died: 4 Mar 1919 3
Buried:
Father: John Manners Wray (1817- ) 5 6
Mother: Anna Margaret Townsend (1819- ) 6
Marriage: 7 Sep 1880 4 7
Wife Alice M. Harrison 4 7
Born: 28 Dec 1855 4
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: John Harrison ( -1879) 4 7
Mother: Eliza Jane Sampson ( - ) 7 8
Children
1 F Edith Marion Wray 4 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: in infancy
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
2 M John Harrison Wray 4 7
Born: Abt 1881
Christened:
Died: Nov 1892 - Kansas City, Jackson Co, MO 7
Cause of Death: Diphtheria
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
3 M Perry Hutchison Wray 7
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
4 M Homer Henry Wray 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: 21 Nov 1913 - Gettysburg, Adams Co, PA 7
Buried:
5 M Stanley Manners Wray 3 7
Born: 9 Jan 1893 - Kansas City, Jackson Co, MO 3
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Pauline Orr (1893- ) 3
Marr: 12 Sep 1919 3
6 M Alfred Townsend Wray 7
Born:
Christened:
Died:
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General Notes: Husband - Hiram Hultz Wray
He was given as good an education as the old-time schools afforded. He first went to the old subscription school held in a log building on the Hart farm, and then to the school at Shady Plain. After a few terms at Elder's Ridge Academy, in Indiana County, near the line of Armstrong, he took a course at the Iron City Commercial College, Pittsburgh, from which he graduated in 1864. His first business experience was gained in his father's store at Olivet, and from there he went to the mouth of the Mahoning, in Armstrong County, to keep the books in Jere-miah Bonner's large store and steamboat warehouse. From 1865 to 1868 he held this position, the latter part of the time being agent for the Adams Express Company, they operating over the Allegheny Valley railroad, just completed to that point. He also was agent for the old Good Intent line of stage-coaches. In 1868 he returned to Shady Plain to enter into partnership with his father in a store under the firm name of J. M. Wray & Son, and continued to be associated with the firm until 1872, when he came to Leechburg to take charge of the books of the store of Beale, Rogers & Burchfield. He held this responsible position until 1875, when he purchased an interest in the then firm of Ashbaugh & Co., the name being afterward changed to Ashbaugh & Wray. The place of business was opposite Leechburg and was for a time one of the principal stores of that section, drawing trade from both Armstrong and Westmoreland counties. In 1887 he sold out his interest in the store, as well as the Leechburg Enterprise, which he had purchased from J. T. Robertson in 1875, and went to Kansas City, Missouri, to enter the contracting and roofing business, with his brother Robert T., who had located there. Mr. Wray's residence in Kansas City was not intended to be permanent and after five years he returned to Leechburg. After spending a few years in the insurance and other business he entered the employ of the West Penn Steel Company.
He was a charter member with seven others of the first natural gas company chartered in Pennsylvania: the "Leechburg Light & Fuel Company." He remained with the steel company until they sold out to the United States Steel Company in 1900. In February, 1901, he purchased the Leechburg Advance from D. K. Hill, who had succeeded Edward Hill as editor. He enlarged and improved the paper, the circulation nearly tripling and the mechanical conveniences greatly improved. The result under his editorship was very gratifying both to himself and to the readers of the paper, as his knowledge of the intimate details of the history of the town and county and thorough business experience make him peculiarly fitted to conduct a newspaper. Though Mr. Wray politically was a Republican, the paper was conducted as independent.
When the first Leechburg Bank was organized Mr. Wray was one of the directors, and with five others completed the organization of the Leechburg Milling Company. The first to introduce the "gradual reduction" system of flour making east of Chicago. He was connected and identified with numerous other industries. [HAC 1914, 593]
He was one of the first members of the Leechburg Lecture Association, which was the second oldest in the United States. He was its first secretary in 1874. He was also a member of the Pennsylvania State Editorial Association and National Editorial Association, and of the Pittsburgh Press Club.