William Gray (Massachusetts)

Infobox_Lt_Governor
name= William Gray


caption=
order= 9th
office= Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
term_start= 1810
term_end= 1812
governor= Elbridge Gerry
predecessor= David Cobb
successor= William Phillips, Jr.
birth_date= birth date|1750|7|27|mf=y
birth_place= Boston, Massachusetts
death_date= death date and age|1825|11|4|1750|7|27|mf=y
death_place=
party= Democratic-Republican
profession=
spouse=
footnotes=

William Gray (June 27, 1750 - November 4, 1825) was a Massachusetts merchant and politician. Born into a lower class family in Boston, he managed to build his own business and rise through the state's political ranks, becoming the richest man in New England, and in the eyes of many the richest man in all of America. Prior to the war of 1812, William Gray had the largest private fleet in the United States with 60 square-rigged vessels. [ [http://www.bahistory.org/HoraceGray.html Horace Gray: Father of the Boston Public Garden ] ]

Gray first served as a state senator, before becoming lieutenant governor from 1810 to 1812. He married Elizabeth Chipman (May, 1756 - September 24, 1823) in 1782. Elizabeth was a pioneer in philanthropy, volunteering a significant portion of her time to helping the poorest citizens of Boston.

Elizabeth and William's son, Frances Eally Gray, was also a politician.

References

Persondata
NAME=Gray, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Massachusetts merchant and politician
DATE OF BIRTH=June 27, 1750
PLACE OF BIRTH=Boston
DATE OF DEATH=November 4, 1825
PLACE OF DEATH=