Murray, 1250 Atlantic Avenue -- Brooklyn History

Brooklynite Thomas E. Murray was one of America’s greatest inventors. A colleague of Thomas Edison and the holder of 462 patents, Murray was responsible for developing much of the electrical technology we enjoy today. Electric signs? T.E. Murray. The dimmer switch? T.E. Murray. The designs for the power plants that bring us the power we take for granted? Yes, those were Murray, too. His base of operations was in Crown Heights, where he had his factory and his home. Part 1 of our story tells of his early days, his family, and his business ventures. Next, read Part 3 of this story.

In the spring of 1920, Murray was given an honorary Doctor of Science degree by Villanova University in Pennsylvania. He must have been thrilled, since he’d been a working man supporting his family since the age of 10, and had never had the opportunity to attend high school, let along college. His success was a testament to hard work, self-improvement, and genius.

By this time, Murray was at the height of his success. His businesses were thriving, he was living in a mansion among fellow millionaires on the best block of St. Marks Avenue, and his many children were getting the educational opportunities he’d never had.

His eldest son, Thomas E. Murray Jr., graduated from Yale, and was also a mechanical wizard. He was being groomed to take over the companies after his father’s retirement or death. Another son, Joseph, also had the gift, and worked with his father. His daughters were doing well in marriage and family; the other boys were successful in school and work. He and his wife were on the boards of several charities, and gave generously of their time and money.

The Murrays were devout Catholics, a family tradition. The family parish was St. Gregory the Great, on Brooklyn Avenue, a fine new church that the family and other wealthy Irish Catholics in the St. Marks District had contributed much to.

St. Gregory the Great Church -- Brooklyn History
St. Gregory the Great Church. Photo: Bridge and Tunnel Club

Because of the family’s devotion and generosity to Catholic causes, the Murray mansion had a private chapel, complete with a small pipe organ and an altar, and they were one of very few families allowed to have mass and to take communion in the home. That privilege illustrates the heights to which the family had risen in the eyes of the Church.

Thomas Edison made another visit to Brooklyn in 1921. He once again visited the Metropolitan Engineering Company, Murray’s lab and factory, on Atlantic Avenue near Nostrand. The Brooklyn papers followed Edison through the borough, touting our own resident genius of Crown Heights.

Edison was there to see a new invention of Murray’s. As he watched, two halves of a housing were welded together in a mere second. The process was another Murray patent. Edison was delighted, saying, “You can do things I cannot!”

 Brooklyn Eagle, 1921 -- Brooklyn History
Photo: Brooklyn Eagle, 1921

Two years later, Murray patented a process that Edison also saw that day, a machine that sent an electric current through glass or porcelain, welding it to metal in seconds. This procedure had been attempted since the Egyptians, with more failure than success. If the metal was too hot or the force was too great, it broke the glass.

Up until Murray’s invention, it was possible to join the two, but it involved using complicated and delicate copper wiring, a time consuming and expensive process. Murray’s machine did it in a second. Because of this advance, we have modern spark plugs, fuses, and electric sockets, among other things.

Murray excelled at inventing processes and manufacturing tools that joined disparate components together. He had a remarkable intuition and understanding of substances, metallurgy and the potential of electricity. During World War I he had invented a way to join the casings for mortar and cannon shells, greatly aiding the war effort. He received several commendations for that work from the War Department.

However, war was not what the Murray family was interested in. The joy was in figuring out how to do something that couldn’t be done before, and making that process cheap and available to other industries.

Murray’s creations spanned all sorts of uses: he made double threaded pipe couplings, new kinds of radiators, the first electric dishwasher, the now-familiar chains that slip onto tires for traction in the snow.

Patent for tire chains -- Brooklyn History
Patent for tire chains. 1917. temurray.com

All was going well for the family until May 1926, when Catherine Murray contracted pneumonia. Several days later she died at home at 783 St. Marks Avenue. Her devastated family attended funeral mass at St. Gregory’s and laid her to rest at Calvary Cemetery.

Afterwards, Thomas Sr. began to slow down. The family had just purchased a large summer “cottage” in Southampton, Long Island, which they named Wickapogue. He and his large family spent a lot of time there, part of a growing colony of wealthy Irish Catholics.

Photo: temurray.com
Photo: temurray.com

In 1928, Murray resigned his position as chairman of New York Edison. His health wasn’t what it had been, and it was too much. He kept up with the affairs of the company, as well as his other four corporations on Atlantic Avenue. He continued to invent, racking up a slew of new patents towards the end of his life.

By 1929, America was on the window ledge of economic disaster. Thomas Murray headed out to his beloved Wickapogue with family. His eight children had given him 38 grandchildren, and the elder Murray, who was a short, round and genial grandfather, has his hands full.

Murray had not been particularly well for the last few months, but he was confident that his time on Long Island would be a cure. On July 21, 1929, Thomas E. Murray died at Wickapogue at the age of 69.

His body was brought back home to Brooklyn. His funeral and requiem mass at St. Gregory’s brought out dignitaries, industry heads, and prominent Catholics from all over. The funeral cortege left his home and made its way to the nearby church.

Murray -- Brooklyn History
Photo: Suzanne Spellen

The service was officiated by the Bishop of Brooklyn, Thomas E. Molley. He was surrounded at the altar by monsignors and priests from all over Brooklyn. In attendance were ex-Governor Alfred E. Smith and his wife, Mayor James Walker, and a host of other city officials. Also there were the heads of some of the city and nation’s most important businesses, and representatives of the many charities and organizations that the Murray family supported.

There were also workers from his plants and friends and neighbors from Albany, Long Island and all over New York. The great church was filled to the rafters with mourners there to say goodbye to a great man.

Murray had been made a Knight of St. Gregory, a papal honor going back centuries to the Templars. He was also a Knight of Malta. Both orders were honors bestowed only on Catholics who had been exemplars of faith, charity and nobleness of spirit. Thomas Murray had certainly been that, although he was always quiet about it. He once said, “When charity is accompanied by publicity it is not charity; it is advertising.”

He was buried at Calvary Cemetery next to his beloved Catherine.

Murray left a body of work that included 1,100 patents under his companies’ names. He also left a massive estate worth over $11 million. His son Thomas Jr. took over as head of the businesses. He was a master of invention himself and a canny businessman. His brothers were also involved. Although their parents were now gone, the Murray family remained. They stayed in Brooklyn, for a hot moment, but the palatial towers of Park Avenue were already calling.

Next time: The conclusion of our story. Under Thomas Murray Jr., the companies continue to grow, much to the ire of their Pacific Street neighbors. Meanwhile, the family’s life in Southampton was the stuff of novels and gossip columns, as the “Golden Clan” took over the sleepy Long Island resort. And finally, three generations later, Thomas E. Murray is given some long overdue recognition.

Top photo, Metropolitan Engineering Company plant at 1250 Atlantic Avenue: Rebecca Baird-Remba

Thomas E. Murray. temurray.com
Thomas E. Murray. temurray.com

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