People

Bowman Gray Sr., whose father was with Wachovia, was the first non-family member that served on the Board at RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company. Mr. Gray and his wife Nathalie Lyons Gray purchased the land from the Reynolds family in 1925. They had two sons, Bowman Jr. who followed in his father’s steps as a member of the Board at RJR, and Gordon who attended Yale Law School.

Graylyn’s Poultry Manager, Louis Baker, was a friend of the family who lived at the Mews.  The Gray Family had two dogs, Butter and Scotch.

Mr. Gray passed away in 1937 shipboard on a family vacation.  Mrs. Gray remarried Mr. Benjamin Bernard, whom the Bernard Cottage is now named after, where she lived until she passed away in 1961.

The Gray family descendants still love Graylyn and are actively involved in our renovations and innovations.  Mr. Tom Gray led the rebuilding project in 1980 when Graylyn experienced a fire. Bowman Gray IV and Mrs. Karen Gray’s daughter was recently married at Graylyn!