"There's good news tonight out of a small Pennsylvania town called Ambler."  These words were spoken early in December of 1936 by a popular radio news commentator as he related details of an unusual happening at American Chemical Paint Company located there.  "Plant owner J. Harvey Gravell," he continued, "has announced an unprecedented action which warrants telling to the Nation as we approach this Christmas season." 

He disclosed further details of the surprise story.  Gravell for some time had been inquiring of his employees the amount of money owed for mortgages, medical and hospital bills, large purchases of home appliances, and even grocery bills.  "And now, just before Christmas, it is learned that he has paid all debts of his employees, which has cost him about $100,000.  Employees who were debt-free have received checks for $100 each." 

This heart-warming news came at a time when effects of the Great Depression were still being felt, and war clouds were gathering over Europe.  The Spanish Civil War was dominating the news, and now two new names were appearing on the horizon.  They were Benito Mussolini rising to power in Italy, and Adolph Hitler gaining absolute power in Germany.  But the average American saw no threat to the United States. After all, Europe was too far away from our shores to be concerned. 

Many, on hearing this news originating in Ambler, were asking: "Who is J. Harvey Gravell?"   Well, he was born in Philadelphia in 1880, growing up with a keen interest in chemistry, electricity and sciences in general.   While he and a young friend experimented in the family basement, an explosion and ensuing fire almost ended his career. 

It was in 1914 that Gravell's career took off.   The automobile industry, on the brink of an explosive period of growth, came face to face with a serious problem.  The steel body was doomed unless rusting under the paint could be controlled.  Gravell had earlier come up with a product to correct just such a problem.  He called it "Deoxidine" and realized that he held the key to the success or failure of the auto industry. 

Successful in selling the idea to the automobile manufacturers, he was able to launch his own company which he called the American Chemical Paint Company.  In later years he took pleasure in saying that the ingredients of his "Deoxidine" were "a bucket, a broom handle and a good idea". 

In this same year one of Gravell's first employees, Frank Scardino, came to work for him.  Only recently arrived from Italy, Scardino became a lifelong friend and employee, soon becoming foreman of the manufacturing plant.  Sharing Gravell's love of music, Frank played the violin while Harvey since early youth had played the piano and now the organ.  The two got together often with other musically inclined employees to make music in the office. 

From the very beginning, Gravell's new company made rapid growth, soon outgrowing their quarters in Philadelphia.  By 1924 the company had re-located to much larger quarters in Ambler, where it continued to grow, becoming second only to Keasbey & Mattison Company established much earlier there. 

In Ambler, Gravell's office on the second floor also housed the organ. Frequently he would go out to the production floor, saying to Scardino, "Frank, we've mixed up enough chemicals for today. Why don't you get your violin and come into the office for awhile?"  Harvey liked to play the organ at its loudest.  This so annoyed a company executive whose office was directly below that he complained to Harvey that he could not do his work when the organ was being played.  Gravell replied, "Then go somewhere else and do your work." 

The news of his generosity in 1936 attracted the attention of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who sent him a personal letter of congratulations. 

The next year, besides paying bonuses to all employees, Gravell paid the wives of all married workers $300.   He claimed that a wife was behind every happy employee 

Sadly, only three years after his generosity of 1936, he died on December 8th of 1939. His $3,000.000 estate was shared by fifteen key employees who were to continue operation of the company begun in 1914.  American Chemical Paint Company later was called Amchem, with numerous mergers still later eliminating the name completely.