Horace Murray was born circa 1912 in Philadelphia as the son of Florence (Smith) and John Murray.

In the 1920 census, he was living at 3454 H. Street with his parents and in 1930 at 7133 Dittman Street in Philadelphia. by 1940, he and his parents were at 4122 Elbridge Street and he was working as a body finisher for an auto company.