August Gorayski was a well-known figure throughout Galicia. He was not only a politician and managed many important institutions but also became known as a pioneer of the oil industry. It was his work in this field that mattered most to him.

He was born on 27 December 1832 in Szebnie, in what was then the Krosno district of Galicia, to Ludwik Gorayski, owner of the Moderówka estate, and Ludwika, nee Bogusz, of the Półkozic coat of arms. At a young age, Augustus stayed under his mother's care in Vienna, where his older brothers were receiving education. During this stay, they safely survived the so-called "Galician massacre" of 1846, during which August's grandfather, Stanisław Bogusz, was killed. Afterwards, Gorayski studied at St Anne's Gymnasium in Kraków. He contracted typhoid before his matura exam, due to which he had to take it with a half-year delay. However, this did not stop him from studying law at the Jagiellonian University. During his four-year university course, he lived in Vienna for a year, but completed his studies in Kraków without taking his doctorate.

In 1860, persuaded by Władysław Czartoryski, he began to cooperate with the Paris-based bureau for informing the West about Polish affairs. His task was to prepare reports on the situation in Hungary, where he travelled frequently during this period. His correspondence was much appreciated in Paris.

In 1863 he fought in the January Uprising, including in the Battle of Komorow, where his unit was defeated. He returned from the uprising unharmed. For a few years, he owned the Skotniki estate near Kraków, but he did not see his future in it. During a visit to Athanasius Benoe in Niegowić, he met Maria Borowska (coat-of-arms Jastrzębiec) whom he married in 1869. The Gorayski settled on the estate of August's parents in Moderówka near Krosno, where they lived for the rest of their lives.

It was this place that influenced Gorayski's involvement in the oil industry. Moderówka was located in an area that was extremely rich in oil, so Gorayski soon became interested in the potential of the new resource and began to expand his knowledge on the subject. He soon became a specialist whose advice was sought by major entrepreneurs such as William Henry Mac Garvey. Along with Łukasiewicz, Gorayski was one of the first figures in the oil industry. It was with the inventor of the oil lamp that he co-founded the pioneering organisation of "Towarzystwo Naftowe dla Opieki i Rozwoju Górnictwa" [Oil Society for the Care and Development of Mining] in Gorlice, and published in the Górnik newspaper. He later headed "Galicyjskie Towarzystwo Magazynowe dla Produktów Naftowych" [the Galician Petroleum Products Warehouse Society] and in 1881 was elected president of the National Oil Association in Galicia, a position he held until his death. It was one of the most influential and wealthiest industrial associations in the country. Working for the Association gave him the most satisfaction, which is why he devoted most of his time to it. Gorayski was also a member of the Petroleum Council and the National Mining Council.

At the same time, Gorayski was engaged in political activities. In 1876, he became a member of the Galician Parliament as a representative of the Conservative party. He remained a member of the parliament until 1913. His political activities were supported by Kazimierz Badeni. In 1892, he became a life member of the upper house of the Imperial Council in Vienna, and in 1912 he received the title of Privy Councillor. In politics, Gorayski had many opponents: he was particularly often attacked in the peasant movement press.

He used his extraordinary energy also outside politics, by performing a variety of functions in different areas of public life. He was one of the founders of the National Bank of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, where for many years he held high managerial positions, including presidency. He was also deputy director of "Towarzystwo Wzajemnych Ubezpieczeń" [Mutual Insurance Society] in Kraków, president of the district department of "Towarzystwo Kredytowe Ziemskie" [Land Credit Society] in Lviv, vice president of the Kraków branch of "Towarzystwo Rolnicze" [Agricultural Society], as well as president of the supervisory board of "Towarzystwo dla Handlu, Przemysłu i Rolnictwa" [Society for Trade, Industry and Agriculture].

Gorayski also had strong ties to Krosno. In 1888 he was elected President of the local County Council, a position he held until 1913. During his term of office, a new building was erected in which the municipal authorities still hold their offices today.

In the late 1880s and early 1890s, he was active in the development of the Krosno weaving industry: at that time, the "Prządka" Weaving Society and Weaving Company in Krosno were established. When the company joined the First Galician Society for the Weaving Industry, the construction of a mechanical weaving mill, that is the factory of bleaching and finishing, was started and completed in 1892. The city also had a National Weaving School, of which Gorayski was an educational officer. However, Gorayski's efforts to revive this branch of industry were unsuccessful. Regardless of that, he was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Krosno.

He maintained his energy and enjoyed relatively good health until the end of his working life. In May 1914, the Gorayscy organised ceremonies in Szebnie and Moderówka to commemorate the anniversary of the Constitution of 3 May, during which the inhabitants of the villages thanked them for their many years of efforts to improve the living conditions of the local community.

When the war broke out in 1914, the Gorayscy were forced to leave Moderówka. During the flight, Maria Gorayska fell ill and later died. After some time, August Gorayski was also bedridden and was brought to Jaslo, where he died on 21 March 1915. He was buried in Szebnie.