Ventura
County
Biographies
MRS. RUTH L. McKEVETT
For many years a resident of Santa
Paula, Mrs. Ruth L. McKevett has witnessed much of the development of this
locality and has taken an active part in social and community affairs. Mrs. McKevett is the widow of Allan C.
McKevett and a daughter of Dr. John Hinton and Ida (Ginkinger)
Lowry, who were natives of Illinois. In
that state Dr. Lowry was reared and educated, completing his studies in Rush
Medical College, and subsequently became the head of that institution. About 1886 Dr. Lowry came to California and
practiced his profession in the southern part of the state for many years, maintaining
an office in Santa Paula for a time.
Eventually he removed to Reedley, Fresno County, where he spent the
remainder of his life. He was a widely
known physician and enjoyed high standing in his profession. Besides his widow, who makes her home in
Santa Paula, Dr. Lowry is survived by two sons, Harry and Claude, the former
living in Ventura, California, while the latter resides at Santa Paula, and a
daughter, Ruth, also of Santa Paula.
On June 6, 1907, Ruth Lowry became
the wife of Allan C. McKevett, who was a native of Bradford, McKean County,
Pennsylvania, born January 31, 1884. His
father, Charles H. McKevett, was born in Cortland County, New York, October 3,
1848, and after attending the public schools of the Empire state went to the
oil fields of Pennsylvania, where he operated on an extensive scale in Clarion,
Butler, Warren and McKean counties. In
1886, having amassed a considerable fortune, he came west to California and
bought four hundred twenty acres of land from Messrs. Bradley and Blanchard in
the town of Santa Paula, Ventura County.
In this deal he showed the foresight and sound judgment which
characterized all of his activities, for this land is now all residence
property and has greatly increased in value.
After securing the tract he devoted it to the growing of fruit for some
time, specializing in oranges, lemons and apricots. He entered the industrial field in 1887, when
he formed the Santa Paula Lumber Company.
In the following year he also became a factor in financial affairs,
organizing the Santa Paula State Bank, of which he was vice president until
September 23, 1889, when the name was changed to the First National Bank, which
he served in the capacity of president.
He was secretary and treasurer of the Graham-Loftus Oil Company;
treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the Limoneira
Company, at that time the largest growers of lemons in the state of California;
and vice president of the Santa Paula Water Company. Forceful and resourceful, Charles H. McKevett
carried forward to completion everything that he attempted and his efforts were
at all times directed in those channels through which flows the greatest and
most permanent good to the greatest number.
His useful, upright life was brought to a close in 1907, at the age of
fifty-nine years. He was a
public-spirited citizen, ready at all times to use his means and influence for
the promotion of such public improvements as were conducive to the comfort and
happiness of his fellowmen, and there was perhaps no other man in the community
who was held in higher esteem by the people, regardless of sect, politics or
profession.
In 1873 in Pennsylvania Charles H.
McKevett was married to Miss Alice Stowell, who long survived her husband,
passing away October 28, 1926, at the age of seventy-three years. They were the parents of three children:
Harriet M., now the wife of C. C. Teague and the sole surviving member of the
original McKevett family; Mrs. Helen Best and Allan C. McKevett. The father of these children was a prominent
Mason, identified with Santa Paula Lodge, No. 291, F. & A. M.; Ventura
Chapter, R. A. M.; Ventura Commandery, K. T.; and Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O.
N. M. S., at Los Angeles. The mother
gave to the city of Santa Paula the land on which was built the North grammar
school, and she also donated the lot and erected the Ebell clubhouse in Santa
Paula.
Allan C. McKevett was but two years
old when the family came to Ventura County and his educational advantages were
those afforded by the public school system of Santa Paula. In 1907, at the death of his father, he
became manager of the McKevett estate, a large responsibility for a young man
of twenty-three years. He inherited from
his father business initiative, enterprise and sagacity, which enabled him to
successfully manage the important interests entrusted to his charge. He was a director of the First National Bank
of Santa Paula and a serviceable factor in its affairs. Death terminated his career on June 2, 1919,
at the comparatively early age of thirty-five years, depriving Santa Paula of a
citizen whom it could ill afford to lose.
His life, although brief, was symmetrical and complete. He was true to the ties of home and
friendship, genial and sympathetic in his social relations, generous and broad-minded
in his attitude toward all worthy benevolences, and stood high in the esteem of
his fellowmen. His widow and daughter,
Miss Virginia McKevett, resides at 829 Santa Paula Avenue, Santa Paula. The daughter was accorded liberal educational
privileges, attending Scripps College at Pomona, California, and also pursuing
her studies in the State University at Berkeley. Mrs. Ruth L. McKevett served on the board of directors
of the Ebell Club, of which she has long been an influential member, and her
cooperation can ever be counted upon in support of those measures which make
for civic growth and betterment.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 95-97, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis.
1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN
NUGGET'S VENTURA
BIOGRAPIES