Ink-Slinger Profiles: Everett Lowry

Everett E. Lowry was born in Montezuma, Indiana on December 22, 1869, according to the Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index at Ancestry.com. His parents were William and Rachel. He has not been found in the 1870 and 1880 U.S. Federal Censuses. The New York Times obituary, October 6, 1936, said, "…Mr. Lowry came to Chicago in 1893. He served as a cartoonist for the old Chicago Chronicle, the old Chicago Journal, The Chicago American and The New York World at various times. He also worked for the McClure Syndicate…." The Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, at Ancestry.com, recorded his March 17, 1897 marriage to Minnie L. Mooney.

The 1900 U.S. Federal Census recorded Lowry in Manhattan, New York City at 260 West 21st Street. He had been married for three years and was an artist. In this decade, some of his strips were Pete (1903), The Man With an Elephant on His Hands (1905), and Professor Fakem the Naturalist (1907).

In the following census, he lived in Chicago at 4663 Winthrop Avenue, where he was a newspaper cartoonist. In 1914 he contributed And His Name Is Mr. Bones to the Chicago Tribune Sunday comics page.

And His Name is Mr. Bones image courtesy Cole Johnson

Still in Chicago, Lowry was at 430 Roslyn Place, according to the 1920 census. He continued as a newspaper cartoonist. Some time later, he started the Business Cartoon Service and advertised in Printers' Ink Monthly; issues from 1920 and 1922. Printers' Ink Monthly, Volume 136, Issue 2, 1926, reported on Lowry's cartoon company.

D. Merton Reardon, formerly with The John Baumgarth Company, Chicago calendar house, has purchased an interest in Lowry Cartoons, a Chicago organization which plans and executes cartoon advertising campaigns. He will act as sales manager. Otis F. Wood, formerly with the McClure Newspaper Syndicate, has been placed in charge of the Eastern office of Lowry Cartoons at New York.

He was involved in another business, paper products, as reported in Paper Trade Journal, Volume 84, 1927. (One has to wonder about Lowry's switch from cartoons to cartons -- too  much of a coincidence I say; I think the Paper Trade Journal was hoaxed -- Allan)

Chicago, Ill.—The Lowry Carton Company, 55 East Wacker Drive, has been incorporated with a capital if $35,000, to manufacture and deal in paper cartons and other paper containers. The incorporators are Everett E. Lowry, Herbert S. Cornwell and D. Merton Reardon.

In the 1930 census, he lived at 518 Deming Place in Chicago. Lowry passed away October 5, 1936. The Times said:

…Lowry, president of the Lowry Cartoon Corporation, 75 East Wacker Drive,…died tonight in his home, 508 Deming Place….

…Probably his outstanding political cartoon was "His Favorite Author," showing a farmer at home reading President Theodore Roosevelt's message. President Roosevelt sent for and received the original. He hung it in his study and mentioned it in his autobiography.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Minnie Mooney Lowry, and a sister, Mrs. Anita Rhodes, of Dana, Ind.

According to the Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, he was buried in his home town.