William Ruth Ray and His Ancestors

The Ray ancestors came from Scotland and Northern Ireland, to New York and in one generation, crossed the continent all the way west to San Francisco—a tailor, a fearless adventurer and enterprising ship owner, brilliant inventors, a poet and ornithologist, entrepreneurs and businessmen. At least one of their inventions and a collection of rare birds’ eggs are part of the collections of the Smithsonian museums. Their descendant Alvin Wilton Ray was a witty, quiet but charming financial wizard—a pioneer of the California avocado industry, admired by his friends and adored by his family.