Profile Text
Birth Name: John Kevin Stitt
Place of Birth: Milton, Florida, U.S.
Date of Birth: December 28, 1972
Ethnicity: English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, Scottish, around 1/64th Native American [mostly Cherokee]
Kevin Stitt is an American businessperson and politician. A Republican, he has served as Governor of Oklahoma, since January 14, 2019, and Chair of the National Governors Association, since July 26, 2025. He is the founder of Gateway Mortgage Group, of which he was chairman and CEO.
Kevin was born in Milton, Florida, and grew up in Skiatook, Wayne, and Norman, in Oklahoma, the son of Joyce and The Rev. John Lyndon Stitt, a pastor of Riverside Church. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation through his maternal great-grandfather, Robert Benton Dawson, who was given land in the Skiatook area. Robert’s father, Kevin’s great-great-grandfather John H. Dawson, was of one quarter Cherokee ancestry, through his own paternal grandmother. The name Stitt is of Northern Irish origin. Kevin is married to businessperson Sarah Hazen Stitt, with whom he has six children. They belong to an Assemblies of God USA church.
Kevin is the first tribally enrolled Native American governor of any U.S. state. He is said to be the second governor of Indigenous ancestry, after Johnston Murray, who was of Chickasaw descent, and was also Governor of Oklahoma, from January 8, 1951 to January 10, 1955.
He is an eleven times great-grandson of Pocahontas (born Matoaka; c. 1596-1617), and of her husband, John Rolfe (c. 1585-c. 1622), making him of 1/8192 Powhatan Native American descent.
Kevin’s paternal grandfather was Lt. Marvin Dean Stitt (the son of John Dee Stitt and Anna Mae “Annie” Murphy). Marvin was born in Conway Springs, Sumner, Kansas, and was the head veterinarian at the Oklahoma City Stockyards. John was born in McFall, Gentry, Missouri, the son of Charles Ashford Stitt and Jennellie Mabel Savage. Kevin’s great-grandmother Anna was born in Santa Fe Township, Pawnee, Kansas, the daughter of Henry Clay Murphy and Ruth Ethel Scarlett.
Kevin’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Hargrave DeButts (the daughter of Daniel Dulany DeButts, Jr. and Elizabeth Walker Hargrave). Elizabeth was born in Washington, D.C., to parents from North Carolina. Daniel was born in Greensboro, Guilford, the son of Daniel Dulany DeButts and Frances Thweatt “Fannie” Sydnor. Frances was a great-great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Pocahontas. Kevin’s great-grandmother Elizabeth was born in Pitt, the daughter of Lee Lyndon Hargrave and Edna Lee Lane.
Kevin’s maternal grandfather was Blum Blue Williams (the son of Lee Roy Alvan “Buck” Williams and Verlon Bowden). Blum was born in Onapa, McIntosh, Oklahoma, to parents from Arkansas. Lee Roy was born in Harrison, Boone, the son of Asa W. “Acey” Williams and Agnes Jane Spears. Verlon was the daughter of Newton B. “Newt” Bowden and Martha Louvina Hamlin.
Kevin’s maternal grandmother was Thelma Valentine Dawson (the daughter of Robert Benton Dawson and Clara Belle Claypole). Thelma was born in Skiatook, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Robert was born in Berryville, Carroll, Arkansas, the son of John H. Dawson and Sarah Jane Wood. Clara was born in Dade, Missouri, the daughter of Joseph Claypole and Nancy Caroline Pogue.
Sources: https://www.oklahoman.com
Genealogy of Kevin Stitt – https://www.wikitree.com