PHOEBE HESTER 9, b Suisun CA 26 Feb 1857; d Everett WA; m 15 Oct 1873 JOSEPH CARLTON FITCHETT, b Canada 7 July 1848, d Everett WA 1926. Children (Everett WA Recs), surname Fitchett: 1. George Arthur, b Sonoma CA 8 Aug 1874, d Merced CA, m 1900 Alma Crandall, d Merced CA, 3 ch. 2. Holbert C, b 6 Oct 1876, d 1895. 3. Robert N, b 16 Mar 1880, m, 1 ch. 4. Grace A, b 20 Dec 1882, m John MacCheyne, 3 ch. 5. Carlton B, b 10 Mar 1886, d 6 June 1946, m Florence McNeal. 6. Alice M, b 1 Jan 1888, d 29 Sep 1956, m Louis W Parr, 3 ch.
15Merced Express, June 9, 1906
Mrs. J. C. Fitchett, formerly of Mercedite, but now of Hartford, Washington, writes enthusiastically of her new home. She says it is a country rich in timber which when cleared away gives place to fields of sweet clover, vegetables and berries in abundance. And still, Mrs. Fitchett says, there is timber enough to keep the mills busy for years to come.
FITCHETT, Mrs. J. C. Fitchett
Merced Express, August 18, 1906
FITCHETT FAMILY POISONED.
The Everett (Washington) Herald says:
“Mrs. J. C. Fitchett, Robert Fitchett, a son, his wife and Miss Fitchett, the family of J. C. Fitchett, employed as bookkeeper by the Western Produce company, were dangerously poisoned in the city last night and when they arrived at Lake Stevens on their way to Granite Falls the entire party became unconscious, remaining in that condition several hours. Ultimately all recovered with the exception of Mrs. Fitchett, who is in a critical condition from the effects of the poison. Which brought on partial paralysis.
“A short time before the family started on their drive to Granite Falls last evening they lunched at the home of Mr. Moody on Oakes avenue, where they partook of meat and canned cherries. They had driven to a point on Lake Stevens when they were suddenly overcome with sickness, and upon arriving at the Cash home immediately became unconscious.
“Dr. W. C. Cox of this city, Dr. Durrent of Snohomish and Dr. Chappell of Granite Falls were called and spent most of the night working to save the lives of the afflicted family. At a late hour Robert Fitchett, his wife and his sister regained consciousness, but the mother appeared to be in a far worse condition, and when Dr. Cox returned to the city early this morning Mrs. Fitchett, while apparently resting fairly easy, had not passed the danger mark. Mrs. Fitchett was brought to Everett late this afternoon and is now at Providence Hospital. A remarkable feature of the poisoning is that not a member of the Moody family suffered from the effects of their canned lunch last evening. Dr. Cox said today that he believes the Fitchetts suffered from ptomaine poisoning, further stating that he believes Mrs. Fitchett will recover.”
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Mrs. J. C. Fitchett, who was one of the party that last Monday evening suffered from ptomaine poisoning, died this morning about 8 o’clock from its effect. Mrs. Fitchett did not recover consciousness before her death. She had been unconscious since Monday evening. Neither did the paralysis leave her; her strength gradually left her and her condition became slowly worse until her death.
--Daily Herald, Everett, Washington, Aug. 11th.
The Fitchett family are well known in Merced, they were residents of McSwain school district, just west of Merced, for years.