Person Sheet
NameHolbert “Bert” C. FITCHETT 
Birth6 Oct 1876
Death9 Sep 1895, Madera, Madera Co., California
BurialFitchett Family Plot, Merced District Cemetery, Merced, Merced Co., CA
FatherJoseph Carlton FITCHETT (1845-1926)
MotherPhoebe Hester CHADBOURNE (1857-1906)
Spouses
Notes for Holbert “Bert” C. FITCHETT
FITCHETT, Holbert C.
Merced Express, September 13, 1895
Obituary.
DIED – At Madera, California, September 10, 1895, Holbert C. Fitchett, a native of California, aged 18 years, 11months and 4 days.
Sunday afternoon last the south-bound passenger train carried from Merced, Holbert, the eighteen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Fitchett, of Merced, to answer the summons to his final reward, but the young man whose life was so suddenly and tragically ended, thought as the cars rattled over the rails that he was going to a field of worldly duty or labor in some vineyard, and not to its master in a vineyard beyond the sun, the mon and the stars. The young man took a seat on the platform, the train dashed on, a gust of wind came and lifted his hat from his head, and as he reached for it he lost his balance, fell from the rapidly moving train to the ground and the injury that he received produced death withing thirty-six hours. Those who witnessed the accident used the bell-rope freely, the train was stopped, backed up to the spot where the accident occurred, and the unconscious young man lifted aboard and taken to Madera where he was given medical attention and a telephone message sent to his parents who reached his bedside at 11 o'clock Sunday night and remained with their darling boy until the final summons was answered.
Bert Fitchett was known to many people had no enemies and all prospects of life were most favorable to him. He was full of energy and ambitions, and bid fair to take an active part in the local business of life and the news of his untimely death was received with marked regret by all. As a school boy he was a manly little fellow, so courteous and respectful to all with whom he came in contact. The young life that ws with us a few days ago, that felt loved and hope as we do is not with us to-day. And to you, parents, while your dear boy is dead, and you will not hear his voice or his foot steps again in this life, you would try and believe that his death is a part of the wise, loving, eternal order. It is believed by many that death is another kind of birth, and when we can detach ourselves from certain ways of looking at it, from certain selfish views. We shall be able, perhaps, to see the divineness of death. We know that you have been making the dawning life of your children bright with gracious influence, Christian endeavor and Christian hope. It is a dark hour with you, but the stars will soon come out again, and your pastor will sweeten your affliction with the gospel of Christ.
The remains were brought to Merced by Tuesday morning's train, and the funeral took place from the C. P. Church at 3:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, Rev. J. D. Lewis officiating.
NORVELL.
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Sued For Libel
Merced Express, September 20, 1895
George Summers has brought suit for criminal libel against Mrs. Fitchett, of Merced, mother of Bert Fitchett, who was killed by falling from a train a few days ago, because of the funeral of her son while summers was passing by the open coffin, Mrs. Fitchett, looking through her tears and seeing him, became greately excited and said: "You are responsible for all this; you are the man that killed my son."
Mrs. Fitchett's actions caused great excitement. She accused Summers of alluring her son to places of low repute, teaching him to not only drink and gamble, but to ignore the pleadings of his parents to forsake his companions and his evil ways.
–Fresno Expositor.
Merced Express, September 13, 1895
Obituary.
DIED – At Madera, California, September 10, 1895, Holbert C. Fitchett, a native of California, aged 18 years, 11months and 4 days.
Sunday afternoon last the south-bound passenger train carried from Merced, Holbert, the eighteen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Fitchett, of Merced, to answer the summons to his final reward, but the young man whose life was so suddenly and tragically ended, thought as the cars rattled over the rails that he was going to a field of worldly duty or labor in some vineyard, and not to its master in a vineyard beyond the sun, the mon and the stars. The young man took a seat on the platform, the train dashed on, a gust of wind came and lifted his hat from his head, and as he reached for it he lost his balance, fell from the rapidly moving train to the ground and the injury that he received produced death withing thirty-six hours. Those who witnessed the accident used the bell-rope freely, the train was stopped, backed up to the spot where the accident occurred, and the unconscious young man lifted aboard and taken to Madera where he was given medical attention and a telephone message sent to his parents who reached his bedside at 11 o'clock Sunday night and remained with their darling boy until the final summons was answered.
Bert Fitchett was known to many people had no enemies and all prospects of life were most favorable to him. He was full of energy and ambitions, and bid fair to take an active part in the local business of life and the news of his untimely death was received with marked regret by all. As a school boy he was a manly little fellow, so courteous and respectful to all with whom he came in contact. The young life that ws with us a few days ago, that felt loved and hope as we do is not with us to-day. And to you, parents, while your dear boy is dead, and you will not hear his voice or his foot steps again in this life, you would try and believe that his death is a part of the wise, loving, eternal order. It is believed by many that death is another kind of birth, and when we can detach ourselves from certain ways of looking at it, from certain selfish views. We shall be able, perhaps, to see the divineness of death. We know that you have been making the dawning life of your children bright with gracious influence, Christian endeavor and Christian hope. It is a dark hour with you, but the stars will soon come out again, and your pastor will sweeten your affliction with the gospel of Christ.
The remains were brought to Merced by Tuesday morning's train, and the funeral took place from the C. P. Church at 3:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, Rev. J. D. Lewis officiating.
NORVELL.
------------
Sued For Libel
Merced Express, September 20, 1895
George Summers has brought suit for criminal libel against Mrs. Fitchett, of Merced, mother of Bert Fitchett, who was killed by falling from a train a few days ago, because of the funeral of her son while summers was passing by the open coffin, Mrs. Fitchett, looking through her tears and seeing him, became greately excited and said: "You are responsible for all this; you are the man that killed my son."
Mrs. Fitchett's actions caused great excitement. She accused Summers of alluring her son to places of low repute, teaching him to not only drink and gamble, but to ignore the pleadings of his parents to forsake his companions and his evil ways.
–Fresno Expositor.