Name: Robert Bedford Hutchings
Birth: 29 Oct 1885, Bishop, Inyo County, California, USA
Death: 6 Sep 1925, Napa County, California, USA
Buried: Cypress Hill Memorial Park; Sec 3, 623-751, 755-764, Hutchings
MEETS DEATH IN AUTO ACCIDENT, BODY WAS BROUGHT HERE TODAY
Robert B. Hutchings, aged 40 years, son-in-law of Mrs. W. H. Davis of Washington
and Liberty streets, this city, died in a Napa hospital on Sunday from injuries
received in an auto wreck between Napa and Vallejo while on his way with his
wife and children to this city to visit their relatives.
Mr. Hutchings, a popular motorman of the Market street railway of San Francisco,
started from home to go to Rio Vista to visit relatives and from there planned
to come to Petaluma.
Three miles south of Napa at death curve near the road house, Mr. Hutchings
evidently did not notice the turn and kept on going, his car crossing the
railroad tracks, striking a guy wire and then going over a 15 foot bank and
overturning.
Mrs. Hutchings and their 15-month old babe were thrown clear but Mr. Hutchings
and their 11-year-old son were caught beneath the wrecked car, the lad escaping
with a few bruises but the father being crushed about the face and body so that
he died a few hours after being taken to the Napa hospital.
Mrs. Hutchings was picked up unconscious but is now recovering and both of the
children are practically unhurt. The car was completely wrecked. All of the
sidecurtains save that at the driver’s seat were tightly drawn at the time of
the accident and how any of the occupants of the car escaped seemed little short
of a miracle.
The body of the deceased was brought here by auto hearse by Pinkham & Webber of
Napa today and reposes at the John C. Mount funeral chapel whence the funeral
will be held under the direction of Mr. Mount. At Rio Vista the members of the
party were to have visited a relative, Mrs. Annie McCartney.
Mr. Hutchings was a highly esteemed man who was unusually popular and was well
known in San Francisco. Next month he would have celebrated the 40th
anniversary of his birth. Besides his widow, Mrs. Hazel Hutchings and two
children, he leaves a daughter, Miss Hazel, the issue of a previous marriage,
his brother W. H. Hutchings of San Francisco and his sisters Mrs. Laura Geary of
Ukiah.
The fatal accident was a sad ending to what had been planned a pleasant holiday
visit with relatives and has brought sadness and sorrow to many relatives and
friends.
Published Petaluma Argus
Petaluma, California
Tuesday, September 8, 1925
p. 1, c. 1-2
FUNERAL NOTICES
HUTCHINGS – in Napa, Sept. 5, 1925, Robert R. Hutchings, beloved husband of Mrs.
Hazel Hutchings, loving father of Hazel, Robert B. Jr. and Carl Hutchings, son
of Mrs. Anna McCartney of Rio Vista, brother of W. H. Hutchings, San Francisco,
Mrs. Laura Geary of Ukiah; a native of California, aged 39 years, 10 months, 7
days.
Friends and acquaintances are invited to attend funeral services on Thursday at
11 a. m. from the Mount funeral parlors, Rev. W. E. Bean officiating. Interment
Cypress Hill Memorial Park
Published Petaluma Argus
Petaluma, California
Wednesday, September 9, 1925
p. 4, c. 2