James Eugene Hobbs

Name: James Eugene Hobbs

Born: 16 May 1922

Died: 18 Dec 1938

Buried: Hickory Grove

Location: CENTER SOUTH

Notes: From an unnamed and undated article located in the Lamar County Genealogical Library, in 'Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings,' donated by Zoe Hazelwood: 'THREE LAMAR COUNTY BOYS ARE KILLED - Fourth is Gravely Hurt in Accident - Billie and Buster Smith, Gene Hobbs Are Victims - Three Lamar County youths were killed outright and a fourth gravely injured Sunday afternoon when the model T Ford pickup truck in which they were riding crashed into the side of a Paris-bound Santa Fe motorcar at a crossing in the Ambia community. The dead were Billie Smith, 15, Buster Smith, 17, brothers, and Gene Hobbs, 16. Woodrow James, 18, driver of the truck, was in the Sanitarium of Paris in a serious condition. He was unconscious Sunday afternoon but had regained consciousness Monday morning and hospital attendants reported his condition 'satisfactory.' James suffered a fractured skull and injuries to the right hand and both legs, hospital attendants reported Monday. Witnesses to the tragedy, which occurred at 2:15 o'clock, passengers on the motorcar and railroad officials said the truck crashed into the side of the train, between the motorcar and a coach. The truck was dashed against a cattle guard at the side-road crossing, three of the youths being instantly killed. Witnesses said the truck apparently was crashed into the motorcar because of faulty brakes. The impact broke the air brake line and the auxiliary air tanks on the motorcar, the motorcar going 150 to 200 yards down the track before the engineer could halt it, according to Fred Giles, passenger, who was on his way to his home in Savoy, AR, near Fayetteville. The motorcar was uncoupled from the coach. Young James was rushed to the Sanitarium of Paris by R. B. Bailey, on whose farm the Smith brothers resided. The truck in which the youths were riding was owned by James. A Manton-Fry ambulance brought the bodies of the victims to Paris. The Smith brothers are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. B. E. Smith of the Ambia community. Hobbs is the son of O. H. Hobbs of Blossom, but made his home with A. M. Hall of Ambia. Woodrow James is the son of T. F. James who lives on the Jim Yates farm at Ambia. Pathos rode alongside death Sunday afternoon as the James boy received treatment at the Sanitarium of Paris. Miss Sarah Hobbs, sister of Gene Hobbs and a student nurse, was assisting physicians in the James case and remarked she feared her brother might have been in the death car as he was a close friend of the James boy. She did not learn of her brother's death until after James had been returned to his hospital room. Funeral services have been set for Gene Hobbs for 3 o'clock Monday afternoon from the Manton-Fry Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. J. D. Thomas, pastor of the Garrett Memorial Methodist church and the Rev. S. J. Kilpatrick, pastor of the Howland Methodist church. Burial will be at Hickory Grove cemetery near Petty. Pallbearers are Fred Roberts, Robert Rhodes, Barney Bray, Jr., Wallace Smith, Doyle Fall, and Frank O'Brien. He is survived by his father, six brothers and sisters. Funeral services for the two Smith boys will be conducted by the Rev. G. W. Barr of the Methodist Protestant Church at Manton-Fry Funeral Home Tuesday morning at 10 O'clock, and burial will be made at Evergreen Cemetery. The youths, Buster M. Smith, 17, and Clarence W. (Billy) Smith, 15, were the only children of Mr. and Mrs. B. E. Smith of Ambia. Mrs. Smith is the former Miss Ella Mae Winningham of Paris.' *Buried next to James Alfred Hobbs.