Résumé

His 1985 obituary included a brief summary of his professional work: “His professional projects were many, including rehabilitation of the historic Ballard School and portions of Old Mission Santa Ines in Solvang. In Santa Barbara, Hoyt was responsible for the design of the downtown State Street Plaza, the multi-level parking garage next to the Lobero Theatre and the round parking structure across from the County Courthouse. He designed scores of houses over the years, including many in the Santa Ynez Valley.” (See "Robert I. Hoyt," Santa Ynez Valley News, 08/01/1985, p. 7.)

Principal, Robert Ingle Hoyt, Architect, CT, c. 1937-1939.

Architect, various architectural firms, New York, NY, c. 1936-1942. He may have worked for Morris Ketchum, Jr., (1904–1984), Architect, in New York, c. 1939.

Lieutenant, United States Naval Reserve, 1943-1945. Of his time after graduating from Cornell in 1941, a biography on the site of the University of California, Santa Barbara, stated: "Following school, Hoyt was employed in multiple architectural firms in New York. While there, he worked on large projects where he became adept at site planning and housing authority. He began military service with the United States Navy for three years after his stint in New York, during which he taught and constructed a widely used training device." (See Online Archive of California.org, "Finding Aid for the Robert Ingle Hoyt papers, circa 1941-circa 1980 0000143," accessed 01/09/2023.) He worked for the US Navy in Pensacola, FL, in about 1944. He enlisted in the US Naval Reserve on 01/02/1943 and was discharged on 01/31/1946. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 01/11/2024.)

Consultant, Holden, McLaughlin and Associates, Consulting Architects and Planners, New York, NY, c. 1946. He worked for Arthur Cort Holden (1890-1903) on "Planning Recommendations for the Washington Square Area" in New York, NY, in 1946.

Principal, Robert Ingle Hoyt, Santa Barbara, CA, 1947- c. 1980. The Online Archive of California.org record summarized his career: "Hoyt’s body of work includes commercial buildings, schools, a museum, parking facilities, military buildings, residences, and even a juvenile center for Santa Barbara County." (See Online Archive of California.org, "Finding Aid for the Robert Ingle Hoyt papers, circa 1941-circa 1980 0000143," accessed 01/09/2023.) Early in his career, particularly, Hoyt also focused on large-scale, urban planning proposals.

In 1948, Hoyt had an office at 1114 State Route 231 in Santa Barbara. (See Santa Barbara, California, City Directory, 1948, p. 200.) By 1976, Robert Hoyt had an office at 729 De La Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara. (See Santa Barbara, California, Telephone Directory, 1976, p. 128.)

Professional Activities

Registered Architect in the State of CT, c. 1937.

Registered Architect in the State of CA, c. 1946.

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), 1943- .

Member, American Planning Association (APA).

Public Buildings Consultant, CIty of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, c. 1953. In 1953, Hoyt advised the City of Santa Barbara about the siting of a new civic convention center. (See "Cabrillo Auditorium at East End of Cabrillo Blvd Favored," Santa Barbara News-Press, 08/04/1953, p. A-8.)

Member, California Council of Architects Board. Hoyt served on this registration body three times.

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), 1981.

An archival collection of Hoyt's work exists at the Architecture & Design Collection, University Art Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara;

College

Coursework, economics, Roanoke College, Salem, VA, c. 1931.

B.F.A., Yale University, New Haven, CT, c. 1932-1936. At Yale, Hoyt staged an exhibition of his student work at the Ferguson Library between 04/19/1932 and 05/1932.

M.Arch., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 1940-1941.

Relocation

Born in Stamford, CT, Hoyt spent his early years in that state. His parents--William and Elizabeth--resided at a house at 65 Weed Avenue in Stamford, CT by at least 1910. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Stamford Ward 4, Fairfield, Connecticut; Roll: T624_130; Page: 32a; Enumeration District: 0118; FHL microfilm: 1374143, accessed 01/11/2024.) The Hoyts continued to inhabit this dwelling for at least 32 years, well into the 1940s.

In 1920, Robert lived with his parents-and elder brother William C. Hoyt III, at 65 Weed Avenue. Although well-to-do, they had no household servants listed in the census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Stamford Ward 4, Fairfield, Connecticut; Roll: T625_179; Page: 33A; Enumeration District: 172, accessed 01/11/2024.)

In 1930, the US Census located Robert still living with his parents (but without his elder brother who had died the year before) at 65 Weed Avenue in Stamford, CT. The house had an approximate value of $10,000 in 1930. The neighborhood was a mix of rental houses and large estates, some worth between $15,000 to $65,000 in the immediate vicinity. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0206; FHL microfilm: 2339995, accessed 01/11/2024.)

He likely attended Roanoke College, in Salem, VA, c. 1931. During the period from c. 1932 through 1936, Hoyt lived and studied at Yale University in New Haven, CT. After graduation, he lived and worked in the New York City/CT area, until about 1940.

On 10/16/1940, Hoyt lived in Ithaca, NY, where he attended Cornell University. He listed his permanent address as being his parent's house at 65 Weed Avenue in Stamford, CT.

Hoyt and his wife Anita Dibblee relocated to her hometown of Santa Barbara, CA, in 1946. His wife descended from a long line of Santa Barbara landowners stretching back to the Mexican government of CA. Her Dibblee family contacts likely eased his way into Santa Barbara's commercial and social life.

Between at least 1948 and 1950, they occupied a residence at 101 Mesa Lane (Unit #123) in Santa Barbara with their young son, William Clasen Hoyt. (See Santa Barbara, California, City Directory, 1948, p. 200 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California; Roll: 2402; Page: 10; Enumeration District: 42-37, accessed 01/11/2024.)

After his divorce from Anita, Robert resided in a Spanish Colonial Revival style house at 2308 Wellington Avenue in Santa Barbara's Oak Park neighborhood. (See Santa Barbara, California, Telephone Directory, 1976, p. 128.)

The architect died at Pinecrest Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA, due to complications from a stroke suffered on 07/12/1985. (See "Robert I. Hoyt," Santa Ynez Valley News, 08/01/1985, p. 7.) His last residence was in the 93105 zip code of Santa Barbara, CA.

Parents

His father was William Clasen Hoyt, Jr., (born 01/30/1880-d. 1947) who, in 09/1918, worked as an Assistant Secretary for the Clarkson and Ford Company at 55 Water Street, New York, NY. Clarkson and Ford produced industrial lubricants. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 01/11/2024.) The 1920 US Census indicate he worked as an oil company salesman, likely for Clarkson and Ford. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Stamford Ward 4, Fairfield, Connecticut; Roll: T625_179; Page: 33A; Enumeration District: 172, accessed 01/11/2024.)

His mother Elizabeth Ingle (born 02/27/1884 in Gretna, LA-d. 1975 in Santa Barbara, CA) married William Hoyt, Jr., on 03/25/1908 in Princeton, Gibson County, IN. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Works Progress Administration; Index to Marriage Records: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940; Series Title: Gibson County, Indiana;index to Marriage Record 1850 - 1920 Inclusive Vol W. P. A. Original Record Located: County Clerk's O; Book: 11; Page: 542, accessed 01/11/2024 and "Many Licenses," Princeton Daily Clarion, 03/25/1908, vol. XVI, no. 6, p. 1.) She was born in Gretna, LA, but attended schools in Evansville, IN, Princeton, IN, and the Worcester Institute in Worcester, MA. (See Deaths: Elizabeth Ingle Hoyt," Princeton Daily Clarion, 08/20/1975, p. 16.)

He had an older brother William Clasen Hoyt III (born 1910 in CT-d. 1929), who died as a very young man.

Spouse

Robert Hoyt married twice. He first wed Anita Virginia Dibblee (born 04/01/1914 in CA-d. 01/23/2002 in Clackamas County, OR) on 11/15/1944 at the US Naval Air Station Chapel, Pensacola, FL. A wedding announcement in the San Francisco Examiner focused on the aristocratic ancestries of both Robert and Anita: "“Rating surprise listing is the just released announcement that WAVE Lt. Anita Virginia Dibblee, member of a Santa Barbara clan well known here and a former student at Dominican Convent and U.C., joined bridal ranks last month. On November 15, she had her name changed by Lt. Robert Ingle Hoyt, U.S.N.R., at rites performed at the Naval Air Station Chapel, Pensacola, Fla., where both are stationed and where they have returned following a fortnight’s honeymoon. Descendant of early California clans, the bride is the daughter of the T. Wilson Dibblees of Santa Barbara and on both the paternal and distaff sides, she is the great-great-granddaughter of Don Jose de Las Guerra y Noriega, many years commandante of the Presidio of Santa Barbara. Virginia joined the WAVES last year and was commissioned following training at Smith College and Mount Holyoke. She is a granddaughter of the late Mr.and Mrs Thomas Bloodgood Dibblee (Francesca de la Guerra) of Santa Barbara and New York and of the late Mr.and Mrs. Dario Orena of Southern California. Scion of early New England settlers who came there in 1629 is the bridegroom, whose parents are the William Clasen Hoyts of Stanford [sic]. After graduation from Yale, he entered Cornell, where he received his master of architecture degree in 1941.” (See "Virginia Dibble Surprise Bride," San Francisco Examiner, 12/07/1944, p. 18.)

Anita Dibblee had a permanent address at 111 East Pedregosa Street in Santa Barbara in 1942 and 1944. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1942-1944, accessed 01/11/2024.) She served in the WAVES form 04/10/1943 until 01/19/1946. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 01/11/2024.)

They divorced in 09/1972 in Santa Barbara County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Divorce Index, 1966-1984 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007, accessed 01/11/2024.)

He later wed Evelyn "Eva" G. Hoyt. (See "Robert I. Hoyt," Santa Ynez Valley News, 08/01/1985, p. 7.)

Children

He and Anita had three children: William Clasen Hoyt (born 07/28/1946 in CA), T. Wilson Dibblee Hoyt (born 09/06/1950 in Santa Barbara, CA) and Antonia Maria de la Guerra Hoyt (born 02/04/1952 in Santa Barbara, CA). Robert also served as a step-father to Harriet Rice Ardell, who later lived in Frankfurt, Germany.

William Clasen Hoyt later lived in Wilson, WY. Dibblee Hoyt resided at 123 East Canon Perdido in Santa Barbara, in 1976. (See Santa Barbara, California, Telephone Directory, 1976, p. 128.) Antonia lived in Solvang, CA, in 1971. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Santa Ynez Valley News; Publication Date: 10/ Jun/ 1971; Publication Place: Solvang, California, USA; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/498130135/?article=775ea321-9c4c-4e6a-92ee-a146964d8c97&xid=4535, accessed 01/11/2024.) In 1985, she lived in Salt Lake City, UT. (See "Robert I. Hoyt," Santa Ynez Valley News, 08/01/1985, p. 7.)

Biographical Notes

Prior to 01/08/2024, PCAD had erroneously indicated that Robert Ingle Hoyt had been born in Canada.

As noted on his World War II draft registration card, Hoyt was Caucasian with with a light complexion, blue eyes and blonde hair. He stood 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weighed 140 pounds.

SSN: 058140572.