PASSED FROM SLEEP INTO ETERNITY 
 
CHARLES WONACOTT, pioneer resident of Bishop, passed into rest Sunday night at the home of his daughter 
Mrs. Vangie Robinson, in San Luis Obispo, where he had been most of the time during the last two years. 
He had been visiting his relatives there, and left Sunday morning in company with Chase Bell for the 
coast city. They reached San Luis about 5 o'clock. Mr. Wonacott was in good spirits and apparent good 
health, and stayed up until about 10 o'clock talking to the family. A small grandson [Forrest] who 
slept with him was undisturbed during the night: When Mrs. Robinson went to call the boy to get ready 
for school she found that her father had passed from sleep into death, without a sign of struggle or 
suffering. The coroner's decision was that old age was the cause of death. Charles William Wonacott was 
born in Virginia Nov. 8, 1849 and was therefore aged 80 years and 9 days at the time of his death. Few 
would have thought him so far advanced in years, for he retained an unusual appearance of body vigor 
and health. He was married to Miss Rachel Huckaby June 16, 1872, in St. Clair County, Missouri. They 
traveled to Wyoming with relatives, leaving Ft. Scott, Kansas May 2, 1874. After a years stay in that 
territory they came to Bishop, reaching here in November. Mr. Wonacott was a carpenter by trade. His 
first work was in building the one time well known Spencer Store in West Bishop. He built the West 
Bishop schoolhouse, burned some years ago, and also the one now standing. He also built the town frame 
schoolhouse now used for city and library purposes, the second schoolhouse at Big Pine, and a number of 
other structures in the valley. One of his enterprises was a sawmill on the Owens River, and he 
experimented with the plan of rafting material down the river but with unsatisfactory results. With the 
growth of Tonopah he went to that camp, and after carrying on his trade for a short time, he went into 
the undertaking bu3iness with Frank J. Cavanaugh, to whom he sold out to a few years since. With the 
sale of his farm property here he retired from active work. Mrs. Wonacott passed on Feb.1, 1922, when 
her golden wedding was but a few months away. Nine children were born to them, two of whom, Frankie E. 
and Forrest C., died. Those surviving are three daughters and four sons: Mrs. L.J. De Luchi, of Oakland, 
Mrs. T.R. Robinson, of San Luis Obispo, Mrs. A.O. Adams of Bishop, Don L. Wonacott and Albert W. 
Wonacott, of Bishop, Harold Wonacott of Vallejo, and Dwight Wonacott, of grand children and two great 
grandchildren [? don't understand]. Mrs. Emily Huckaby, a sister-in-law resides at Laws. All of his 
returns from sales of property in Bishop and in Tonopah was deposited in the Inyo County Bank or 
invested in the Wattersons corporations, and all was swept away in the bank crash. During his average 
lifetime of residence among us, Charles Wonacott's reputation was unstained, and his uprightness was 
unquestioned. Those that knew him feel. That while he lived beyond mans allotted time a fine citizen has 
been taken away. 

His former business associate, Frank J. Cavanaugh, came from Tonopah to conduct his funeral this 
afternoon. The Elks had charge of the service.

The Inyo Register, Bishop, Inyo County, California
November 21, 1929 - Front Page
Transcribed by Carol Braley Backert