James Sherwin
Bishop Pioneer
Dies April 26

The news that James W. Sherwin, Owens Valley pioneer, had quietly passed away in his sleep 
April 26 came as a shock to family and friends.  He was born in Round Valley at the base 
of the mountains he loved, Sept. 24, 1874, and was the youngest child of J.L.C. and Nancy 
Sherwin, early pioneers of this area.

When he was but five years old he made his first acquaintance with mining when his father 
took little Jim through a 40-stamp mill which was in full operation.  This was to 
influence the major portion of his life for most of his activity was in connection with 
mining operations.

He was married to Idelle Gregory of Bodie Dec. 5, 1900 when he was running the cyanide 
plant at that location, and to this union were born four children.

In order to be near schools the family moved to Bishop in 1910 where they purchased 
Tanglewood, their home one mile west of Bishop for many years.  Then came the tragic 
happening that changed the lives of so many when the City of Los Angeles moved in buying 
up the ranches and drying up the valleys.  The Sherwins, like so many others, were 
uprooted and forced to find a home elsewhere retaining only their mountain property in 
Mammoth where in the summer of 1925 Jim took his son to the woods with him to split by 
hand the shakes which he used the following year to build a mountain refuge to return to 
each summer.

The Sherwin name has been given to lakes, a hill, a creek and a grade in the eastern 
part of the state.  Significant of his intense love of the High Sierra country which was 
always home to him is the last poem written by Walter A. Starr -

God's wilderness is calling me
   To shining summits bright and cool.
The mountains trails from snow are free, 
The flashing trout are in the pool.
All winter long the lure and spell
Of glittering lakes and towering trees, 
Of rushing streams and pine tree smell
And flowering meadows haunted me.
Of all the peace on earth there's none
Like evening in my campfire's gleam; 
No shrine like God's own starlit dome,
Nor wine like water from my stream.
What song like sylvan solitude 
Stirred softly by the snow-kissed breeze, 
Or water ouzel's sweet notes tuned 
To swirling stream's glad melodies?
Lure of Sierra, wild and free, 
Jewels deep set in shining skies; 
Defiant mountains beckon me
To glory and dream in their paradise.

Funeral services were held Saturday, April 28 at the Hays Funeral Home in Mountain View with 
the Rev. Harry C. Wooding officiating.  Mrs. Beatrice Moon played the organ.

Interment was in the Alta Mesa Cemetery.

In addition to his widow Idelle, Mr. Sherwin is survived by the following children; Mrs. 
Thurman J. Thompson, Mountain View; Mrs. Ralph C. Vellom, Bishop; Mrs. Emile Faure, El 
Centro; and Judge Raymond J. Sherwin, Vallejo.  He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 
five great-grandchildren, a brother, Birkett E. Sherwin of Los Angeles, and a sister, Mrs. 
N.B. Smith of Merced.

The Inyo Register
Bishop, Inyo County, California
Thursday, May 10, 1958 - Page 10

Transcribed by Pat Houser for Inyo County GenWeb, August 7, 2004