Bonner, Charles G.

Charles G. Bonner, born in San Francisco on February 4, 1869, was the son of Charles Bonner and Rosa Gore. His father became an expert mining superintendent in Nevada before passing away in 1871, while his mother was the granddaughter of ex-Governor Gore of Massachusetts. After graduating from the University of California in 1889 with a Bachelor of Science degree, Charles moved to Fresno County and purchased an interest in a 640 acre tract of land from his stepfather Frank Locan. He successfully dissolved the initial partnership and incorporated the property as the Bonner Vineyard in 1892, expanding a modest enterprise into a large fruit growing and shipping operation.

His commercial impact grew substantially when he partnered with James Madison in 1899 to form Madison and Bonner, a fruit packing firm that built a plant at Locan spur. Charles took full ownership of the business in 1911 under the name Bonner Packing Company, quickly rebuilding the entire facility after a devastating fire the same year to create one of the best equipped plants in the valley. In his civic life, he belonged to numerous local organizations including the Fresno Elks Lodge, the Chamber of Commerce, and served on the local Exemption Board during the World War. He raised three children, Beatrice Louise, Doris, and Charles G. Jr., through his marriages to Louise Tripp and Marie Wolters.