James Griffin Boswell

For other people named James Boswell, see James Boswell (disambiguation).

James Griffin Boswell (May 13, 1882 - September 11, 1952), was founder of the J. G. Boswell Company, known today as the world's largest privately owned farm. Primary crops include Pima cotton, alfalfa hay, tomatoes, onions, and wheat, all cultivated on some 135,000 acres (550 km2) mostly in Kings County, California. Boswell, who came to Pasadena, California as a regional cotton broker from Greene county, Georgia, established his company in Corcoran, California in 1921. From 1952 to 1984, the company was headed by his nephew, James G. Boswell II (1923–2009), who is credited with the company's massive growth during the last half of the twentieth century. Currently, the J. G. Boswell Company is led by the son of J. G. Boswell II, James W. Boswell.[1]

Born in Penfield, Georgia, J. G. Boswell was the son of Georgia State Legislator Joseph Osgood Boswell and Minnie Griffin both members of pioneer Georgia families. He was married twice, first to Alaine Buck (1886–1938) and secondly to Ruth Chandler (1897–1987) daughter of Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler and his second wife Emma Marian Otis, Secretary of the Times-Mirror Company.[2]

References

  1. ^ Fresno Bee, April 5, 2009
  2. ^ Arax, Mark; Rick Wartzman (2005). The King of California: J. G. Boswell and the Making of a Secret American Empire. New York City: PublicAffairs. ISBN 1586482815.