James Griffin Boswell facts for kids
James Griffin Boswell (born May 13, 1882 – died September 11, 1952) started the J. G. Boswell Company. Today, this company is known as one of the biggest family-owned farms in the world. They grow many crops like Pima cotton, alfalfa hay, tomatoes, onions, and wheat. This farming happens on a huge area of land, about 135,000 acres (550 km2), mostly in Kings County, California.
Boswell moved to Pasadena, California from Greene County, Georgia. He used to work as a cotton broker there. He started his company in Corcoran, California in 1921. With his brother, William Whittier Boswell, J. G. Boswell began growing cotton. They also processed it and sold it.
From 1952 to 1984, J. G.'s nephew, James G. Boswell II (1923–2009), led the company. He helped the company grow a lot during the second half of the 1900s. In the early 2000s, James W. Boswell, who is the son of J. G. Boswell II, became the leader of the J. G. Boswell Company.
About James G. Boswell
James G. Boswell was born in Penfield, Georgia, in 1882. His parents were Minnie Griffin and Joseph Osgood Boswell. Both of his parents came from old Georgia families. His father was even elected as a State Representative in Georgia.
J. G. Boswell joined the Army in 1903. He left the Army in 1920 because of back problems. He retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
He first married Alaine Buck (1886–1938) when he lived in Georgia. After moving to California and after his first wife passed away, he married Ruth Chandler (1897–1987). Ruth was the daughter of Los Angeles Times newspaper publisher Harry Chandler.
After building his large farm company, Boswell became a big supporter of the California Institute of Technology. He was on their board of trustees in 1946. He also helped Claremont McKenna College. He gave $85,000 for a new student dorm, which was named Boswell Hall in his honor.
The J. G. Boswell Company Story
After leaving the army, Boswell started working in Greene County, Georgia. He was a broker who helped buy and sell cotton.
He heard about new opportunities in California. So, he moved there and settled in Pasadena. He bought land in Corcoran. This land was near Tulare Lake, which used to be the biggest freshwater lake in California.
Boswell worked to drain the wet areas around the lake. He used special structures like dykes, ditches, canals, and dams. This helped him farm the very rich soil that was left behind. He started his company in 1921 and began growing cotton in California. His brother, William Whittier Boswell, joined him. They managed how the cotton was processed and sold. Over time, they bought even more land.
Even today, the area around Tulare Lake is home to some of the world's largest cotton farms.
