James E. Bacon (rancher)

James Edward Bacon
BornJuly 13, 1909[1]
Buena Park, California, U.S.
DiedSeptember 11, 1997
Fullerton, California, U.S.
OccupationsRancher, horticulturist
SpouseVirgie Maude Hill (m. 1948)[1]

James Edward Bacon (July 13, 1909 – September 11, 1997) was an American horticulturist and rancher. He was the developer of the 'Bacon' Avocado and 'Jim' Avocado varieties,[2][3] and worked to screen avocado trees for cold hardiness in Buena Park, California by growing hundreds of Mexican and hybrid seedlings. He has been called "the world's first genuine avocado breeder".[4][5]

Life and career

James Bacon was born on July 13, 1909, in the Bacon House at Buena Park, California.[6] His parents were Agatha and Robert Bacon.[6] Their family home was moved to the Buena Park Historic District in 1994, and turned into a museum.[7][8]

The 'Bacon' avocado was a seedling planted and selected by Bacon around 1928.[9] It was registered with the California Avocado Society in 1948.[10]

In 1985, Bacon and his wife donated USD $53,000 to the Fullerton Arboretum in Fullerton, California, calling it "a worthwhile recipient", by creating an endowment to "provide monies to assist in the operational and education activities of the arboretum."[11][12]

References

  1. ^ a b "James Edward Bacon". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  2. ^ "Fruit Growers' Seminar Slated In Bonsall". North County Times. December 1, 1976. p. 28. Retrieved 2026-01-22 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Rare fruit event planned at Bonsall". The Fallbrook/Bonsall Enterprise. November 25, 1976. p. 10. Retrieved 2026-01-22 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Vida, Herbert J. (September 8, 1985). "People". Los Angeles Times. p. 101. Retrieved 2026-01-22 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ California Avocado Society 1997 Yearbook (PDF). Vol. 81. 1997. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b Boettner, Jack (November 20, 1975). "Oldest City House Finds New Home". Los Angeles Times. p. 12. Retrieved 2026-01-22 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Tours". Buena Park Historical Society. 2026. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  8. ^ Little, Emerson (October 3, 2018). "Preserving the Past at the Whitaker-Jaynes House Museum". Fullerton Observer. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  9. ^ Bender, Gary S. (2012). Avocado botany and commercial cultivars grown in California (PDF). Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  10. ^ California Avocado Society 1950 Yearbook (PDF). Vol. 34. 1950. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  11. ^ Vida, Herbert J. (September 8, 1985). "Buena Park pioneer James E. Bacon, 76,..." LA Times. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Fullerton Arboretum Receives $1.4 Million in Funding". Cal State Fullerton. October 22, 2019.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.