James E. Bacon (rancher)

James Edward Bacon
Born	1909-07-13 [1] Buena Park, California
Died	1997-09-11 Fullerton, California [1]
Occupation	Rancher
Spouse	Virgie Maude Hill [1]
Parents	Robert Dennis Bacon [1] [2] (father) Agatha Van Loenen [1] [2] (mother)

James Edward Bacon was an American rancher who screened 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". ^[3] James Bacon was born in the Bacon House at Buena Park, which was moved to Buena Park's Historical District in 1994 and turned into a museum. ^{[2] [4]}

In 1985, Bacon and his wife donated $53,000 to the Fullerton Arboretum, calling it "a worthwhile recipient", by creating an endowment to "provide monies to assist in the operational and education activities of the arboretum." ^{[5] [6]}

The Bacon avocado

The Bacon avocado was a seedling planted and selected by James Bacon around 1928. ^[7] It was registered with the California Avocado Society in 1948. ^[8]

References

1. "FamilySearch" . Retrieved 6 September 2025.
2. "Buena Park Historical Society website" . Retrieved 6 September 2025.
3. California Avocado Society 1997 Yearbook (PDF). Vol. 81. 1997. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
4. Emerson Little (2018-10-03). "Preserving the Past at the Whitaker-Jaynes House Museum". Fullerton Observer. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
5. Herbert J. Vida (1985-09-08). "Buena Park pioneer James E. Bacon, 76,..." LA Times. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
6. "Fullerton Arboretum Receives $1.4 Million in Funding". 2019-10-22. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
7. Bender, Gary S. (2012). Avocado botany and commercial cultivars grown in California (PDF). Retrieved 6 September 2025.
8. California Avocado Society 1950 Yearbook (PDF). Vol. 34. 1950. Retrieved 6 September 2025.