100 Years of Boswell

J. G. Boswell Company gin, circa 1925

In 1923, Colonel JG’s younger brother, Bill, joined him in California to lend a hand. The brothers quickly realized that brokering cotton was not enough—they wanted to grow, gin, and process seed (for which an oil mill was needed). That same year, the Colonel took a huge step toward that vision, purchasing his first piece of land in Corcoran, in the heart of the Tulare Lake Basin. That very first piece of land was Section 34 in the Stevenson District. Corcoran would become the center of their operations as they expanded, buying and leasing more land across the San Joaquin Valley. They began leasing cotton gins and eventually built an oil mill to process crops.

By the 1924 harvest, Colonel JG had firmly established himself as a major player in the local cotton scene. He was not just growing cotton—he was setting the standard for the industry.

100 Years of Boswell

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