This much is clear: Oliver Perry “O.P.” Passons (1824-1895) was a pioneer walnut grower in this area. Much of his early life story, however, sounds like a tall tale – although it could be true. Born in Tennessee, Passons moved to Texas in 1847, then caught gold fever in 1849 and headed to California. En route, a band of Apaches allegedly robbed him of nearly everything, so he retreated to El Paso for a spell, then walked all the way from Yuma, AZ to Los Angeles in 1850. He then married Nancy Graham (née Orrick, 1819-1903), a widow, and had two children with her. Around 1855, Passons picked up 100 acres for his walnut grove here; whether he expanded it is unknown, but it yielded prosperous crops for years. The family homestead was located at the present-day corner of Rivera Road and Passons Boulevard, which was named by 1894 and most likely in 1888 when the Rivera townsite was established. O.P. Passons, who also grew broom corn and even took over a broom factory in 1877, was central in the formation of Rivera; when he died, he was eulogized as its “first citizen”.
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