ah bing was reportedly born in china and immigrated to the u.s. in about 1855. he worked as a foreman in the lewelling family fruit orchards in milwaukie for about 35 years, supervising other workers and caring for trees. he went back to china in 1889 for a visit. due to the restrictions of the chinese exclusion act of 1882 he never returned to the united states. some say ah bing developed the cultivar, others that it was developed by lewelling and named in bing's honour due to his long service as orchard foreman.