Sanders founded the first livestock-only journal in America and was a noted figure in livestock publishing and also very involved with the equine industry.
1832-1899 | Artist: James Reeve Stuart (1834-1915)
Impact & Accomplishments
Sanders was arguably the most prominent name in livestock publishing when Chicago was taking its place as the capitol of the livestock industry. These two portraits, of father and son, are artistically significant because one was painted by the first Saddle & Sirloin artist, James R. Stuart, and the other was painted by the second official artist, Arvid Nyholm. Virtually all of the works by these artists were lost in the 1934 fire, but these two paintings presumably were not in the Club during the fire. Since Alvin Sanders was one of the founders of the Saddle & Sirloin Club portrait collection, it is fitting that the portraits of him and his father hold this special distinction.
James Harvey Sanders was born in Union County, Ohio, and moved to Iowa in 1852. In 1860, he became secretary of the state senate in Des Moines, and in 1868, established a stock farm of Shorthorn cattle, hogs, and most especially, horses.
Recognizing a need, Sanders founded the first livestock-only journal in America, the monthly Western Stock Journal, in 1869. In 1874, he moved to Chicago and merged it with the National Livestock Journal, with Sanders as managing editor. James Sanders was involved in the first Percheron breed registries, was president of the Chicago Fair Association and the Chicago Jockey and Trotting Club, and was secretary of the American Trotting and Pacing Horse Breeders’ Association. Sanders wrote Horse Breeding and Breeds of Livestock in the 1880s.
He served on the U. S. Treasury Cattle Commission and investigated the potential for American imports to Europe for the United States Department of Agriculture.
Did You Know?
Recognizing a need, Sanders founded the first livestock-only journal in America, the monthly Western Stock Journal, in 1869. In 1874, he moved to Chicago and merged it with the National Livestock Journal.