OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 167 



THE FOUNDER OF THE YARDS 



66. The real originator of the Union Stock Yards as far as 

 practical achievement is concerned was John Sherman. From 

 its inception he was identified with this industry and was elected 

 its president in 1866, a position he occupied until succeeded 

 by Mr. John A. Spoor in 1897. During these years the vast 

 interests of the Union Stock Yard & Transit Co. were almost 

 entirely in his hands, and so competent were his efforts and so 

 popular his personality, that on his retirement a bust (142) 

 was presented the Club by the commission men and others more 

 or less intimately associated with him during his tenure of office. 



He was bom on a farm near Beeckman, Dutchess Co., New 

 York, in January, 1835. His early education was almost 

 meagre, as he alternated his hours in public school with a posi- 

 tion as clerk in a country store. When the California gold rush 

 of 1849 occurred, he joined one of the New York parties and 

 was among the fortunate ones to fill his pockets with gold. As 

 he had married previous to going west, his stay there was not 

 long, and he returned at the earliest opportunity to New York. 

 His trip across the country had convinced him of the great agri- 

 cultural opportunities of the middle west, and shortly after his 

 return he removed with his family to Illinois. He bought a 

 farm a short distance out of Chicago, growing com and feeding 

 livestock for several years. About 1856 he came to Chicago, 

 and was appointed to the management of the stockyard operated 

 by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and also the 

 Merrick Yards on Michigan Avenue. At this time each railroad 

 maintained its own market and the advantages of a centralized 

 institution had not yet been realized. 



In the early 60's Mr. S. W. Allerton (67) and other Chicago 

 financiers had pointed out the necessity for a constant Chicago 

 market, and Mr. Sherman in company with Mr. Ledyard, then 

 president of the Michigan Central Railroad at Detroit, pur- 



