OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 169 



A GIANT OF ILLINOIS' AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES 

 67. Samuel Waters Allerton Jr., was one of the pioneers 

 in the livestock industry of Chicago. He was a strong buyer 

 of livestock in the days previous to the general market in Chi- 

 cago, and shipped large numbers of animals to the east, to New 

 York and Boston. Mr. Allerton published in the Chicago 

 Tribune the first letter in favor of organizing the Union Stock 

 Yards and by his efforts in founding the First National Bank 

 and in developing the world's greatest livestock market, did 

 much toward making Chicago the financial center of the west. 

 Samuel W. Allerton Jr., was bom May 26, 1828, at Amenia, 

 Dutchess Co., New York, the youngest of nine children. At 

 seven years of age due to the destructive tariff measures of the 

 30's, his father was forced into bankruptcy, and at twelve he 

 was required to commence work for himself. In 1842 the entire 

 family removed to Yates Co., New York, where a farm was 

 rented. Young Samuel worked with his father until they saved 

 sufficient money to buy a farm in Wayne Co. He then with his 

 brother Henry, rented a farm from which they made a profit 

 of $1,500. They forthwith bought a small acreage jointly near 

 Newark, for $4,500, paying the $1,500 profit down. His brother 

 went to work on this farm while he rented another, and at the 

 end of three years he had saved $3,200. He then returned to 

 Newark where he worked with his brothers and traded in live- 

 stock in a small way. Upon taking his purchases to New York 

 and Albany he discovered that he knew as much as the dealers 

 he met, he therefore told his brother Henry, "I think my serv- 

 ices are worth more than $9 a month, and as we now have the 

 farm paid for, and $3,000 in money, you take the farm and I 

 will take the money." His brother attempted to dissuade him, 

 but seeing that he was intent on trying the livestock trade, he 

 agreed to this settlement. Henry's parting advice to him was 



