OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 247 



ORGANIZER OF THE AMERICAN SHORTHORN 

 ASSOCIATION 



95. The leading Shorthorn spirit in Illinois during the years 

 just following the Civil War was the Hon. J. Henry Pickrell, 

 first president of the American Shorthorn Breeders' Association 

 and later its secretary. Mr. Pickrell descended from Kentucky 

 and Virginia ancestors, his father settling in Sangamon Co., Illi- 

 nois, in 1828. He was born March 20, 1834, and was early 

 i-dentified with Shorthorn breeding. In 1859 he was made presi- 

 dent of the Macon County Fair in Illinois, and as its representative 

 attended the Bourbon County (Ky.) Fair and the Kentucky State 

 Fair. 



His prominence in the Shorthorn trade dates from 1865, when 

 he brought to his farm at Harristown the yearling bull Sweep- 

 stakes 6320, of Rose of Sharon blood purchased from George 

 M. Bradford of Kentucky. Sweepstakes was sired by Mr. Ren- 

 ICK's famous Airdrie, and therefore carried a double line of 

 Woodburn blood (82). Sweepstakes won first prize as a two- 

 year-old at the Illinois State Fair of 1866, and was made champion 

 over Mr. Duncan's hitherto invincible Minister. In 1868 Mr. 

 Pickrell imported from Kentucky the Phyllis cow Kate Lewis, 

 of B. F. Van Meter's (98) breeding and won championship with 

 her at the Illinois State Fair of 1868. Sweepstakes was again 

 champion at this fair, and won the $200 prize offered for a bull 

 with five of his get. He was ultimately sold to Ohio, and Mr. 

 Pickrell was forced to submit to bulls, other than his own, win- 

 ning in the showring. He had such an insatiable thirst for show- 

 yard successes, however, that after considerable search he secured 

 the Cochrane-bred Baron Booth of Lancaster, one of the most 

 noted bulls ever on the great show circuits of America. In the 

 hands of Mr. Pickrell's herdsman, David Grant, Baron Booth 

 developed to a full maturity of 2,600 pounds. From his service 



