Historical Photo Guessing Game: James Anderson and George Findlay Started an Angus Herd Near Lake Forest

Those of you who guessed hit the nail on the head.

The first registered Angus herd in the United States was started in 1878 by James Anderson and George Findlay, two native Scotsmen living near Lake Forest, according to the Scottish-American History Club.

That year they imported four cows and one bull from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and started a movement that led to Angus cattle becoming the dominant beef breed in North America.

The Anderson and Findlay breeding and marketing programs, combined with additional imports of some of the best Angus cattle they could find, played a major role in the early development of the Angus breed in America. Just five years after they brought the first registered Angus herd to this country, the American Aberdeen-Angus Breeders’ Association was organized in 1883 with 60 members.

A 103-year-old promotional catalog of the Anderson and Findlay herd to the American Angus Association was recently donated. Dated November 1901, the book lists 197 cows and four imported bulls.

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We'll be back Sunday with another historical photo posting. If you have one to donate for posting, e-mail the editor at james.powers@patch.com.

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