James C. Loving (1836–1902) was an American cattleman and rancher in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. He raised "the largest purebred shorthorn herd" in the United States by the end of the nineteenth century. He was a co-founder of the

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Inc., is an organization established in 1877 by forty Texas cattlemen for the purpose of combating unbridled livestock theft. The association headquarters is located in Fort Worth. History The T ...

and served as its secretary for twenty-seven years.

Biography

Early life

James Carrol Loving was born on June 6, 1836, in Hopkins County, Kentucky. His father, Oliver Loving (1812–1867), was a cattleman and drover, and his mother was Susan Daggett Morgan Loving (1809–1884). In 1845, they moved to

, eventually settling down in Palo Pinto County, Texas.

Career

During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

of 1861–1865, he served in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

. He became First Lieutenant, mostly by keeping Native Americans away from European settlers like himself in Texas. Shortly after the war, he opened a general store in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas. In 1867, when his father died, he inherited his cattle holdings. In June 1868, together with

Charles Goodnight Charles Goodnight (March 5, 1836 – December 12, 1929), also known as Charlie Goodnight, was a rancher in the American West. In 1955, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Early ...

, he drove 2,300 cattle to

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

over a period of six months. Together with C.L. Carter, he owned a ranch near C.C. Slaughter's ranch called Dillingham Prairie Ranch. In 1873, he established a ranch in Jermyn,

Jack County Jack County is a county located in the north central part of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 8,472. Its county seat is Jacksboro. The county was created in 1856 and organized the next year. It is named for P ...

in the Lost Valley. It was located 25 miles away from

Graham Graham and Graeme may refer to: People * Graham (given name), an English-language given name * Graham (surname), an English-language surname * Graeme (surname), an English-language surname * Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer * Clan G ...

and 15 miles away from

Jacksboro, Texas Jacksboro is a city in Jack County, Texas, in the United States. Its population was 4,511 at the 2010 census. U.S. Highways 281 and 380, and Texas State Highways 114 and 199 intersect at Jacksboro, which is the county seat of Jack County. His ...

. He reportedly raised "the largest purebred shorthorn herd in the nation." However, much of his cattle was stolen by Native Americans and cattle raiders. As a result, in 1877, he became a co-founder of the

, together with forty other ranchers from

Palo Pinto County Palo Pinto County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 28,409. The county seat is Palo Pinto. The county was created in 1856 and organized the following year. Palo Pinto County comprises th ...

, Young County, Parker County, and

Shackelford County Shackelford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,105. Its county seat is Albany. The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1874. Shackelford is named for Dr. Jack Shack ...

, including C.C. Slaughter. He served as its secretary for twenty-seven years, until his death in 1902. He also became its treasurer in 1879. The following year, in 1880, he published an almanac about the main herds of Texas and their owners. Four years later, in 1884, he moved the office of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Associations to Jacksboro; three years later, in 1887, he moved it again, this time to

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

Personal life

He married Mary Ellen Willett Loving in 1857. They had two children.

Death

He died on November 24, 1902, in Tarrant County, Texas.

Bibliography

*'' The Stockmen's Guide and Handbook'' (1880)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loving, James 1836 births 1902 deaths People from Hopkins County, Kentucky Confederate States Army officers Ranchers from Texas American cattlemen People from Jack County, Texas Military personnel from Texas