Papers of John T. Caine III

John Thomas Caine III served as general manager of the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colorado, from 1943 until the time of his death in 1955. Caine was born in Logan, Utah on June 4, 1882. His father, John T. Caine, Jr, was a member of the faculty of Utah State Agricultural College (USAC) for 50 years and started one of the first purebred Jersey herds in the area. His grandfather, the first John T. Caine, served as a representative from the Territory of Utah to the United States Congress for eleven years.

Following his graduation from the Utah State Agricultural College in 1903, John T. Caine III earned a master of science degree in animal husbandry from Iowa State College two years later and then returned to Logan to join the faculty of the animal husbandry and dairy departments at USAC. He married Jean Crookston in 1912 and they would become parents to four children: John T. IV, Robert Preston, Margaret Jean, and William Serge. Caine was hired as director of the USAC Extension division in 1916. During World War I, Caine was put in charge of livestock production in 15 western states.

Following the war, Caine found employment for a year with the Sego Milk Company and in 1922 he began work with the Los Angeles Union Stockyards. In 1925 he was appointed to USDA's Packers and Stockyard Administration, where he served under President Calvin Coolidge until 1928, visiting all major livestock markets in the United States. Caine worked with young men and women in 4-H and Future Farmers of America programs, and was one of the founders of the Chicago Livestock Marketing School.

Upon leaving government employment, Caine began 15 years of service as general superintendent for the International Livestock Exposition in Chicago, before being hired as general manager of Denver's National Western Stock Show in 1943. In addition to his work with the Stock Show, Caine served as public relations director for the Denver Union Livestock Company and the Denver Livestock Exchange. During his time with the National Western Stock Show, Caine oversaw the construction of a new coliseum, completed in 1951, which greatly enlarged the NWSS facilities and enhanced capacity to accommodate ever-increasing audiences. John T. Caine III died in Denver on July 5, 1955.