Born in London. He was apprenticed for seven years to John Swaine beginning in 1823. Seven years later, January 11, 1830, he married Susannah Longmate Swaine, the daughter of his employer. Six months later they sailed for America. They had eight children. Samuel, William and Emily were all distinguished.

He held an exhibition at the Franklin Institute. In 1848 he purchased the Union Magazine and began publishing Sartain's Union Magazine of Literature and Art. He discontinued the magazine in 1852 and turned to general work.

Sartain made engravings and vignettes for early banknotes. He was made chief of the bureau of art for the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1875. For 14 years he was Vice President ot the Philadelphia School of design for women. He was a prominant Freemason. He died in Philadelphia.

bio: ApCAB; DAB; Drake; Fielding; Hessler; NCAB 6; NYHSD; Stauffer; TCBDA; WWWA-H