[2] Sanford was born on a farm near Franklin Grove in Lee County, Illinois, on February 12, 1854.

He taught school until the mid-1880s, then studied physics in Germany under Hermann von Helmholtz for two years.

Returning to the United States, he became a Professor of Physical Science at Lake Forest College.

[5] His book Elements of Physics (published in 1902, digitized in 2007) was an important textbook in the field.

[9] His former residence is now one of the most important structures in the historic district of Professorville in Palo Alto, California.