USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 9 > Part 2
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His son, Captain Nathaniel White, born about 1629 in England, settled about 1650 in that part of Middletown which is now Cromwell and was a prominent and in- fluential citizen. From 1651 to 1710 he represented the town in the State Legis- lature at least once each year, being elected eighty-five times in all. In 1669 he was commissioner and magistrate, and in 1684 was magistrate for Middletown, Haddam, and the district of Meriden, an active member of the church at what is now Cromwell, organized in 1668. He was also captain of the "North traine band," was a promoter of schools, and died August 27, 1711. His first wife, Elizabeth, died in 1690. Their youngest child, Joseph White, born about February 20, 1667, inherited the east half of the homestead at Cromwell, was active in school and church work, and died Febru- ary 28, 1725. He married, April 3, 1693, Mary Mould, born July 26, 1665, died Au- gust II, 1730, daughter of Hugh and Martha (Coit) Mould, of Barnstable, Massachusetts, later of New London, Con- necticut. Their daughter Sarah, born about 1700, became the wife of Lieutenant John (2) Bacon, as above mentioned.
(IV) Joseph Bacon, son of Lieutenant John (2) Bacon, was born May II, 1728, in Middletown, and resided on the pater- nal homestead, where he died, December 26, 1785. He married (second ), November 27, 1760, Rhoda Plum, who was born March 1, 1738, in Middletown, daughter of Waitstill John and Rhoda (Curtis) Plum, the latter a daughter of Nathaniel Curtis of Wallingford, Connecticut. She survived him many years, dying Septem- ber 22, 1822.
(V) Captain John (3) Bacon, fifth son of Joseph Bacon, was born in 1776, in Middletown. He followed the sea, was master of a vessel in the coasting trade, and died in 1837. He married (second),
November 22, 1811, Martha Bales, of Dar- ien, Connecticut.
(VI) John Plum Bacon, third son of Captain John (3) Bacon, was born Janu- ary II, 1814, on the west side of Main street, just north of Grand, in Middle- town. When a young man he went to New York City, where he continued sev- eral years in business, and returned in 1842 to Middletown, where the remainder of his life was spent. In his day he was one of the best known citizens of the town, was associated for a time with his brother William, and later was head of the firm of J. P. Bacon & Sons. After nearly sixty years of active life, he re- tired, and passed away November 26, 1898, in his eighty-fifth year. For fifty-four years he was connected with the Middle- town Savings Bank as trustee and direc- tor, and at the time of his death was vice- president, being the eldest in point of ser- vice connected with that institution. He was a staunch supporter and one of the standbys of the Democratic party in his day and served several years as select- man, his administration being character- ized as the most economical in the town.
Mr. Bacon married, May 14, 1838, in Middletown, Sarah E. Southmayd, who was born March 4, 1819, on Ferry street, Middletown, eldest daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Perkins) Southmayd, of that town (see Southmayd, A. L.).
(VII) Sherman Mitchell Bacon, fourth son of John P. and Sarah E. (Southmayd) Bacon, was born January 21, 1849, on Cherry street, in Middletown, and en- joyed the advantages of the excellent schools of his native town, including the Green street and Central schools and Chase's Academy, a noted preparatory school of the time. He early decided to devote himself to a business career and entered the store of Samuel Stearns, a dealer in furnishing goods, boots and
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shoes, where he continued one year. Later he was employed by A. M. Bidwell in what was known as the Union Store, and subsequently was in the service of Ward & Rutty, shoe dealers. Having be- come familiar with mercantile methods, he engaged in the meat market business in association with his father, succeeding his elder brother, Conrad G. Bacon, in the firm of J. P. Bacon & Sons. Subsequently he acquired an interest in this firm of J. Bacon & Son, shoe dealers, soon after re- selling his interest to W. K. Bacon. For some years he operated successfully in New York City and returned to Middle- town, where he embarked in business as a member of the firm of Fuller & Bacon, in a grocery store, at the corner of Green and Main streets. Some time after this he was in the service of the Valley Railway Com- pany, at Middletown, and was subse- quently agent of what is now the Air Line railroad. Following this he was instru- mental in forming the firm of Carroll, Fitzgerald & Bacon, which conducted a coal business. In time the firm became Carroll & Bacon, and later Mr. Bacon was sole proprietor. The business was finally consolidated with that of the Middletown Coal Company, of which Mr. Bacon be- came president. For a period of nine con- secutive years Mr. Bacon served as first selectman of the town of Middletown. He was for several years a member of the Common Council of the city of Middle- town, and for a long term a member of its school board. His political standards were those of the Democratic party. Both he and his wife were members of the Uni- versalist church ; for several years he was superintendent of its Sunday school and Mrs. Bacon was a member of the choir. Mr. Bacon was an active and enthusiastic member of several fraternal bodies, being a charter member of Apollo Lodge, No. 33, Knights of Pythias, instituted Novem-
ber 6, 1872. He was past grand chan- cellor of the State, and represented this State in the Supreme Lodge of the United States. He was a member of St. John's Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Washington Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and Cyrene Commandery, Knights Tem- plar. He was also a member of Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Hartford. During most of his life his home was on Grand street, in Middletown, where he died Sep- tember 28, 1915. He was accounted among the most public-spirited citizens of Middletown and both he and his wife were socially popular in that city.
Mr. Bacon was married, March 30,. 1870, at Irvington-on-the-Hudson, to Ari- anna Pauline Bailey, who was born June 24, 1850, in Deep River, Connecticut, a daughter of Martin and Sarah M. (Stev- ens) Bailey. Martin Bailey was a mer- chant in Middletown, and died about 1864. Mrs. Bacon was the only child of her par- ents, and was four years of age when they settled in Middletown. Her mother was a daughter of Deacon Gilbert and Mari- etta (Clark) Stevens. Mr. and Mrs. Bacon were the parents of seven chil- dren : Matie Axtelle, born February 25, 1871, became the wife of Albro R. Car- penter, of Bloomfield, Connecticut ; Susie Marie and Sadie Martin, twins, were born May 15, 1873, and died in August and September of the same year; John P., of mention below; Rachie Morrow, born June 20, 1878, married Walter Varndell, and died August 9, 1900, at Orange, New Jersey : Sherman Russell, born in 1880, died in 1881 ; Sophie Putnain, born June 15, 1884, now the wife of Charles Kirwan, of Baltimore, Maryland.
(VIII) John Plum (2) Bacon, only sur- viving son of Sherman M. and Arianna P. (Bailey) Bacon, was born October 14, 1874, in Middletown, Connecticut, and
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was educated in the grammar and high schools of that city, where he has made his home from childhood. After a year or two in business he entered a private school at Hartford and was later engaged with his father in the office of the Middletown Coal Company. He subsequently at- tended the New York School of Anatomy, from which he was graduated in 1905, having perfected himself in embalming and undertaking, and has since been es- tablished in business as an undertaker in Middletown. He is a trustee of the Mid- dletown Savings Bank and is now serving in his third term as a member of the Board of Water Commissioners of Middletown. He has served many years as treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Bacon has been active in the fra- ternal work of the community, being iden- tified with the Knights of Pythias, a past chancellor of Apollo Lodge; the Masonic fraternity, affiliated with St. John's Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Middletown; and with the Shriners of Hartford ; he is past commander of Cyrene Commandery, and past high priest of Washington chapter. He is also a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and a communicant of Holy Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church.
Mr. Bacon was married, June 7, 1904, in Portland, Connecticut, to Grace Louise Mitchell, a native of that town, daughter of the late Robert S. Mitchell, whose biog- raphy appears elsewhere in this work.
BACON, Charles Ebenezer,
County Commissioner, Legislator.
A scion of the old Bacon family of Mid- dletown, which has been conspicuous in every department of activity from the early settlement of the town, Mr. Bacon sturdily maintains the reputation for in-
telligence, integrity and industry which has characterized the family through all its generations. He is the present owner and occupant of a portion of the land owned by his ancestor, Nathaniel Bacon (see preceding sketch).
(II) Nathaniel (2) Bacon, son of Nathan- iel (1) and Anne (Miller) Bacon (q. v.), born after April 5, 1655 (when a child of that name died), probably about 1674-76, lived in Middletown, where he died Jan- uary 6, 1759. He does not appear in the recorded list of his father's children, but the latter's will, dated February 24, 1698, gave to him land on both sides of the "great river" and also in Hartford. In 1710 he purchased of Samuel Taylor land in Westfield, and received a deed, March 24, 1727, from Benjamin Hand, of Guil- ford, conveying 200 acres of land adjoin- ing Farmington, now Berlin. On Septem- ber 31, 1727, he received from Thomas Stowe a deed of sixteen acres in New- field. He had four wives. He married (second), February 5, 1702, in Middle- town, Hannah Wetmore, born July 23, 1677, in that town, daughter of Francis and Hannah (Harris) Wetmore, died Sep- tember 7, 1722.
(III) Nathaniel (3) Bacon, eldest son of Nathaniel (2) and Hannah (Wetmore) Bacon, was born February 16. 1707, in Middletown. He married (first) Jane Bevin. He married (second), October 13, 1742, Anna Harrison.
(IV) Joel Bacon, third son of Nathan- iel (3) and Anna (Harrison) Bacon, was born November 12, 1751, in Middletown. He married there, July 7, 1776, Lydia Hubbard, born June 10, 1751, third daugh- ter of John Earl and Annah (Allin) Hub- bard.
(V) Joel (2) Bacon, youngest child of Joel (I) and Lydia (Hubbard) Bacon, was born July 31, 1793, in Middletown. He married, April 14, 1817, in the West Sims-
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bury Church, Lucina Taylor, daughter of David and Lucina (Roberts) Taylor. David Taylor, who was descended from John and Elizabeth Taylor, of Middle- town, was the son of William Taylor, born September 2, 1722, in Middletown, settled in West Simsbury, now Canton, Connec- ticut, about 1756, and died there in 1777. His (second) wife, Ruth, was a Widow Higgins, and died in 1813, in Canton. Their son, David Taylor, born July 7, 1764, in Simsbury, was a soldier of the Revolution, and died in 1840. He mar- ried Lucina Roberts, who was born Octo- ber 28, 1751, and died in 1816, daughter of William and Phoebe (Wilcox) Roberts, a descendant of John Roberts, who was granted ten acres of land in Simsbury, May 21, 1688. This was on the west side of the town near the Granby line. Later he purchased lands in what is now Bloom- field. His wife, Patience (Saxton ) Rob- erts, born June 28, 1658, was a daughter of Richard and Sarah (Cook) Saxton. Rich- ard Saxton came from England on the ship "Blessing" and was in Windsor, Con- necticut, as early as 1643. William Rob- erts, son of John Roberts, died in Sims- bury, January 4, 1761. He married, March 12, 1728, Sarah Mills, and their third son, William Roberts, born Novem- ber 20, 1736, died about 1774. He was the father of William Roberts, who married Phoebe Wilcox, and was the father of Lucina Roberts, who married Joel Bacon. Harriet N. Bacon, daughter of Joel and Lucina (Taylor) Bacon, was born No- vember 29, 1823, and became the wife of Charles Bacon as hereinafter noted.
(III) Benjamin Bacon, second son of Nathaniel (2) and Hannah (Wetmore) Bacon, was born November 28, 1708. in Middletown. where he made his home. He married, October 8, 1734, Rhoda Mil- ler, who was born March 8, 1717, sixth daughter of Benjamin Miller, third daugh-
ter of his second wife, Marcy (Bassett) Miller. The last named was born March 8, 1649, in New Haven, daughter of Rob. ert Bassett, a pioneer there. Benjamin Miller, born July 10, 1672, was the fourth son of Thomas Miller, who came from Rowley, Massachusetts, and died in Mid- dletown in 1680. He married, June 6, 1665, Sarah Nettleton, probably a daugh- ter of Samuel Nettleton, of Milford, died March 20, 1728.
(IV) Phineas Bacon, second son ci Benjamin and Rhoda (Miller ) Bacon, was born October 19, 1744, and died in 1816. He was a tanner and shoemaker, also en- gaged in agriculture and owned a farm in Westfield. His later years were spent on the farm now occupied by Charles Eben- ezer Bacon. He conducted a tavera, was a prominent figure in the old days, and furnished a substitute as a soldier in the War of the Revolution. His body was laid to rest in the Miner Cemetery. He married, December 25, 1766, his cousin, Sarah Atkins, born December 27, 1745, daughter of Thomas and Martha (Miller ) Atkins, the last named a daughter of Ben- jamin and Marcy (Bassett ) Miller. Sarah Atkins was descended from Luke Atkins, who was in New Haven as early as 1639. and married there for his second wife, May 1, 1651, Mary Platt, daughter of Deacon Richard Platt, of New Haven. Perhaps he moved to Middletown before his death, as there is no further record of him in New Haven. At any rate, his widow married, in Middletown, January 3, 1667, Thomas Whetmore, or Wetmore. Josiah Atkins supposed to be a son of Luke Atkins by his first marriage, resided in Middletown, where he died September 12, 1690, leaving seven minor children. He married, October 8, 1673, his step- sister, Elizabeth Whetmore, born 1648. daughter of Thomas Whetmore. Ephriam Atkins, fourth son of Josiah Atkins, born
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March 9, 1685, died December 26, 1760. He married, June 16, 1709, Elizabeth Whetmore, born September 2, 1685, eldest child of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hub- bard) Whetmore. Elizabeth Hubbard, born January 15, 1659, in Middletown, was the youngest child of George Hub- bard, the patriarch of that family, who receives mention elsewhere in this work. She was married February 20, 1684, to Thomas Whetmore, and died December 6, 1725. Thomas Whetmore was born Octo- ber 19, 1652, and died February 1, 1689. Thomas Atkins, son of Ephraim Atkins, born April 5, 1710, married, August 6, 1735, Martha Miller, who was born March 28, 1705, daughter of Governor Benjamin Miller, above referred to, granddaughter of Thomas Miller, the first settler, and his second wife, Marcy (Bassett) Miller. They were the parents of Sarah Atkins, born December 27, 1745, who became the wife of Phineas Bacon, as before noted.
(V) Benjamin (2) Bacon, eldest child of Phineas and Sarah (Atkins) Bacon, born November 17, 1767, died in 1840. As a young man he lived with his uncle, Ezenezer Bacon, who was noteworthy as one of the founders of the South Congre- gational Church in Middletown, and whose wife, Millicent (Cornwall) Bacon, gave valuable instructions to young Bacon. The latter married, December 22, 1788, Abiah Cornwall, who was born February 18, 1763, in Middletown, seventh daughter of Lieutenant Nathaniel and Mary (Cornwall) Cornwall, of West- field, a sister of Millicent.
(VI) Ebenezer Bacon, eldest child of Benjamin (2) and Abiah (Cornwall) Bacon, was born October 2, 1789, in the Westfield section, and when a young man lived with his grandfather, Phineas Bacon. After the death of the latter he returned to the paternal homestead, whose management came into his hands, and to
which he gave a life of industry and in- telligent application. He was a gentle- man of the old school, whose honor was never questioned, who possessed a keen sense of humor, and was ever ready in retort and argument. Though somewhat gruff in manner, his kindness of heart made him many friends. Of sturdy and independent principle, he expected con- sistent and upright conduct from others. During the War of 1812 he was engaged in hauling produce with oxen from New Haven to Boston, the land route being the only one by which goods could be safely moved. Retaining his faculties until the last, he died December 20, 1881, in his ninety-third year. He married Lavinia Wilcox, born January 31, 1797, third daughter of Joseph and Miriam (Bacon) Wilcox. She was murdered by a robber, September 24, 1843. The guilty man was subsequently executed, being the last per- son hanged in Middlesex county.
(VII) Charles Bacon, second child of Ebenezer and Lavinia (Wilcox) Bacon, was born October 27, 1819, in the house now occupied by his son. Previous to his marriage he continued upon the paternal homestead in whose cultivation he bore no insignificant part. He subsequently purchased an adjoining farm, on which he built the stucco house now standing there, in 1855. This was purchased from the heirs of his uncle, Seth Wilcox. There he continued to reside until his death, July 13, 1896. He was noted as a progressive and capable farmer, and was the first man in the town to own thoroughbred Jersey cattle. He was ever anxious to promote the interests of the community, but was never in any sense a public man. He was always anxious to secure the selection of the most capable man for public office, and as an individual represented a high type of citizen. Continuing the principles maintained by his honored father, to
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whom he bore a striking resemblance in personal appearance, the parental char- acteristics were also strong in him, and he numbered among his friends many of the prominent citizens of Middletown and Meriden, in both of which places he was wont to transact business. In religious connection he was affiliated with the Westfield Congregational Church, and his political principles were represented by the Republican party. Mr. Bacon was married, April 29, 1847, to Harriet N. Bacon, who was born November 29, 1823, daughter of Joel and Lucina (Taylor) Bacon, of Canton, Connecticut, the latter a daughter of David Taylor, soldier of the Revolution (see ante).
(VIII) Charles Ebenezer Bacon, eld- est son of Charles and Harriet N. (Bacon) Bacon, was born February 4, 1851, in the house that occupied the present site of the stucco house built by his father four years later. In boyhood he attended the district school of Westfield Society, and was graduated from the Middletown High School in 1867, in a class of four, the first turned out by that institution, and the only male in the class, Henry E. Sawyer being the principal. His earliest efforts in self-sustenance were put forth as a teacher. He served three years in the schools of Middletown and one year in Southington, Connecticut. Subsequently, he pursued a course in engineering and was graduated from the Yale Scientific School with the degree of civil engineer in 1876. His second term of school was taught in his native district, and during the summers between terms he engaged in farming. After some travel in the West, during which he visited Texas, he soon after located on his present farm, which was that of his grandfather and which his father had purchased ; the son in turn pur- chased this from his father, and by various additions he has come into possession of
180 acres, much of which is under cultiva- tion. In his farming operations he has given much attention to dairying, and for many years maintained a herd of twenty registered Jersey cows. These have been graded by mixture with other bloods, and his herd now includes many high-grade Holsteins. Some of Mr. Bacon's Jersey stock formed the foundation of the famous herd maintained by C. I. Hood, of Lowell, Massachusetts. Of recent years, the man- agement of the farmn has fallen into the hands of Mr. Bacon's son, while the father has been employed in the public service. Like his father, Mr. Bacon has endeavored to pursue modern and progressive meth- ods in agriculture, and his reward has been proportionate. He has been very active in the work of the Patrons of Husbandry, and is a member of the Mattabessett Grange, of Middletown, in which he has filled all the principal chairs, and was sec- retary of Central Pomona Grange, No. 1, for more than a dozen years. From 1892 to 1907, Mr. Bacon was secretary of the Patrons Fire Insurance Company, of Hartford. He is a charter member of Mid- dletown Lodge, No. 771, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which he was first acting esteemed lecturing knight, and in which lodge he has filled all the prin- cipal chairs. He is a member of Apollo Lodge, No. 33, Knights Pythias, of Mid- dletown, and enjoys the respect and es- teem of the members of this great fra- ternal order. Early in life he began to take an intelligent and active interest in political matters, giving his support to the Republican organization, and has been often called to the public service. After serving three years as assessor of the town, he was elected representative in 1903, and filled an influential position in the State Legislature. Since 1889, for a period of thirty years, Mr. Bacon has been secretary of the Board of Town School
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Visitors, a position which brings to him considerable labor and responsibility under the modern system of school man- agement. In October, 1907, he was ap- pointed a county commissioner, and is now serving in his fourth term in that position, during all of which time he has been chairman of the board and has scarcely ever failed to make a daily visit to its office in the Municipal building. Mr. Bacon possesses the congenial and happy nature which has ever been char- acteristic of the family in Middletown. He is courteous in manner and enjoys the friendship and esteem of the multitude who have been brought into contact with him socially and officially.
He married, November 11, 1877, Geor- gianna T. Leach, who was born July 14, 1853, in Durham, Connecticut, daughter of Leverett M. and Lydia M. (Thayer) Leach, a granddaughter of Leverett Woodbridge and Deborah (Scranton) Leach, born in what is now North Mad- ison, formerly a part of the town of Guil- ford, Connecticut (see Leach). Mrs. Bacon, with her husband, attends the Methodist church, of Middletown, and is a member of Mattabessett Grange. She is also a member of the Women's Relief Corps, auxiliary to Mansfield Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Middletown. Mr. and Mrs. Bacon have two children: I. Grace E., born July 11, 1879; gradu- ated from Northfield Seminary in the class of 1903, at Mt. Holyoke College, 1907, took past-graduate course in mathematics at Wesleyan; she became the wife of Clar- ance Gould ; she died in Middletown, Con- necticut. 2. Charles Marsden, born Feb- ruary 22, 1881 ; graduated from Wilbra- ham Academy in 1900; he is now manager of the paternal farm in Westfield, on which he resides, and pursues the most modern and improved methods in its culti- vation ; he married Florence Brown, of
Newton Center, Massachusetts, who was a classmate at Wilbraham Academy; they are the parents of three children : Marion, Katharine and Charles Marsden 2nd.
BACON, Curtiss Stow, Judge of Probate.
A scion of one of the oldest Middle- town families, and a native of the town, Judge Bacon has long served his con- temporaries in official capacity, and is now in his seventh term as judge of the Court of Probate. The history of early genera- tions of the Bacon family appears in the preceding sketches.
(IV) John (3) Bacon, eldest child of Lieutenant John (2) and Sarah (White) Bacon (q. v.), was born April 21, 1723, in Middletown, Connecticut. He lived in that part of the town known as Westfield. He married, March 1, 1748, Rhoda Gould, daughter of John and Mabel Gould, of Cromwell.
(V) John (4) Bacon, second child of John (3) and Rhoda (Gould) Bacon, was born January 22, 1751. He was a farmer on the paternal homestead. He married, December 28, 1774, Grace Griswold, of Wallingford.
(VI) John (5) Bacon, eldest son of John (4) and Grace (Griswold) Bacon, was born December 15, 1779, and lived in what is now Middlefield, where he died December 6, 1859. He married, January 27. 1803, Amy Coe, who was born July 21, 1779, in Middlefield, and died October 30, 1865, daughter of Nathan and Abigail (Parsons) Coe, of that town. Elsewhere in this work (see William Coe-Bill) ap- pears mention of the Coe family, which was founded in this country by Robert Coe. His son, Robert Coe, was the father of Captain John Coe, whose son, Captain Joseph Coe, was an early settler at Dur- ham, Connecticut, where he filled numer-
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