Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 400
FRANCIS BACON, came to Wilton in the early days of its history, arriving in the year 1856, and has been a resident of the place continuously since. He was born in New Haven, Conn., Jan.30, 1835, and is descended from New England ancestry. His father, Henry Bacon, who was born in Litchfield, Conn., in 1807, removed with his family to Camden, Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1836, where he engaged in the boot and shoe business for many years, making his home in that city until his decease, which occurred in 1881, at the age of seventy-four years. Mr. Bacon was twice married, his first wife having been Miss M. Edwards, who died in 1829. He was again married in 1834, becoming the husband of Betsy Jones, who was born in New Haven, in June, 1809, and now lives with her son Francis at Wilton. Of the second marriage six children were born, five sons and a daughter, one of whom died in infancy, but the others attained the years of maturity. Francis, of this sketch, is the eldest ; Henry C. died in Watertown, N.Y., in 1862 ; Edward E., is now an attorney-at-law at Santa Cruz, Cal. The youngest son was William H., who died near Los Angeles, Cal., in 1878. For a number of years he was a resident of Wilton, but his health declining he went to the Pacific Coast with the hope that its mild and salubrious climate might effect his restoration. But this hope proved groundless, and he passed away at the time above mentioned. He was a worthy and estimable young man, and his early death was deeply lamented. The daughter, Annie E., is the wife of James Durrel, and resides near Los Angeles.

Our subject received a good common-school education, and very early in life began his mercantile career as a clerk. He was but twenty-one years of age when he came to Wilton, where he was employed as salesman for John J. Rider, with whom he continued until the spring of 1860, when he purchased the entire business interest of his employer, and continued alone until the the spring of 1878, when Charles McIntire became a partner. Until 1881 Mr. Bacon engaged in mercantile pursuits, and was one of the leading dealers of the town. In June, 1874, in connection with others, he organized the Farmers and Citizens' Bank at Wilton, of which he was elected President, and has been prominently connected with the banking interests of the place since that time, serving now as cashier in the institution above alluded to.

On the 2d day of April, 1861, Mr. Bacon was united in marriage with Miss Harriet E. Rider, daughter of John J. Rider. She was born in Seymour, Conn., in August, 1843, and with her parents came to Muscatine County in 1856. Her father died in Wilton in 1871. To Mr. and Mrs. Bacon have been born an interesting family of three children : Charles C., who is engaged in the mercantile business in Wilton, was born in that city in February, 1862 ; John E., born in June, 1864 ; and Mary, in June, 1869. Thus have we briefly sketched the most important events in the life of Francis Bacon, whose maturer years have been spent in Wilton, and who has ever been prominently identified with its interests, growth and progress. His business career has been attended with much more than the average measure of success, and he is numbered, socially and financially, with the leading citizens of this county. In political sentiment he is a supporter of the Republican party, and favors the enforcement of the prohibitory law. He cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. He and his wife have long been faithful to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Bacon has been Superintendent of its Sabbath-school for upward of twenty-five years.

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