Edward Payson Bacon

Background

Bacon was born in the town of Reading, Steuben (now Schuyler) County, New York, the eldest son of Matilda (Cowles) Bacon and Joseph Bacon, a tailor, both of early New England families.

Education

When Bacon was fifteen he was spared from the farm and entered the Collegiate Institute, Brockport, New York, to prepare for the ministry. Unfortunately, his father's health failed completely, and Bacon, to aid in supporting the family, obtained a position as freight and ticket clerk with the New York & Erie Railroad, at Hornellsville, New York.

Career

After four years (1851 - 55) with this company, he became chief clerk of its freight department in New York City. In 1855 he accepted a similar position in the new Chicago office of the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana Railroad. The next year he began a nine-year connection with the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad. The systems of accounts and the method of conducting the freight and passenger departments as originated here by Bacon were adopted generally by the western roads, and the equipment which he devised for handling coupon tickets in the passenger department is in general use today.

In 1865 he left the railroad in order to organize at Milwaukee the firm of Bacon & Everingham, grain traders. Successful from the start, he organized, in turn, the firm of E. P. Bacon & Company, and the E. P. Bacon Company extended his operations to Chicago and Milwaukee, and became known as the leading grain trader of the Middle West. In this connection, and as a member and official of the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce, he was able to institute many important changes in grain trading methods.

He had a large part in the founding of the Milwaukee Y. M. C. A. , of which he was president from 1889 to 1891, and he was vice-president of the board of trustees of Beloit College, where he founded the Bacon Fellowships.

Achievements

• The most important public work in which he engaged was a successful campaign for the enlargement of the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Politics

He personally convinced President Roosevelt of the need for legislation, appeared before Congressional committees, was a delegate to the Conference of Commercial Organizations at Chicago, November 1899, and was chairman of the executive committees of the Interstate Commerce Law Conventions of 1900, 1904, and 1905. The result of these activities was the enactment of the law of 1906 empowering the Interstate Commerce Commission to determine reasonable rates and, after full hearing, to substitute the reasonable for the existing rates, the new rates to continue in effect until reversed by the courts. This is considered one of the most far-reaching acts of legislation intended to promote trade, and more credit for its realization is due Bacon than any other man.

Connections

He was married in 1858 to Emma Hobbs of Paterson, who died in 1892, and to Mrs. Ella Baird of Pelham, in 1895.

Father:

Joseph Bacon

Mother:

Matilda (Cowles) Bacon

Wife:

Emma Hobbs

Wife:

Mrs. Ella Baird of Pelham