Samuel L. Bacon Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 746-747

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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SAMUEL L. BACON, joint proprietor, with his brother, W. H. Bacon, of 
one of the leading general stores of Gettysburg, is a well known 
resident of Potter county, wherein he settled during the early days of 
its history. He has varied business interests and owns considerable 
property, and has come by his entire estate through the exercise of 
good judgment in the management of his affairs, supplemented by the 
strictest honesty in his dealings. He is a prominent man in his 
community and is highly respected. 

Mr. Bacon was born in Ontario, Canada, January 12, 1860, and was the 
son of Miles E. Bacon, a native of Canada, and a farmer by occupation. 
The grandfather of our subject came from England with his family and 
settled in Ontario. The mother of our subject, Anna (Ellis) Bacon, was 
born in Ireland and came to America with her parents at the age of 
fifteen years. She was the daughter of John Ellis. The parents of our 
subject married in Canada, and of their nine children our subject was 
the sixth in order of birth. He was reared on a farm and attended the 
country schools of his native place, and in 1884 his parents moved to 
Orangeville, Canada, he remaining to run his father's farm. He farmed 
for himself three years in Canada and resided one year in Orangeville, 
engaged in carpenter work. He went to Gettysburg, South Dakota, in 
August, 1888, and moved to a pre-emption fifteen miles north of that 
city. He erected a shanty, 10 x 16 feet, and a barn, and started 
farming with a team of horses and a little farm machinery and soon 
afterward took a homestead and tree claim. He followed that occupation 
eight years and was successful. When he left the farm he owned four 
hundred and eighty acres of land, well improved, with a good set of 
buildings, all necessary machinery and twenty-three head of stock. He 
raised grain principally and was thoroughly conversant with farm 
methods. He moved to Gettysburg in the fall of 1896 and purchased wheat 
for W. H. Stokes, of Watertown, taking full charge of his business in 
Gettysburg, selling flour, feed and coal. In partnership with his 
brother, W. H. Bacon, our subject purchased the store and stock of 
William Micheals, in January, 1899, and it is one of the leading 
general stores of Gettysburg. They handle groceries, crockery, shoes, 
hardware, harness goods, etc., and enjoy their share of the patronage, 
and our subject still retains charge of the interests of W. H. Stokes, 
purchasing large amounts of grain for him. He has fine residence 
property in Gettysburg and in Kampeska, Codington county, and is one of 
the substantial men of Potter county. He carries life insurance to the 
amount of four thousand dollars. 

Mr. Bacon was. married in the summer of 1884 to Annie E. Hunter, a 
native of Canada. Mrs. Bacon's father, Thomas Hunter, was born in 
Ireland, and after coming to America married her mother,who was of 
English descent. Mr. and Mrs. Bacon have been the parents of five 
children, as follows: George Henry, deceased; Charles E.; Lois U.; Lulu 
M. and Effie T. Mrs. Bacon is a member of the Degree of Honor, and our 
subject is affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was elected county commissioner in 
the fall of 1892 which office he held two terms. He was chairman of the 
county board four years, and has been delegate to two Populist state 
conventions, and several county conventions, and takes an active part 
in public affairs in general.