Edward Woolsey Bacon
{{Other people|Edward Bacon|Edward Bacon (disambiguation)}}
{{infobox person
|name=Edward Woolsey Bacon
|birth_date={{birth date|1843|5|5}}
|birth_place=New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1887|6|7|1843|5|5}}
|death_place=Santa Clara County, California, U.S.
|nationality=American
|education=Yale Divinity School
|occupation={{flatlist|
- Clergyman
- sailor
- soldier
}}
|father=Leonard Bacon
|relatives=George B. Bacon (brother)
Leonard Woolsey Bacon (brother)
Thomas Rutherford Bacon (brother)
}}
Edward Woolsey Bacon (May 5, 1843 – June 7, 1887{{cite web|title=Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934|url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7NY-22S|website=FamilySearch|accessdate=22 April 2016}}) was an American Congregational clergyman, as well as a sailor and a soldier.
Biography
Bacon was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He came from a family of preachers: he was the son of Leonard Bacon{{Cite journal
| title = American Congregational Union
| journal = The Congregational Quarterly
| volume = 10
| pages = 299–309
| date = July 1868
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=s-nNAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA299
| accessdate = 2009-12-05| last1 = Clark
| first1 = Joseph Sylvester
| last2 = Dexter
| first2 = Henry Martyn
| last3 = Quint
| first3 = Alonzo Hall
| last4 = Langworthy
| first4 = Isaac Pendleton
| last5 = Cushing
| first5 = Christopher
| last6 = Burnham
| first6 = Samuel
}} and the brother of Leonard Woolsey Bacon,{{cite book|last=General Council of the Congregational and Christian Churches of the United States, Executive Committee|title=The Year book of the Congregational Christian churches of the United States of America|year=1908|pages=12|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GhlKAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA12|accessdate=2 March 2010}} Thomas Rutherford Bacon of New Haven,{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A03E4DA1238E033A25757C2A9659C94659FD7CF|title=Bacon's Unexpected Resignation.a New-haven Congregational Church Losing its Pastor on Account of the Dissatisfaction of a Few Members|date=24 March 1884|work=The New York Times|pages=1|accessdate=2 March 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C06E2D91139E533A25754C0A96F9C94649FD7CF|title=Some Hit and Miss Chat; Stray Bits of Gossip from an Observer's Note Book. A Dream's Strange Sequel—one of Leonard Bacon's Sons—Clevelands of the Last Century|date=7 September 1885|work=The New York Times|pages=2|accessdate=2 March 2010}} and George B. Bacon,{{Cite journal
| title = Rev. of Leonard Woolsey Bacon, Church Papers
| journal = New Englander and Yale Review
| volume = 37
| issue = 142
| pages = 133–35
| date = January 1878
| url = http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=nwng;cc=nwng;rgn=full%20text;idno=nwng0037-1;didno=nwng0037-1;view=image;seq=149;node=nwng0037-1%3A1;page=root;size=s;frm=frameset;
| accessdate = 2009-12-04}}{{Cite book
| title = Memorial biographies of New England historic genealogical society, 1853–1855, Volume 8
| publisher = New England Historic Genealogical Society
| year = 1907
| page = 83
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=pJl4AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA83}} all Congregational preachers.
In 1861, eighteen-year-old Bacon left home and served in the United States Navy in the Caribbean and on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. He contracted dengue fever and suffered from defective vision; still, after his stint in the Navy he signed up as an infantry officer and led the 29th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry (Colored)—possibly influenced by his father, a staunch abolitionist. His attitudes toward African-Americans was described as "patronizing ... at best," a common view among white officers in charge of colored regiments.{{cite book|last=Bacon|first=Edward Woolsey|author2=George S. Burkhardt|title=Double duty in the Civil War: the letters of sailor and soldier Edward W. Bacon|publisher=SIU Press|year=2009|isbn=978-0-8093-2910-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=876YSrhVQjcC|accessdate=2 March 2010}} pp. 1–4. He saw severe action in Petersburg, Virginia, and led his troops into Richmond on April 3, 1865. He was part of the occupying force of Texas, and in June 1865 was promoted to major of the 117th Colored Infantry Regiment, after which he resigned.{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/06/12/100918069.pdf|title=Death of Edward Woolsey Bacon|date=12 June 1887|work=The New York Times|pages=4|accessdate=2 March 2010 }}
On his return to civil life, Bacon studied theology at Yale Divinity School and preached in a few different places before settling in 1877 at the Second Congregational Church in New London, Connecticut. In 1880, he was a pastor at First Church in New London.{{cite book|last=National Council of the Congregational Churches of the United States. Publishing Committee|title=The Congregational year-book|publisher=Congregational Pub. Society|year=1880|volume=2|pages=62|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1AERAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA62|accessdate=2 March 2010}} He was active in the American Missionary Association, serving on the education committee in 1883;{{cite journal|year=1883|title=Abstract of Proceedings|journal=American Missionary|volume=37|issue=12|pages=354–56|url=http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=amis;cc=amis;rgn=full%20text;idno=amis0037-12;didno=amis0037-12;view=image;seq=00380;node=amis0037-12%3A1|accessdate=2 March 2010}} he also served on the board of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and was appointed Assisted Recording Secretary.{{cite journal|date=November 1877|title=Annual Meeting of the Board|journal=The Missionary Herald|publisher=American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions|volume=73|issue=11|pages=341, 344|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q3gUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA344|accessdate=2 March 2010}}
In 1885, while on a vacation for his health in California, he abruptly resigned his ministry in Connecticut, to the surprise of his congregation in New London; The New York Times reported his sudden appearance in Santa Barbara, where a sermon of his in the Congregational church was received with approbation and judged to inspire "new ideas, fresh thoughts, and high resolve."{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1885/02/13/106298859.pdf|title=A Pastor's Peculiar Resignation|date=13 February 1885|work=The New York Times|pages=3|accessdate=2 March 2010 }}
Health problems caused by tuberculosis continued to plague him. After his return from Santa Barbara he again resumed the ministry but was forced to resign; he took up a position in Berkeley, California and died in Santa Clara County, California. A service was held in New Haven.{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/791907632.html?dids=791907632:791907632&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+02%2C+1887&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=THE+REV.+EDWARD+W.+BACON&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604150541/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/791907632.html?dids=791907632:791907632&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+02,+1887&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=THE+REV.+EDWARD+W.+BACON&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 4, 2011|title=The Rev. Edward W. Bacon: Memorial Service at New London|date=2 August 1887|publisher=The Hartford Courant|pages=6|accessdate=2 March 2010}}
References
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Category:19th-century American Congregationalist ministers
Category:Religious leaders from New Haven, Connecticut
Category:Congregationalist writers
Category:United States Navy sailors
Category:United States Army officers