b. Father51Mother42 -- Suffolk, England
THE FAMILY OF BACON IN ENGLAND
The family is of very early origin, and while there are several versions as to the derivation of the name, I think the general opinion is that it originated from the Saxon word "baccen" or "buccen," meaning a beech tree. Burke's Peerage says that "Various conjectures have been hazarded as to the origin of the surname of Bacon, but to little purpose. It matters not, however; the antiquity of the family is beyond dispute; and there are few houses in the kingdom more distinguished for the production of great and eminent men." Lowers Patronymica Britannica says, "Bacon, A seignory in Normandy."
According to the genealogy of the great Suffolk family of Bacon, one Grimbald, a relative of the Norman chieftain William de Warenne, came into England at the time of the conquest and settled near Holt. His great-grandson is stated to have taken the name of Bacon. This was only an assumption of an ancient Norman surname which is still existing in the north of France. William Bacon, in 1082, endowed the Abbey of the Holy Trinity at Caen.
In "Family Names and their Story," published by S. Baring Gould, he says that Bacon comes from Bascoin, the family name of the Seigneurs of Molai. He speaks of William Bacon who founded the Abbey of the Holy Trinity as being Lord of Molai.
William Arthur, in his "Dictionary of Family and Christian Names," gives the origin of the name as from the Anglo Saxon bacan to bake, to dry by heat.
THE FAMILY OF BACON IN ENGLAND
prcell of xxx acres menc'oned in a Coppye of my Waye called Trulleis by estimac'on as yt lyeth nowe Inclosed wth Rayles most fitlye & Convenient to have his passage chase and rechase from the waye caled Threwestwaye to and from the Com'on waye there leadinge by the Tenemt Trulleis To have and to howld all the aforesaid ffrehowld lands and lease lands wth ther apprtenances accordinge to ther severall natures & Tenures to him the said Michael his heyres & Assignes for ever, He to enter the same immedyately after my decease. And I will that Michael my sonne shall paye for the said xviii perches of the aforesiad waye Two pence A yere yerely To the Lord or Lords of the Mannor of whome the same is howlden. And I will that the said Michael his heyres and Assignes shall paye out of the sd Lands & Ten'ts the som'e of Tenne Pownds of lawfull Inglishe money wthin one monthe after my decease unto Grace my wife or to her Assignes Yf she then be lyvinge And alsoe I will that the sd Michael my sonne his heyres executors or Assignes shall paye out of the foresaid Lands to hym geven to Katherin Bacon the daughter of Elizabeth Bacon my daughter the som'e of Tenne Pownds of lawfull Inglishe money to be payde her in the Yere of or Lorde One Thowsand Sixe hundred Twentye and Two, Yf she the said Katherin be then living.
Item I will that my said sonne Michael his heyres Executors or Assignes or one of them shall at his or ther p'ticular costs and charges kepe mayntein & bringe upp Katherin Baken aforenamed wth sufficient meate, drincke apparell & all other things necessarye for her untill the sd Katherin shall atteine and come to the age of sixtene Yeres. Item I give unto my said sonne Michael my best ffetherbed bowlster & my best Coverings. A pott Tipped with silver Six silver spoons marked with M and B. Provided allwayes and my mynde is that yf Michael my sonne shall happen to Refuse or make denyall to bring upp the aforesaid Katherin as is aforesaide accordinge to my trewe meaninge, That then the said Michael his heyres executors or Assignes shall wthin sixe days after Denyall made paye unto my executor out of the said Lands and Tenements to him before geven the som'e of ffive Pounds of lawfull Inglishe money, And then my said Executor to bring uppe the said Katherin untill she shall atteine & come to the foresaid age of xvi years. Item I geve unto the sd Katherin the som'e of ffortye shillings of lawfull Inglishe money to be payde her at the age of
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TOC | Index: A-Et Bacon | Eu-Li Bacon | Lo-V Bacon | W-Zu Bacon
Other Last Names: A-Dou | Dov-Man | Man-Ste | Sti-Zyx
BACON GENEALOGY
xvi yeres (if she be then lyvinge) wch said xls I will that my said sonne Michael shall paye out of the Lands & Ten'ts to him bequeathed, in this my last will and Testament at the age of xvi yeres. And further I will that my said sonne Michael his heyres executors or Assignes shall paye out of the fforesaid Lands to him devised unto everye of the children of my sonne John Bacon nowe Borne (excepte John the eldest sonne of my sd sonne John) the somme of thre pounds sixe shillings eight pence of lawfull Inglishe money, the ffirst payment to be made to Elizabeth Bacon at the ffeast of St. Michaell th' archangell next & consequently followinge after my decease in or at the Churche porche of the prishe Church of Winston aforesaid. And then soe consequentlie yerely every yere folowinge begynninge with the next of age & soe to paye evrye of them as they come to age & as they be of age the foresaid som'e of thre powndes sixe shillings & eight pence (excepte as before excepted) untill all and everye of the said Children of the said John Bacon my sonne shall receive & be well & trewlie satisfyed Contented and payde ther sevrall porc'ons wch paymts to be made by the said Michael his heyres owner or owners of the foresaid Lands and Tenements. And further I will that if any the aforesaid som'e or som'es of money geven out of the sd lands before devised & geven unto my said sonne Michael be not by him his heyres or Assigns or by the owner of owners of the sd lands well and trewlie payde according to my will & trewe meaninge That then I will he she or they soe unpayde shall enter into all the foresaid lands Tenemts or any p'te or p'cell thereof out of wch the severall som'e or som'es of money are geven as bequeathed to take the whole prfytts & revenewes thereof untill they & evrye of them be fullye satisfyed and payed, doinge noe strippe nor wast not gevinge any accompte for the foresaid prfitts by them taken of the said lands and Tenemts. Item I give and bequeath unto Grace my wife the prlour where I nowe dwell & the nether chamber at the dayries ende Southwards to have & to howlde the sd prlour & chamber to her selfe & her servante for and duringe the tyme of thre monthes nexte & imediatelye followinge after my decease, during wch tyme I will that my said wife shall have & take uppon the lands before devised to John my sonne Competent and Necessarie ffire wood for her owne use onlye ther to be necessarylie burnte & not otherwise doinge noe manner of wast uppon anye the
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THE FAMILY OF BACON IN ENGLAND
said devised prmises for the said thre monthes, during wch tyme alsoe I will that my said wife shall have ffre ingresse, egresse & regresse to use occupye & have the sd prlour & chamber & other the prmises to her devised, And a Convenient place nere the sd prlour to sett or laye the wood in & to take water at the ponde for her necessarye use & Convenient hanginge for the dryinge of her lynnen and the use of the Oven to bake her bread at any tyme; Any Gifte devise or thinge whatsoever in this my said will to the Contrary thereof in any wise notwithstandinge. Item I give unto my said wife A quarter of my best Chase to be delivered unto her by my executor immediatelye after my decease uppon request to be made. Item I will that Grace my wife shal have to her & her Assignes for ever all the howsholde stuffe that was hers in her widowhoode as the same is expressed in A Inventorye thereof made wch shalbe in my possession at the tyme of my decease. And all the lynnen wch was hers at the daye of or Marriadge & one Combe of Wheate & one combe of Maulte to be delivered unto her within ffower dayes after Request made by her and all her apparell boath lynnen & wollen whatsoevr to her belonginge. Provided all ways yet nevertheless I will & my whole mynde & intent & trewe meaninge is, that if my said wife or any other for her or in her Right shall lawfullie or accordinge to the Custome or Customs of Mannor or Mannors whereof the same ben howlden (that is to saye) eyther ffreholde lands or Coppye lands Clayme any dower or demande any therds in any hereditamts Wherin I am, have been or shalbe seised of any inhertance And yf she doeth not release uppon Reasonable request all her whole estate interest and tytle of dower of and in all my lands and tenemts & hereditamts to the use of suche of my sonnes sevrally and ther heyers as I have devised the same unto by this my will by such good lawfull & sevrall Releases as shalbe devised by my sonnes evrye one for him selfe & his heyres or by his or ther Councell learned in the laws of the Realme for the extinguishmt of her dower & tytle of dower in the same the said Releases to be made & prvided at the Costs & Charges of my said sonnes. That then she my said wife shall not have nor take any benefit by this my will. But evrye Guyfte legacye and bequest herin devised geven and willed unto her shalbe merelye voyde & ffrustrate to all intents and purposes, as though she had never ben named nor spoken of in this my last
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TOC | Index: A-Et Bacon | Eu-Li Bacon | Lo-V Bacon | W-Zu Bacon
Other Last Names: A-Dou | Dov-Man | Man-Ste | Sti-Zyx
BACON GENEALOGY
will and Testamt any thinge herein to the contrarye notwithstanding.
Item I geve and bequeath all the Residewe of my movable Goods by whatsoever name or names they be caled not before geven nor devised in and by this my last and Testamt to John Bacon, Thomas Bacon & Will'm Bacon my sonnes to be equally devided and p'ted betwixte them three by the discretion of Geroge Tovell thelder of Debenham, Geroge Phillips & George Jaques of Winston. And if any of my sd sonnes doe Refuse & will not excepte of his p'te accordinge as yt shalbe sett out & Assigned by the aforesaid George Tovell, George Phillips & George Jaques or by two of them That then he soe refusinge to lose his p'te or porc'on of this my guyfte to him geven and the other two to have and injoye all the sd movable goodes. Alsoe I do nomynate ordeine and appoint my said sonne John Bacon to be my sole executor Requiringe and Chardginge in the ffeare of God & as he will answere at the daye of judgmt trewlye and ffaythefullye to prforme this my will in & through all things wch on his prte are to be prformed accordinge to my trewe intente and meaninge herein declared & according to the trust wch I Repose in hym. Provided allwayes I will & my meaninge is that yf my said sonne John shall refuse or doe not within Sixe weekes next after my decease take uppon him the execuc'on of this my will That then my sonne Will'm shalbe my sole executor Authorisinge him by vertue hereof to take uppon him the prbate & execuc'on of this my last will and Testamt & to doe in evrye thinge accordinge to the same as my said sonne John shoulde or ought to have done if he had provd the same. And thus I having herde this my will deliberately Reade & Considered well therof doe pronounce The same to be my last will and Testamt. And in the witness thereof & for the better Confirmac'on of the same have hereunto sett my marke & seale to the same the daye & Yeare above written. In the prnce of George Tovell & James Wyeth. This will conteyneth 4 sheets of Pap." This will conteynethe 4 sheets of Pap."
Michael Bacon, the son of Michael and Elizabeth (Wylie) Bacon, was borne in Winston, Suffolk County, England, where he was baptized on Dec. 6, 1579. Nothing is known of his life there. In 1633 his name
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THE FAMILY OF BACON IN ENGLAND
appears as one of the signers of the Dedham agreement. He evidently did not remain in this country at that time, for we find him to be a subscriber in the ship money returns for Suffolk County, England, under date of Mar. 27, 1640. He was put down for eight shillings. In the Dedham records he is stated to have come from Ireland, but his stay in that country was probably only a brief one, and possibly he may only have gone there to take passage to this country. The tradition that seems to be prevalent in many families that three brothers came over together holds good in this family, for with Michael came his three sons, as well as his grandchildren then born.
At a meeting held in Dedham May 26, 1640, the following vote was passed:
"It was by Inhabitants appoynted such are deputed to order Towne affayrs & others also being Called together for advice therein vpon deliberacon & good consideracon assented vnto & agreed vpon that the Towne of Dedham shall enterteyne Mr. Samuell Cooke together wth his estate And also Mr. Smith & Mr. Bacon all from Ireland & afford to them such accomodacons of vpland & medowe as their estates shall Requier & as ye Towne wthout Reall prjudice to ye sayd Towne can afforde wth all such accomodacons as their or any of their estates may competently Requier & Impve. And yt the same pvision of medowe & vpland shall principally lye in or about yt place of medowe Comonly called Bogastowe medowe. Together also wth such other vpland or house places or such other pcell or pcells as maye be sutable to ye sayd psons & ye prsent condicion of ye sayd towne wch sayd pcells shall lye in ye sayd towne as may be conveniently fownd for ye same vse of building vpon."
On June 23, 1640, the following vote was passed:
"Whereas Mris Smith & Mr. Bacon being lately arrived heer from Ireland haue been in our towne & not only well appvd of but also genrally desiered yt they might inhabitte wth vs And howesoeur their housbands are not yet come yet liberty is graunted
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TOC | Index: A-Et Bacon | Eu-Li Bacon | Lo-V Bacon | W-Zu Bacon
Other Last Names: A-Dou | Dov-Man | Man-Ste | Sti-Zyx
BACON GENEALOGY
vnto them to purchase in our towne for an habitacon. And such other accomodacons both of vpland & medowes to be given vnto them as their stocks and estates shall Requier as appeth by a former order concrneing ye same."
In 1644 Michael Bacon granted land to the town for a highway, and we find that the following vote was passed by the town:
"Whereas Michael Bacon hath parted with some of his plantinge Lot on the South side of Charles River for a common highway viz, from the Trayning ground to the Cart Bridge ouer Charles Riur three rods broad and may be ocasioned more charge of fencing thereby the Towne doth grant vnto him for full satisfaction for the same and it is fully assented vnto on both sides as followeth that the sd Michael shall haue & enjoy to him & his assignes for euer all that parcell of vpland ye remainder of a ten acres vpon the Iland and a parcell of meadow lying on the east side of it. Also a pcell of vpland as it lyeth from ye sd ten acre lot downe to Charles Riuer Reseruing for the vse of the towne foreuer a highway three rods broad throu all the sd two pcells of vpland where the Towne shall think most conueinent. Always pruided yt the sd Michael shall haue all the wood & timber growinge or yt shall grow vpon the sd highway.
And it is agreed betwene then yt if the towne shall se cause to desire a fence to be se vp to fence ye highway from ye land of Michael Bacon in his planting field abouesd the sd Michael is to prouide ye fencing stuffe ready & ye towne is to be at the Charg of the Carrage of it & ye sd Michael is to set it vp at his owne prop charge and to maintaine it at his owne Charge for euer. and is the mean while he is to prouide a gate or gates to secure his corne & to maintain them.
This grant aforesaid is in full satisfaction for his land or fencinge or for any trees yt heretofore have bin felled vpon any of the premyses.
The sd Michael Bacon is to enjoy the sd land wth out paying any Rates for it for euer."
Michael Bacon's wife was named Alice. By Dedham records he died April 18, 1648, and she died April
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THE FAMILY OF BACON IN ENGLAND
2, 1648. His will as published in the New England Historical and Genealogical register for July, 1853, is as follows:
Will of Michael Bacon
14-2-1648. Vnto Michall Bacon my Eldest sonne one tipped pott (torn) silver spoones after my decease (and) my stuff coate and my stockings. Vnto Daniell Bacon, my second sonne, the best kowe & the best steere, that shall be mine at the time of my decease, pvided, said kowe or steere be let out vpon hyer at (torn) of my decease. At the end of the tearme of hyer they shall be deliured vnto said Daniell. In case of losse of said cattell, my executor shall make it good. Vnto sonne Daniell, my best Iron kettle, and three pewter dishes of middle sort in value; my own best (torn) Coate & my wives best Gowne. Vnot John Bacon my third son, my pcell of vpland comonly called the twelve Acre Lott, with all buildings &c thervpon; also that pcell of Meadow adjoyning, allso four Acres of Meadow Lying in ffowle Meadow in Dorchester; all woodlands & swamps granted me by the Town of Dedham, excepting that Swampe that Lye on the North (of) Charles Riuer. To sonne John, my best ffeather bedd, except one (torn) twoo pillowes & pillow bieres, one blancket, best couerlet, except one, one payer of (torn) fine ope seamed sheetes, my bigg (torn) pott & one trammell. Vnto Sarah Bacon, my dau. my Tenement wherein I now dwell, with all the houses, lands &c there vnto belonging, also seauen acres of meadow in Broade Meadowe, & twoo Acres of my pcell of six acres in ffoule meadow, to be differentl devided from the other four Acres formerly in this my will given to my sonn John; also four Acres of Land vpon the great playne, lately purchased of Richard Ellice; allso that pcell of woodland I formerly purchased of Edward Culluer. If Sarah decease, without leauing issue, all Lands given her shall at the end of one year after her decease return to my twoo sonnes Daniell & John to be equally divided betwixt them. If Sarah leaue issue that shall not live to the age of 18 yeares, it shall returne as before said to my two sonnes. If her issue live to the age of 18, then my gift shall be of full force to them & their heires. to Sarah all my cattell not formerly disposed of; all my swine living or dead, my houshold stuffe not herein bequeathed, wth all instruments
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TOC | Index: A-Et Bacon | Eu-Li Bacon | Lo-V Bacon | W-Zu Bacon
Other Last Names: A-Dou | Dov-Man | Man-Ste | Sti-Zyx
BACON GENEALOGY
of husbandry my Cart wheeles with what doe belong to them, reserueing the Corne & debts due me, to the use of my executor. To Sarah my (orchard?) being on the Island playne. Vnto Thomas Bancroft my sonne in Law 20s to be payd within one yeare after my decease. John Bacon my sonne Executor vnto whom I giue all my gods not disposed of.
(sign) Michael o Bacon
In presence of
John Kingsberry
Eleazer Lusher Daniell ffisher deposed 26 (2) 1649
Daniell ffisher Increase Nowell sec'y
Memorandum, Anthony Hubbert is to paye to for that bullock he bought the same price he agreed for vpon purchase he is to paye the executor; as for that bullock of 3 years old Anthony Hubbert receaued vpon condicion to bring vp another steere to the same age he is discharged of that engagement, if the testator recover not. Anthony Hubbert is to pay for the testator 10s to Mr. Allen, pastor & 7s 6d to Mr. John Morse.
Inventory of Michaell Bacon of Dedham taken by Eleazer Lusher, John Eaton, Daniell Fisher 20-2 1649. Amt. 54£ 15s 04d
John Bacon deposed 26-2-1649.
Children, born in England:
2. i. Michael2, b. probably about 1608.
160. ii. Daniel, b. probably about 1615.
240. iii. John.
iv. Alice, m. Mar. 31, 1647, Thomas Bancroft of Dedham, son of John and Jane, b. in England in 1622. She d. Mar 29, 1648. The Dedham records also give the marriage of Thomas Bancroft and Elizabeth Metcalf, Sept. 15, 1648.
v. Sarah, m. Apr. 14, 1648, Anthony Hubbard of Dedham. By Dedham records, also, it is recorded Sary [sic] Hubbard d. 1652, no month or day given.
Michael Bacon 
