WI BIO - Dane Co - BACON, Eliza, Mrs. (nee IKIN)
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol II, pp 314-315

Mrs. Eliza BACON, the widow of the late Ira P. BACON, of Waunakee, Dane 
County, WI, is the daughter of Job J. and Eliza (JOHNSON) IKIN, both natives 
of London, England, where Mrs. BACON was born. There she married George 
FLATMAN, in 1863, and two years later they came to America, directing their 
way to Vienna, Dane County, WI, where they settled upon a farm with an aunt 
and uncle from England, remaining there a few years until Waunakee was first 
started, and in the fall of 1874 they removed to that village, which was then 
very small. They bought a lot and built a house upon it, intending to pass 
many happy years there. However, 29 Mar 1875, George FLATMAN was 
accidentally drowned in a spring flood of the mill pond belonging to Mr. 
PARKHAM. Mr. FLATMAN was a young man, only 35 years of age, and his sudden 
death was one of the sad things of life. Three children were left to the 
bereaved mother: William J., whose home is with his mother; George H., a 
resident of Wanakee, [Dane County], WI, married, and has one daughter; and 
Ernest, who died at the age of four years, of diphtheria, in 1877.

In Dec 1877, Mrs. Eliza FLATMAN married Judge Ira P. BACON. He was a native 
of NY, born at Canandaigua, a son of William BACON. The maiden name of the 
mother, Mrs. William BACON, was SMITH. Ira P. BACON first married, in NY, 
Miss Ellen NETTAWAY, of the same place, and soon after they removed to 
Kalamazoo, [Kalamazoo County], MI. He was a farmer boy, reared to farm life 
by his parents, who were in comfortable circumstances, and was one of seven 
children, of whom but one now survives. His parents died in middle life. 
Five children were born of his first marriage, with whom this notice is not 
concerned.

Judge Ira P. BACON came to Baraboo, Sauk County, WI, at an early day, 
engaging in conducting a stage line from Baraboo to Milwaukee, there being no 
Madison, WI, at that time. Wild animals were still numerous on his route and 
there were few white people; and Mrs. BACON remembers the Judge telling how 
he once ran a bear down into a grove near her home in the village. He 
removed to this place in 1864 and bought a farm. He was an active business 
man, engaged in building and contracting, using his means and energies to 
build up the town, being one of its founders. At his death he owned 300 
acres near the village, and also lands in other townships and in Dakota. For 
20 years he had been a Justice of the Peace and had a wide reputation as [p 
315] a jurist, business coming to him from distant points, parties feeling an 
assurance of having justice done them. A terror of evil doers, he meted out 
the penalty of the law without fear or favor.

The death of Judge Ira P. BACON took place at his home on 26 Feb 1888, at the 
age of 66 years. He had not been a professor of any particular religious 
creed, but was a moral man, public spirited, and liberal to all religious 
enterprises, helping along all schemes tending toward the welfare of 
humanity. He gave the land for the Roman Catholic Seminary and donated 
liberally to the erection of the church. His death was mourned by many 
besides his own family, of the latter leaving his widow and one daughter, 
Agnes Victoria, a bright and intelligent maiden, gifted in music, who will 
receive every educational advantage.

Judge Ira P. BACON had no advantages beyond the common school, but his 
ability and accuracy in all legal business was remarkable. The legal 
fraternity of Madison, Dane County, WI, were always ready to endorse his 
every act. He had a fair financial start in life from his father, but had 
many vicissitudes; but at the time of his death possessed a fair fortune, 
which has been admirably settled among the heirs. In politics he was a 
stanch Republican, ever advocating what he believed to be right.

Mrs. Eliza BACON had the beloved remains placed temporarily in the front yard 
of the residence, but a fine monument in the Vienna Cemetery [Dane County, 
WI] is to cover them, and there she desires to be laid by his side. She is a 
lady of much refinement and culture, one of the social factors of this little 
city.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly