Morning journal and courier., 1881-06-15
tSorruai ariS Gourisr.
wednesday Morning, june Is. 1881.
The Bacon Memorial at Akron, Ohio.

The Bacon Memorial at Akron, Ohio.
The Akron (ohio) Beacon of a recent date
says: Thursday, June 2, was great and
notable day in the township of Tall
madge." After describing the procession on
the occasion it adds: "Next after the band
rode the honored guests of the day-the Rev.
Leonard Bacon, d. D., Of New Haven, Ct;
the Rev. L. W. Bacon, Norwich, Ct, and
two Misses Bacon, daughter and grande augh-
ter of the venerable divine first named. These
members of the Bacon family had come to
witness the placing of memorial stone on
the spot where the Rev. David Bacon built
bowling wilderness"
In describing the spot it says: After
few minutes delay farther advance was
made on foot, through broad pathway
where the grain had been prematurely cut
down, into the center of an adjacent wheat
field on the land of Thomas Britain. Here
was found the memorial stone. huge
boulder of granite, whose estimated weight
is at least five tons. It rested on the very
spot where had been discovered the ruins of
the chimney in the old Bacon cabin-on
little eminence near a spring of most deli
cious water. The north face of the stone
presented to view the following inscription,
neatly cut in capitals Here the first
church in Ta1lmadge was gathered in the
house of Rev. David Bacon, JAN %, 1909.
June 2, 1881" The formality of placing"
the stone was gone through with by DIR.
Leonard Bacon, and by him few words
were spoken touching the identification of
the spot. and prayer was offered. Then, at
Il. e T ID rhn had
charge of the exercises, the people returned
to the grove and sat before the speakers
platform.
After the opening exercises the Rev. DIR.
Leonard Bacon, of New haven, whom all
were anxious to hear, arose. He told how
some seventy-four years ago, in the month of
May, little family set out from Hudson in
this county in a wagon, crossed the Cuyaho-
ga river, he could not say where, and finally
arrived one nightfall at the spot where now
stands the memorial stone. He told of the
father, in the vigor of manhood; the moth
or, brave young woman of twenty four Z;
the wee ones, himself, then aged five, the
of that family through the few years
of their stay in Tallmadge laying special
stress on the church event common
GRATED on the stone, and described their
departure for Connecticut in 1912. The
trials and privations of that family, the he
roism and patience of the mother, the
struggles and hopes and disappointments OF
the father-the David who had gathered
the first church, the final fruition and rich
realization of the plans that once seemed to
have reached such disastrous end-au these
things are part of the well known history
of Tallmadge; but DIR. Bacon reviewed them
with such peculiar tenderness and pathos,
born of intense flial love, that everyone
listened as eagerly as if the tale were then
e.. Az, G,o& &;roa haino told Than the ann
| the Rev.Leonard W. Bacon of Norwich, son OF
DR.. Bacon, known far and wide among Chris
| tian people through his writings, spoke
| briefly but very aptly and with evident emo
| ton He expressed his keen appreciation Of
| the public interest shown in the doings OF
| his grandsire in this (Tallmadge) township.
Mr.. G. G. Bronson, of Tallmadge, read
very interesting paper showing the growth
of Congregationalism in that town; and ad
/ dresses were made by Theodore Bacon OF
Rochester, the Rev. DIR. Bidwell and others
In the notes by the editor of the Beacon
we find the following paragraphs OF inter
| est:
The Rev. Leonard W. Bacon told the writ
| er of these chronicles that Tallmadge to day
| furnishes better example of Connection
| life and manners, pure and undefled, thar
| does the average Connecticut town. The ole
| commonwealth has absorbed such an i'm
mense influx of immigration from across thu
| sea that the distinctive characteristics of thu
old town life there are fading away, while il
| Tallmadge they yet abide.
The spot of land one rod square once oc
cupied by the Bacon cabin has been decided
| to the Rev. DIR. Bacon, of New Haven, and
| is said that he proposes to deed it In turn t.
the Congregational church and society o
| Tallmadge.
| The Rev L. w. Bacon, of Norwich, Sun
day evening preached an interesting discours
based upon the memorial exercises at Akron
and his grandfather's experience, taking 70
his text ebrews XII, 10: ''These all died II
faith, net having received the promises, " etc