One of a Thousand/Bacon, Edwin Munroe
Bacon, Edwin Munroe, son of Henry and Eliza Ann (Munroe) Bacon, was born in Providence, R. I., October 20, 1844. His father was an eminent universalist clergyman, who died in Philadelphia when he was a lad of twelve years.
His early education was mainly received in private schools in Providence, Philadelphia, and Boston. He finished his studies in an academy at Foxborough, a private and boarding school which flourished for many years under James L. Stone as principal, and which fitted many boys for college.
At the age of nineteen he became connected with the "Boston Daily Advertiser" as a reporter, Charles Hale at that time being chief editor of the paper. He remained with the "Advertiser" for several years, and then left its employ to take the editorship of the "Illustrated Chicago News," in Chicago, Ill., an enterprise which enjoyed a very brief but honorable career.
From Chicago he returned East, and in the spring of 1868 became connected with the "New York Times," first as assistant night editor, subsequently becoming night editor, and later, managing editor. He was fortunate in securing employment on the "Times" staff during the life of Henry J. Raymond, its founder. Under him and the late S. S. Conant—general news editor during Mr. Raymond's later years—he learned the journalist's trade thoroughly. He was made managing editor by John Bigelow, who became editor of the "Times" soon after the death of Mr. Raymond.
In 1872 Mr. Bacon resigned his position on the "Times" on account of ill-health produced by over-work, and returned to Boston. Subsequently he joined the staff of the "Advertiser" as general news editor, after representing it in New York for some months as its special correspondent there. In 1873 he became chief editor of the "Boston Globe," and conducted it as an independent journal. Resigning in 1878, he returned to the "Daily Advertiser," assuming the duties of managing editor. In the winter of 1883, upon the retirement of Edward Stanwood, chief editor, Mr. Bacon came into full editorial charge of the paper, and in the summer of 1884 he was made associate editor with Professor Charles F. Dunbar. In January, 1886, he retired from the "Advertiser," when the paper passed into the control of new hands, and in May, 1886, was made chief editor of the "Boston Post," when this journal was purchased by a number of gentlemen known in politics as Independents. Under the editorship of Mr. Bacon the "Post" has steadily grown in public favor, and has secured a permanent position among the daily papers of the first class in the country. The present management intend to maintain a high standard of independent journalism by treating all political and other questions of public interest with fairness, frankness, and propriety, and to continue to advocate with the same energy and persistency it has displayed in the past, tariff and administrative reforms until they are finally established.
Mr. Bacon has done much work as a special correspondent. Early in his career he wrote for several western journals; for several years he served as Boston correspondent of the "New York Evening Post;" he was a special correspondent of the "New York Times" in Boston from 1873 until his assumption of the editorship of the "Boston Post," and he was the regular Boston letter-writer of the "Springfield Republican" in the summer of 1879 and that of 1886.
He has compiled several books in Boston. He is the author of "King's Dictionary of Boston" (1883)—now "Bacon's Dictionary of Boston" (Houghton, Mifflin & Company, 1886), and is the editor of "Boston Illustrated" (Houghton, Mifflin & Company).
On the 24th of October, 1867, at Somerville, Mr. Bacon was married to Gusta E., daughter of Ira and Hannah Hill. He has one child, Madeleine P. Bacon.