Rufus S. Bacon Rufus S. Bacon has been a resident of Kent county, Mich., since the year he was first entitled to exercise his franchise, but his prominence in Grand Rapids township does not rest upon his activity as a politician or officeholder, but upon the more honorable career he has pursued as an agriculturist and his usefulness as a citizen. He may be classed among the pioneers of Kent county, and, as he came here at his majority, the half or nearly half century that he has lived here has been one of actual work in developing the township from the wilderness into one of the most productive, blooming and profitable regions of the state of Michigan adding to its intrinsic value daily by his labor, and, it is pleasing to, add, to his own worldly possessions. Although his toil has been hard and of long duration, he has not been unrewarded, as the sequel will show. Rufus S. Bacon resides in section No. 10, Grand Rapids township, and is one of its best known farmers. He was born in Wayne county, N.Y., January 28, 1833, and his parents were John and Eliza (Daniels) Bacon, the father born in New York and the mother in Vermont. In 1854 the family came to Kent county, Mich., then returned to the east, but two years later, in 1856, came back to Kent county, rented a farm in Grand Rapids township, and two years later moved to Plainfield township, where they remained two years and then bought a farm of eighty acres in Grand Rapids, the father and Rufus buying it together. It had but a small old house on it, and they went $1,000 in debt, and had to pay for it from the earnings from the land. Later they sold and the subject secured his present place, which lies adjoining to the original farm. Truman Bacon, brother of John, the father of the subject, came to Michigan later, were well known farmers, and both died here at well advanced ages. Most of the present farm of ninety acres Rufus has improved himself, and has thereon erected substantial buildings, his residence being one of the finest farmhouses in the county. Rufus has turned the farm largely to orchard, has over 4,000 trees, mainly peaches, and these cover about thirty acres. He has grown as high as 2,000 baskets of peaches in one year. Mr. Bacon is a republican in politics, but looks for the best man to fill local offices, regardless of party affiliations or ties. Mr. Bacon married, in 1855, Miss Mary Ann Aikins. They started housekeeping with nothing, his first work being for old John W. Squire, Plainfield township. There was born to this marriage but one child, Mariette, who died at thirty years of age, unmarried. Mr. Bacon and wife, however, reared a boy, Fred Norton, taken from the Coldwater school, who has lived with them for thirteen years, coming at the age of eight. After becoming of age, young Norton spent a year in the west, then returned, and is now operating the farm with Mr. Bacon. Of the Bacon family, one brother, Truman J. Bacon, when eighteen years old, enlisted in the First Michigan Cavalry and was killed at Falling Waters. One brother, Sumner S. Bacon, resides in Grand Rapids township, and he, like his brother Rufus, has always lived a temperate and industrious life, and both enjoy the respect of all who know them.