Robert Bacon

Robert Bacon
United States Ambassador to France
In office December 31, 1909 – April 19, 1912
President	William Howard Taft
Preceded by	Henry White
Succeeded by	Myron T. Herrick
39th United States Secretary of State
In office January 27, 1909 – March 5, 1909
President	Theodore Roosevelt William Howard Taft
Preceded by	Elihu Root
Succeeded by	Philander C. Knox
26th United States Assistant Secretary of State
In office October 11, 1905 – January 27, 1909
President	Theodore Roosevelt
Preceded by	Francis B. Loomis
Succeeded by	John Callan O'Laughlin
Personal details
Born	(1860-07-05)July 5, 1860 Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, U.S. (now part of Boston)
Died	May 29, 1919(1919-05-29) (aged 58) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Martha Waldron Cowdin
Children	4, including Robert, Gaspar
Education	Harvard University (BA)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	Lieutenant colonel

Robert Bacon (July 5, 1860 – May 29, 1919) was an American athlete, banker, businessman, statesman, diplomat and Republican Party politician who served as the 39th United States Secretary of State in the Theodore Roosevelt administration from January to March 1909.^[1] He also served as Assistant Secretary of State from 1905 to 1909 and Ambassador to France from 1909 to 1912.^[2]

Bacon was a native of Boston, Massachusetts and attended Harvard College. While a student at Harvard, he starred in athletics, captaining the football team, rowing crew, and winning events in boxing and track. He befriended future president Theodore Roosevelt, leading to a lifelong friendship and professional relationship. After graduation, he became an investment banker with the firm of Lee, Higginson & Co. before joining J.P. Morgan & Co. in New York.

As Secretary of State, Bacon pressed Roosevelt's interests in the United States Senate to ratify treaties with Colombia and the new nation of Panama to resolve disputes over the Panama Canal. He continued to advance United States interests in Latin America after leaving office, conducting a tour of the region for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and publishing a treatise arguing for better relations with South America.^[3]

Bacon was a leader in the movement for military preparedness following the outbreak of the First World War, establishing training programs for potential soldiers and officers prior to American entry to the war. In 1916, he narrowly lost the Republican primary for United States Senator from New York to William M. Calder. He was commissioned as a major in the United States Army in 1917 and served under General John Pershing in France. Pershing appointed Bacon to a major role as the chief American liaison to British General Headquarters.^[3] Bacon returned to the United States following the war but died from complications following surgery less than two months after his arrival in New York City.