Bacon Drug, a long-time fixture on Deerfield’s Main Street

Bacon came to Lakin from Illinois in 1888 with his parents, Benjamin and Sarah Bacon. His father was cashier at the Kearny County Bank but died unexpectedly in 1899, and Max became the man of the house. Max was a popular young man and excellent student. He attended college at Kansas State and held jobs for the Santa Fe and at The Index newspaper prior to his employment at the drug store. At Deerfield, Max served terms as the mayor and city clerk. A charter member of the Deerfield Masonic Lodge, he helped establish the organization there.

In 1910, Max married Nella Allen, but their happiness was short-lived. Nella suffered from a lung ailment, and she died one day after her 22nd birthday in 1913 in New Mexico where Max had taken her in hopes that the climate change would benefit her health. Anthony Sharpe, a physician and surgeon, briefly ran his practice out of the pharmacy during this time.

Bacon’s pharmacy was eventually moved to a concrete block building that had been constructed in 1910 on the west side of Deerfield’s Main Street to house the post office. Max was appointed postmaster in September of 1913, and in January of 1919, he secured the services of Henry Van Doren to assist in the drug store and post office. Van Doren, formerly of Salina, had recently been discharged from service at Camp Funston.

In 1920, a 30-foot addition was built at the rear of the store. The Advocate reported that, “Max Bacon and Henry Van Doren of the Bacon Drug Company are evidently satisfied with the outlook for the future of Deerfield as they have enlarged their Drug Store and Post Office building to twice the original size. They have installed new show cases and shelving, have repainted the walls and ceiling and will soon have as up to date a drug store as you will find in any community. They expect to carry considerable more stock and plan to install a soda fountain next season. The boys have come in for quite a little good natured Kidding from the public with regard to the longer walk to the mail boxes but everyone seems well pleased with the appearance of the store and we predict a nice increase in business for these progressive merchants.”

In October of 1924, Bacon began marketing a line of products specifically to the Spanish-speaking community. He had been working on the proposition for over a year, and the initial line was composed of three remedies: Ferretone Tonic Tablets, Ferretone Laxative Tablets and Ferretone Contra Dolor (anti-pain) tablets. To market to his clientele, Bacon used high-class advertising materials with the text entirely in Spanish. In 1926, The Independent announced that Bacon was putting up a new 14×28 building across the alley west of the Campbell Mercantile. “His business has increased until his present location is too small. His Ferretone business is growing fast.”

Max moved Ferretone to Wichita in 1929. The Wichita Eagle reported that Ferretone was fully financed and had enjoyed a steady growth for several years. “It is because it has outgrown the accommodations from a shipping standpoint which the smaller town offers that it is moving to Wichita. The company does a big mail order business, chiefly among the Spanish speaking people.” Ferretone products shipped all over the Southwest.

In 1937, Bacon found himself in trouble with the law for violations of the Food and Drug Act. He was found guilty and fined $1 and court costs which amounted to $32.50. He continued in business for a few more years but died in 1947. He was survived by his second wife, Amelia Gerteis Bacon.

In 1924, Van Doren became a registered pharmacist and was appointed Deerfield postmaster. He eventually acquired the Deerfield drug store and continued to operate the business under the name, Bacon Drug. He had married Catharine Campbell, daughter of Adam and Sarah (Mudd) Campbell of Lakin, in 1923. Presumably as a tip of the hat to Henry’s mentor, the Van Doren’s named their firstborn child “Max”. Henry was active in the Deerfield Methodist Church, American Legion, Masonic Lodge and Order of the Eastern Star. He also served as a school board member, Deerfield city officer, and a director of Kearny County Bank.

The announcement came in November 1967 that Van Doren was retiring, selling all his stock and closing Bacon Drug. The Van Dorens moved to Garden City following Henry’s retirement. His wife passed in 1981, and Henry in 1992. They were survived by their sons, Max and Phil.

The old drug store continued to grace Deerfield’s Main Street and housed Santa Fe Motor’s TV and repair shop followed by James Jarboe’s TV shop. Then Pioneer Telephone used the building for storage and as a drop-off for Deerfield residents to pay their monthly bills. In 2002, the structure was razed to build the parking lot for the Deerfield Community Center.