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Bronson Family papers

 Collection
Call Number: MS 103

Scope and Contents

The Bronson Family Papers, 1753-1902, consist of ten inches of correspondence, legal and financial papers, a diary, and miscellaneous items related mainly to the Bronson family of Washington, Conn. The largest segment of the papers concerns Moseley Virgil Bronson (1806-1890), son of Dr. Ira Virgil Bronson (1788-1866) and Sarah Ann (Moseley) Bronson (1775-1862).¹ There are also papers of his father, his father's parents, his mother's Moseley relations, and his brothers and sisters. Finally, there are a few non-family papers of the Hollister family and Maria N. (Fowler) Ford.

All the correspondence is in a single chronological sequence consisting mainly of these components (the principal place of residence being Washington, Conn., unless otherwise stated): › Ephraim and Bethiah Bronson of Locke, N.Y., and Groton, Conn., to their son and daughter-in-law, Ira V. and Sarah A. (Moseley) Bronson, 1813-1819 › Edna (Moseley) Todd of Richmond and Prince Edward County, Va., to various members of the Bronson family, 1821-1833, 1838-1846 › Family (mainly Ira V. and William C. Bronson) to Moseley V. Bronson, living in various places in N.Y. and Conn., 1827-1869 › Martha Bronson, at the State Normal School in New Britain, Conn., to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Moseley V. Bronson, 1857-1858 › Miscellaneous family and non-family, 1871-1902

The rest of the papers are filed alphabetically under the names of the persons to whom they belonged. Increase Moseley (1712-1795) is represented by a volume of his proceedings as justice of the peace in Woodbury, Conn., between 1753 and 1781. The papers of Moseley V. Bronson document his career as an officer of the Connecticut militia (12th Infantry Regt., Co. 5) and a teacher in New York and Connecticut. Ira V. Bronson, Lucy Ann (Whittlesey) Bronson, Susan M. Bronson, Walter W. Bronson, and William C. Bronson are represented by small quantities of miscellaneous material including legal and financial papers, records of teaching, and memorabilia. The diary of Maria N. (Fowler) Ford is a record of her experience as a physician's wife in Hawaii, 1854-1858, and in New York and Connecticut, 1858-1861. The unidentified papers include legal and financial papers, farm accounts, and some religious music.

¹Dr. Bronson was born in Locke, N.Y., studied medicine with Dr. Everest in Simsbury, Conn., and settled in Washington, Conn., in 1804. The following year he married Sarah Ann Moseley (1775-1862), daughter of Abner Moseley and grand-daughter of Increase Moseley (1712-1795), justice of the peace in Woodbury, Conn.

Dates

  • 1753-1898

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection are in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Clarence W. Bronson between 1943 and 1949.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by Bronson family members.

Extent

1 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/mssa.ms.0103

Additional Description

Abstract

Correspondence, legal and financial papers, a diary and miscellaneous items of the Bronson family of Washington, Connecticut. The largest part of the papers are those of Moseley Virgil Bronson (1806-1890), documenting his career as an officer of the Connecticut militia and as a teacher in New York and Connecticut. Of particular interest are the letters of Edna Moseley Todd, who moved to Virginia in 1821, and whose letters to various members of the family describe her life as a mother and school teacher, as well as offering comments on slavery and abolitionism. Also in the papers is the diary of Maria N. Fowler Ford, recording her experience as a physician's wife in Hawaii (1854-1858) and in New York and Connecticut (1858-1861). There are also miscellaneous papers of the Hollister family.

Index of Correspondents

  1. Allen, F. L., 1877 Sep 6
  2. Andrews, John P., 1853 Apr 15-1863 Oct 14, undated
  3. Baldwin, H., 1851 Mar 25
  4. Beach, S. Y., 1843 Aug 18
  5. Beeman, Oscar E., 1891 Dec 7-1902 Jan 8
  6. Bronson, Bethiah (Virgil), 1813 Oct 4-1819 Feb 19
  7. Bronson, Edwin, 1868 Dec 5-1874 Nov 9
  8. Bronson, Ephraim, 1813 Jan 20-1819 Jan 29
  9. Bronson, Harriett E., Undated
  10. Bronson, Ira Virgil, 1829 Dec 25-1851 Jun 8
  11. Bronson, Jacob, 1819 Jul 2
  12. Bronson, Martha A., 1857 Dec 4-1858 Dec 4, undated
  13. Bronson, Moseley Virgil, 1838 Apr 10-1851 Mar 31
  14. Bronson, Susan M., 1831 Jun 26
  15. Bronson, Walter Whittlesey, 1871 Mar 8-1902 Jun 12
  16. Bronson, William Clark, 1832 Jan 21-1839 Dec 30
  17. Brooks, George, 1838 Sep 3
  18. Calhoun, Sarah, Undated
  19. Calhoun, Seth, 1834 Feb 11
  20. Cogshall, William S., 1838 Feb 15
  21. Cooper, Daniel S., 1865 Apr 18-1879 Jan 8
  22. Curtis, Eli, 1838 Jul 2
  23. Dimock, Marvin W., 1852 Jan 13/14
  24. Doughty, Joseph C., [1840?] Aug 31-1850 Feb 21
  25. Hammond, Charles, 1837 Mar 21
  26. Hayes, Gordon, 1842 Oct 15
  27. Hemingway, Merrit, 1838 Jun 8
  28. Hickox, Ithiel, 1838 Oct 30
  29. Leavitt, William W., 1827 Dec 17-1838 Jun 12
  30. Moseley, W. G., 1877 May 23
  31. Peck, D. A., 1839 Feb 18
  32. Phelps, General, 1838 Apr 23
  33. Robertson, George B., 1838 May 9
  34. Smith, A[ugustus], 1869 Feb 15
  35. Smith, Ebenezer C., 1828 Apr 17
  36. Smith, J. Homer, 1839 Feb 16
  37. Sperry, H G, 1835 May 28
  38. Sunbury, Mrs. James B., 1853 Apr 12
  39. Todd, Edna (Moseley), 1821 Nov 1-1846 Dec 19
  40. Wheaton, J. B., 1845 May 22
  41. Whittlesey, Gould Camp, 1898 Jan 28
  42. Whittlesey, Sarah Deming, 1870 Mar 26
  43. Wood, Morgan L., 1834 Nov 30-1835 Jan 10

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the Bronson Family Papers
Status
Under Revision
Author
compiled by Susan Grigg
Date
November 1979
Description rules
Finding Aid Created In Accordance With Manuscripts And Archives Processing Manual
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

http://www.library.yale.edu/mssa/
Contact:
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)

Location

Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Opening Hours

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