BRONSON, Miles. Norway, Maine (Chr. Biogr.) or co. Herkimer, N.Y. (Wikipedia) 20.7.1812 — Eaton Rapids, Mich. 9.11.1883. U.S. Baptist Missionary in India. Son of Deacon Bronson and Rebekah Hall. Educated at Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution (future Colgate University) and Hamilton Theological Seminary, ordained priest 1836. Together with Nathan Brown and O. C. Cutter founded the Baptist Mission in Assam in 1837 and worked there until 1879, first in Sadiya and Jaipur (Jeypore), in 1840 moved to Namsang, Naga Hills. His sister and helper Rhoda Bronson died there 1840 and he moved to Nowgong in the plains (1867 there), at the end in Dibrugarh. In 1848-51 on leave because of health problems. Left India in 1876. He was the first Christian missionary among the Garos. Three times married, 1836 Ruth Montague Lucas (d. 1869), remarried 1871 Mrs. F. A. Danforth (d. 1874), again 1874? Mary Donnelly Rankin. He had two daughters.
Publications: A Dictionary in Assamese and English. 607 p. Sibsagar 1867 (and repr.).
– A Spelling Book and Reading Lessons in English, Assamese, Singpho and Nocte. 1840; Phrases in English and Nocte. 1840.
– Christian texts in English, Assamese, Singpho and Nocte (Naga).
Sources: Americans in Asia; S.K. Barpujari, JIH 48, 1970, 427ff.; Dictionary of Christian Biography of Asia with photo (dcbasia.irg); marriage details, etc. from Sophie Bronson Titterington, A Century of Baptist Foreign Mission. Philadelphia n.d.; *Th. Haolai, M.Br. A Lionhert Among Missionaries. 2013; Wikipedia (long account, very little after 1840).
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