Elijah Bronson

 

AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

Contact information on HOME page

Direct descendant is highlighted in red  

Elijah Bronson
Served in the American Revolution
see FAMILY TREE
Born: 15 May 1755 Waterbury, New Haven, CT
   
Married: 10 March 1778 Waterbury, New Haven, CT
   
Died: 17 Mar 1822 Onandaga, NY
   
Buried: Tully Cemetery, Onondaga Co., NY  
 

FATHER

Josiah Bronson

MOTHER

Sarah Hurd

WIFE

Lois Bunnell

CHILDREN

1. Lucy Bronson b. 3 Sep 1778 Waterbury, New Haven, CT

2. Giles Bronson b. 13 Feb 1780 Waterbury, New Haven, CT

3. Irene Bronson b. 28 May 1782 Waterbury, New Haven, CT

4. Sabra Bronson b. 09 March 1784 Waterbury, New Haven, CT

5. Selah Bronson b. 26 Feb 1786 Waterbury, New Haven, CT

6. Silas Bronson b. 15 Feb 1788 Waterbury, West Farms, (now Middlebury), CT

7. Elijah W. Bronson b. 01 Jan 1794 Waterbury, New Haven, CT

8. Amos Bronson b.15 Feb 1795 Waterbury, New Haven, CT

9. Polly Bronson b. 03 Dec 1797 Waterbury, New Haven, CT

            m. Henry S. Wheeler

Elijah Bronson
by Susan Brooke
Aug 2021

Elijah Bronson, born 15 May 1755, was the last child born to Josiah Bronson and Sarah Hurd. (1) His mother died when he was twelve years old and his father remarried four months later.
Elijah served one month and twenty-two days in the American Revolution in Captain Asa Bray's regiment under Col. Noadiah Hooker starting 3 Apr 1777 and ending May 15, 1777. Captain Asa Bray was born 1741 in Branford, New Haven, CT so it seems likely this is the correct Elijah Bronson.  (2)  The Indiana DAR states that Elijah was injured, but there is no corroborating proof. (3)
The next year Elijah Bronson married Lois Bunnell on 10 Mar 1778. (4) They named their first child Lucy after his half sister Lucy Bronson who had died in 1776.
Elijah and Lois Bronson had nine children.  By 1820 they were living in Tully, Onondaga, NY with their two youngest children, Amos and Polly.  (5) Elijah Bronson died 17 Mar 1822 at the age of 66 and was buried in the Tully Cemetery. (6) His son, Silas Bronson, was a very successful merchant.  When Silas wrote his will in 1859 he named his siblings, writing: "I give and bequeath to each and every of my nephews and nieces the children of my deceased brothers Giles Bronson and Selah Bronson my brothers Amos Bronson and Elijah Bronson and my sisters Irena Hull, Sabra Blake and Polly Wheeler the sum of (15,000) fifteen thousand dollars."  All his siblings were mentioned except Lucy who may have died in infancy. (7)

Sources

(1) Connecticut Birth Records

(2) Military Roll serving under Capt. Asa Bray and Col Noadiah Hooker
The Within is a true pay abstract of my Company allowing five days before they arrived in Camp and five days to return counting the 15th of May for one of the marching days left, Asa Bray, Capt.   May 10, 1777
Elijah Brunson, Time in Service April 3, Months and Days of Service 1 month 22 days, Wages per month, 2, Time of discharge May 15, Total due 3  9  4.


(3) A roster of Revolutionary ancestors of the Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution : commemoration of the United States  1976

DAR record

 

(4) Connecticut Town Marriage Records (Barbour Collection

(5) 1820 census Tully, Onandaga, NY

(6) Findagrave

Inscription: Erected by his Grandchildren 1878

(7) Will of Silas Bronson
Will dated 5 Oct 1859
Probated 11 Dec 1867

From the will of Silas Bronson "First, I direct the payment of my debt, if any and funeral expenses. I also authorize and direct my executors to purchase, fence and otherwise improve a cemetery lot and erect a proper monument therein, and to pay the expenses out of my estate. Second. I give and bequeath to each and every of my nephews and nieces the children of my deceased brothers Giles Bronson and Selah Bronson my brothers Amos Bronson and Elijah Bronson and my sisters Irena Hull, Sabra Blake and Polly Wheeler the sum of (15,000) fifteen thousand dollars. The number of said nephews and nieces is believing to be twenty five and the aggregate amount of said legacies will consequently be ($375,000) Three hundred and seventy five thousand dollars."