The collection includes Frederic Bronson’s correspondence, 1832-1863, undated; accounts, records of loans, mortgages, 1828-1863; deeds, maps, and other land, business, and personal papers, 182?-1861, undated. Lands covered include those in Chicago, Michigan, Somerset County (New Jersey), western New York counties, New York (city), Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
The Clarke also has the original papers of Isaac and Arthur Bronson, Frederic’s father and brother, and the Bronson Family Papers (See those finding aids.). These collections include some additional papers of Frederic Bronson.
On microfilm, the Clarke has the Bronson Family Papers deposited at NYPL (Mss. Micro F-40, 30 reels of positive microfilm). Here, amidst papers of numerous Bronson family members, are found Frederic’s letters, 1825-1861, 1863 (reel 6, 17-18, 23, 25); miscellaneous, 1829-1854 and accounts, 1839-1863 (reels 26-27), and Bronson land and miscellaneous papers (reels 7-9, 18, 25, 29-30). Frederic’s Land Book, 1840, covering Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois, is part of the Arthur Bronson Papers in the Newberry Library. The negative microfilm of this book (Acc#565) is also available at the Clarke. The Land Book, 1840, was filmed by the Chicago Historical Society in 1978 and donated to the Clarke.
Biography:
Frederic Bronson was born May 2, 1802 in New York (city), the son of Isaac and Anna (Olcott) Bronson. The eighth child of ten, Frederic married Charlotte Brinckerhoff of New York on March 1, 1838. They had at least three children: Frederic (died 1900); Charlotte; and Louisa.
Frederic lived in New York (city) and Connecticut. He was a banker, businessman, land speculator, money-lender, and promoter of westward expansion. With his father, Isaac Bronson, and son, also named Frederic, he opened at bank in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Frederic (senior) died in 1868. (This information is from reel 1 of 30 Bronson Family Papers, filmed at the New York Public Library (NYPL) in 1971, a copy of which is available at the Clarke Historical Library.)
