Miles Bronson

Miles Bronson (20 July, 1812 – 9 November, 1883), was one of the first American Baptist missionaries who worked in the state of Assam in northeastern India.

Early life Bronson was born in Herkimer County in New York to Deacon Bronson and Rebekah Hall Bronson and was the youngest of five children; he married Ruth Montague Lucas in 1836.

Mission Work

Assam In 1835, David Scott, the Agent to the Governor General in the North-East Frontier invited the American Baptist Missionaries working in Burma (now Myanmar) to come to Assam to spread Christianity and education. Rev. Nathan Brown and Oliver Cutter were the first to arrive in 1837, and Bronson arrived at Sadiya in Assam on 8 July, 1838. Brown and Cutter, along with their families, had landed at Sadia with the objective to go to northern Burma and southern China through Sadiya. Initially, as part of their mission, they worked among the local people by establishing co-ed schools, writing books in the local languages, and preaching Christianity. They was prominent in the official recognition of the Assamese language. including Sophie Bronson Titterington, who wrote several books including a short biography of her sister Maria; Maria went on to work at the school her mother had founded and was part of the Women’s Baptist Missionary Society of the West until her death from cholera at the age of 33.

Namsang From his accounts, it is known that Bronson made his first journey to Namsang, on 7 January, 1839. Taking a rubber tent and an interpreter, he crossed dense forests, streams, and mountains. He was the first Caucasian to visit the area. At first, the villagers took him for a spy for the British East India Company, sent to collect information before annexing their territory. After waiting for two days by the side of the village, the Khonbao (chief) called upon him. Bronson told the villagers that he had come to learn their language and to preach the messages of the Gospel. With his geniality, soft words, and useful gifts, he was able to gain the goodwill of the Khonbao. Soon, the people accepted him into the village and the Khonbao allowed two of his sons to teach him the Nocte language. Bronson stayed in Namsang until January 29, 1839, studying and preparing a catechism in Nocte.

First Books in Nocte

Bronson and his fellow missionaries brought a printing press with them to Sadiya. They learned the Assamese, Khamti and Singpho languages, and prepared to write books in those languages. Very soon the missionaries began to publish books on their press at Sadiya. When they left Sadiya for Joypur in January 1839, following the Khamti insurrection, they took their printing press with them. After his first Namsang visit, Bronson prepared a catechism book in Nocte. The book was published in 1839 and Bronson followed it up with A Spelling Book and Vocabulary, written in English, Assamese, Singpho, and Naga. During his second visit to Namsang, he presented the two books to the Bor Khonbao (acting chief). Bronson wrote how the Bor Khonbao was pleased that two books had been printed in their language; it could no longer be said that they had no books. Bronson wrote another two books for the Noctes: Vocabulary in English, Assamese Singpho and Naga (1840), and Phases in English and Naga (1840). Ruth Bronson translated Worcester’s Primer into Nocte in 1840. Evening school was established and held for those who worked and could not attend the school during the daytime. The scholars came to the school with their dao (swords) and spears. The villagers were not in favor of female education and were unwilling to spare their women from their traditional duties.

When Bronson was working among the Noctes, the American Board sent Cyrus Barker with his wife to assist him. Miles Bronson's sister, Rhoda Bronson, also came with Barker to work at Namsang. They arrived at Joypur on May 7, 1840. Rhoda Bronson went to Namsang with her brother

Ruth Bronson died in 1869 and in 1871 Miles married Mrs. F. A. Danforth who died in Rangoon in 1874. Phases in English and Naga (1840) A dictionary in Assamese and English, (American Baptist mission press, 1867) Catechism in Assamese