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Bronson Family Papers

Collection, Ms B12

1741 – 1945
1820 – 1980
Fairfield Museum
The Riverside Cemetery is a historic landmark located in Waterbury, Connecticut. Riverside was designed by Waterbury architect, Robert Wakeman Hill. Hill designed the cemetery in the "natural" style that was popularized in English garden design and made popular in the United States during the 19th century. The cemetery contains many monuments sculpted by prominent sculptors including, George Edwin Bissell.

Riverside was the burial place for wealthy families of Waterbury, including Aaron Benedict, Henry Sabin Chase, The Scovill Brother, Sarah Johnson Prichard, and Caroline J. Welton. During the 1890s the remains of Puritan Settlers were transferred from the Ancient Burying Grounds, the present site of Library park, to Riverside.

Isaac Bronson (1760-1839) was a surgeon in the Revolutionary War. He later entered banking in New York City, and played a significant role in the development of the early banking system as well as investing in western lands. Bronson is credited with co-founding both the New York and Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Companies, and he became one of the wealthiest men in New York City, In 1796, he purchased the property of the late Timothy Dwight on Greenfield Hill in Fairfield, and became director and president of the Bridgeport Bank from1807 to 1832.. He and his son Frederic (1802-1868), who later summered in Fairfield, continued their New York financial and social connections. His grandson Frederic Bronson (1849-1900) rebuilt the family house "Verna," which later became the Fairfield Country Day School. The Bronson windmill was restored in the 1970s and is now owned and maintained by the Town of Fairfield.
The Waterbury Cemetery Collection contains various historical and company records of cemeteries throughout the City of Waterbury as well as surrounding towns. The collection contains documents from 1741-1945 and undated. The collection is sorted into three series. The Riverside Cemetery Series contains documents regarding the historical Riverside Cemetery, documents include company records, cemetery census records, as well as lot books. The Waterbury Cemetery Series contains Cemetery Census records from various cemeteries around the city, including Calvary and Old Pine Grove. The third series in the collection is titled Other Cemeteries. This series contains documents regarding cemeteries from surrounding towns, such as Watertown and Waterville.

The Waterbury Cemetery Collection contains various documents detailing the history and interments of various cemeteries throughout Waterbury. Some of the cemeteries include Riverside, Calvary, and Grand Street. The Collection includes Census Records from Riverside Cemetery, as well as various company records. There are also various books regarding the Riverside Cemetery detailing the lot maps and census records. Also represented throughout the collection is the Waterbury Cemetery Census from 1934 detailing every cemetery in Waterbury. Lastly, the collection also contains records regarding cemeteries from surrounding towns, like Watertown. ;This collection is made up of 14 boxes, 1 oversize item and 51 photographs. Boxes 1 through 8 contain account books and boxes 9 through 14 letter books. These books are national in scope. The oversize item is a letter book. The photographs (of the windmill) are in the F.H.S. photo file. In Box 14, Folder E are the papers about the Bronson windmill restoration filed by date. For further details, see the table of contents.
The collection is sorted into three series based on the cemetery.
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