Miles Bronson was an American Baptist missionary who played a significant role in the history of Christian mission in Northeast India, especially among the Naga people. Bronson was born on July 20, 1812, in Norway, New York, USA, to a farming family. His father was Ochie Bronson and his mother was Rebekah Bronson. He was very much loved by his family. Bronson was very sharp in his studies. He received his primary education at the Anaida Institute and the Iteka Institute in his native place. He took his higher education in a nearby town. He later taught in a village school. He graduated from the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution (now Colgate University) in 1936 for higher education. He was married on September 7, 1936, to Ruth Montagu of Madison, New York.
Meanwhile, Francis Jen Kinche, the British Commissioner in charge of the administration of Assam, and Nathan Brown, the missionary of Assam, requested the American Baptist Missionary Union to send more missionaries to Assam. Therefore, on 29 April 1836, he sent Miles Bronson and Jacob Thomas as missionaries to Assam. On 17 October 1836, they sailed from Boston with their families, carrying a printing press and printing equipment, and arrived in Calcutta (now Calcutta) on 11 April. On 26 April 1837, he left Calcutta for Assam by boat across the Brahmaputra. Bronson suffered from malaria near Bishwanath Ghat and was on his way to Shadia in search of medicine when two trees fell on the boat near Saikhona on July 7 and the boat sank. The sailors survived but Thomas died there. Mission colleague Oliver Cutter brought the body of the deceased to Shadia and Brown buried him. Bronson arrived in Shadia on 17 July 1837 with his wife and Thomas' widow in a sick body.
He became a missionary in Assam, studied the language and culture of the people in every corner of Assam, preached the nectar of Jesus, opened schools, teacher training and orphanages in various places. He was the founder of the present Nagaon Mission High School. He also established congregations and mission centers in various places in Assam as well as abroad.
Miles Bronson served in Assam from 17 July 1837 to 1847, 1851 to October 1857, 1860 to 1868 and 1870 to Bronson died on 9 November 1883 in Aton Rapids, Michigan, USA, after forty-two years of painstaking service in Assam.
He wrote many books in Assam. In 1837, he published Spelling Book and Vocabulary in English, Assamese, Singpho and Naga. It is certainly amazing that a foreigner can learn three languages and write a book in two years.
Miles Bronson's efforts had a lasting impact on the religious, educational and cultural environment of Nagaland and the North East of India. His contribution is highly respected by both the Christian community and the Naga community.
