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Smith Cemetery ~ David Ostrum Bronson ~ part of the Polk County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
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Bronson, David Ostrum
LAST NAME: Bronson FIRST NAME: David MIDDLE NAME: Ostrum NICKNAME: 
MAIDEN NAME:  AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3: 
GENDER: M TITLE: 
BORN: 28 Jan 1835 DIED: 24 Jan 1915 BURIED: 26 Jan 1915 ~ Smith Cemetery
OCCUPATION:  Farmer
BIRTH PLACE:  Rochester, Michigan
DEATH PLACE: Dallas, Polk Co, Oregon
NOTES: 
MARRIAGE - D.O. Bronson & Mary Dempsey m 26 Jan 1870 at house of Mr. Dempsey; H.M. Waller, MG. Wit: J.G. Brown & I.N. Davidson. Bk B pg 88
1880 OR CENSUS - D.O. Bronson, age 43, occupation farmer, b. Michigan, is enumerated with wife M. J., age 32, b. Ohio, along with B. [Blanche], age 9, b. Oregon, H. [Hattie], age 7, b. Oregon, W. I. [William], age 5, b. Oregon, and C. B. [Charles], age 3, b. Oregon.
1900 OR CENSUS - David Bronson (b. Jan 1835, Mich) enumerated with wife of 30 years Mary J. (b Feb 1848, Ill, mother of 6 children, all living) and son Walter H. (b May 1884, Ore); also in house was cousin Mary E. Ward (b Nov 1886, Ore)
NOTE - daughter Hattie Bronson Sibley was the mother of Evelyn Sibley Lampman, the famous children's writer
DEATH CERTIFICATE: 
OSBH DC (Polk County 1915) #399 - David Oastrum Bronson, male, retired farmer, married; b. 28 Jan 1835 in Michigan, d. 24 Jan 1915 in Dallas, Oregon (210 Court St.) at the age of 79 yrs 11 mos 27 days, name of father William Bronson (b. Massachusetts), maiden name of mother Almira Marvin (b. New York); informant George H. Bronson of Dallas
OBITUARY: 
PASSING OF A PIONEER
DAVID O. BRONSON DIES AT AGE OF EIGHTY YEARS
For More Than Four Decades He Resided on a Ranch in the Lewisville Area.
David O. Bronson, a resident of Polk county for fifty years, died at his home, 210 Court street, Monday morning at 1 o’clock, demise being resultant from a partial stroke of paralysis due to old age, and which he suffered about two weeks ago. Mr. Bronson was 80 years of age. During his residence of 38 years in this county he formed many friendships that went with him to the grave. He was a man universally esteemed. The funeral was held from the undertaking parlors this morning at 10 o’clock and the remains were interred in the Lewisville cemetery, near the old home place. Rev. Bennett, pastor of the Dallas Methodist church, conducted the funeral services over the body. 
David Oastrum Bronson was born January 28, 1835, two miles southeast of Rochester, Michigan. At the age of 18 years he left his home and went to Illinois, where he lived until 23, when he came to California, by way of Panama, arriving in California in 1857. In 1861 he returned to Michigan by way of Panama, and came back to California the same year, crossing the plains and bringing with him six horses. He remained in California until the spring of 1864, when he came to Oregon on horseback with Elijah Miller. In 1865 he engaged in the mercantile business at Dixie (now Rickreall) in partnership with W. C. Brown. 
In 1867, he engaged in the cattle business with W. C. Brown, and having bought up a herd of cattle and went to Yakima county, Washington, where he pre-empted 160 acres of land, near what is now the town of Prosser. The ranch is located on the north side of Yakima, across from the Simcoe reservation. He was married January 26, 1870, to Mary Jane Dempsey. In 1872 he sold the Yakima ranch and stock and came back to Polk county, and lived one winter on Soap creek. This was about the year 1872. 
In the fall of 1872 himself and family went to Texas by train. Texas did not appeal to them and they drove into Southern Kansas, where the rest of family took the train and went to Gilson, Illinois. In February 1873, having disposed of the mules and wagon, he then went on to Illinois. In April 1873, Mr. and Mrs. Bronson and family came to California by train, and took the boat from San Francisco to Portland, and from Portland to Buena Vista by river boat. They then moved on the W. C. Brown farm, north of Dallas, and lived there through the summer, when on September 29, 1873, they bought a farm on the Luckiamute, and lived there until October 1, 1912, when they moved to Dallas. 
Mr. Bronson is survived by a widow and five children – Mrs. H. C. Eakin, Mrs J.E. Sibley and George H. Bronson of Dallas, William I. Bronson of Airlie and Charles D. Bronson of Ohio.
Polk County Observer (Tuesday) 26 Jan 26, 1915, 1:6
INSCRIPTION: 
David Ostrum
Bronson
Apr. 28, 1835
May 25, 1915
[shares marker with Mary & Walter Bronson]
SOURCES: 
OSBH DC (Polk County 1915) #399
Polk Co, Oregon, Marriage Records, 1849-1879, page 46
1880 OR CENSUS (Polk Co, Luckiamute Pct, ED 107, FA#91)
1900 OR CENSUS (Polk Co, Luckiamute Pct, ED 176, FA#46)
PCO 26 Jan 1915, 1:6
CONTACTS: 
ROW: 46-6  

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