Bronson Gus01

Waupaca Republican Post

July 22 1926

GUS BRONSON ANSWERS LAST CALL TO ARMS

PASSES AWAY AT WISCONSIN VETERANS HOME ON MONDAY NIGHT

AFTER SHORT ILLNESS

Gus Bronson passed away at the Wisconsin Veterans’ Home, following a brief illness, Monday, July 19.

About eighteen months ago, while on the road as shoe salesman, he fell and broke his arm near the shoulder and had been in failing health for several months. It was only within a few days that he had been removed to the hospital, where he appeared to be improving to a marked extent and his death was, therefore, entirely unexpected.

Mr. Bronson was a member of one of the pioneer Norwegian families of this state, he having been born at Christiana, Nov. 20, 1841. When an infant in arms, his parents came to America, and settled at Muskego, near Waukesha, the home of the famous Heg family, who were members of the same party of immigrants and close friends of the Bronson family.

Was In Civil War

In 1850, the family moved to Menasha, from which city Mr. Bronson enlisted in 1862 in Company C of the Tenth Wisconsin regiment, and served to the close of the war. Shortly afterward he came to Oshkosh and was engaged in various lines of business. At the time of the “big fire”, in 1875, he was manager of the Harding opera house, which was destroyed in the conflagration. Shortly after that he started in on his career as a traveling salesman.

He married Miss Emilada O. Knapp, daughter of “Deacon” A.B. Knapp, pioneer Oshkosh lumberman, June 15, 1868. Four sons were born, of whom one, Charles, died in 1881. The three surviving ones are L.K. Bronson of Oshkosh, Gus Bronson, Jr., of Waukesha, and Robert G. Bronson, who is living in a western state.

Moved to Waupaca

The family moved to Waupaca in 1880, where Mrs. Bronson died in 1896. Mr. Bronson married Miss Elizabeth Bowman, a member of one of the pioneer families of Waupaca, a talented artist, and prominent club woman, who survives him. While Mr. and Mrs. Bronson have a home at Waupaca, his disability, as the result of his accident, made it expedient for them to go to the Veterans’ home, where Mr. Bronson could have the best medical car.

Mr. Bronson was a member of the Grand Army post in this city and was a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge, which had conferred upon him the honorary veterans’ membership, because of his long association with the order. He was a collector of mementoes of various kinds and had in his collection many items of historic interest.

Brothers and Sisters

Besides his immediate family he leaves four brothers, M.E. Bronson and J.N. Bronson, both of Minneapolis; E.C. Bronson of Portland, Ore., and W.E. Bronson of Tacoma. There is also one sister, Mrs. Martin E. Aulsbrook of Stargis, Mich., formerly Mrs. L.J. Noble of Menasha.

Funeral services will be held at the Veterans’ Home Chapel at 3:30 p.m. this Thursday, Rev. Earle officiating, with interment in Lakeside cemetery in this city, where the Knights of Pythias burials service will be given. L.K.B.