Henry Franklin Bronson

Henry Franklin Bronson

Henry Franklin Bronson, lumber manufacturer (b at Moreau Twp, Saratoga County, NY 24 Feb 1817; d at Ottawa 7 Dec 1889). In 1852 Bronson and his partner John Harris moved to Bytown [Ottawa] to exploit the timber reserves of the Ottawa Valley, bringing his family the following year.

Utilizing modern mills, Bronson and Harris were among the first to ship lumber from Ottawa to American markets. Abijah Weston replaced Harris, and the Bronsons and Weston Lumber Co became one of the largest in Canada. Although Bronson retained his American citizenship, he became a leading Ottawa citizen, a major philanthropist and a supporter of the Reform Party.