Bronson Howard, the "dean of American dramatists", was born 7 October 1842 in Detroit, Michigan. His father was a prominent business man who was elected mayor of Detroit in 1849. In 1858 Bronson Howard was sent to boarding school in Connecticut preparatory to entering Yale University. He experienced problems with his eyesight, however, and gave up plans to attend university.
At about the same time, Mr. Howard's mother died, and his father suffered financial reverses. Mr. Howard returned to the Midwest where he entered the business world under the tutelage of his brother-in-law, William Waterman. He seems not to have prospered and turned to journalism, writing a column for the Detroit Free Press.
While working as a journalist, Mr. Howard wrote his first play, FANTINE, which was produced in Detroit in 1864. In 1865 he moved to New York where he continued to support himself as a journalist while writing plays. His first success came in 1870 when Augustin Daly, manager of the Fifth Avenue Theatre, produced his SARATOGA. DIAMONDS (1872), MOORCROFT (1874), LILIAN'S LAST LOVE (1877), which was revised in 1878 under the name THE BANKER'S DAUGHTER, OLD LOVE LETTERS (1878), HURRICANES (1878), WIVES (1879), FUN IN A GREEN-ROOM (1882), YOUNG MRS. WINTHROP (1882), ONE OF OUR GIRLS (1995), MET BY CHANCE (1887), THE HENRIETTA (1887) and BARON RUDOLPH (1887) followed. In 1889 Charles Frohman produced Mr. Howard's SHENANDOAH which established his reputation as a playwright and brought him financial independence. His final produced plays were ARISTOCRACY (1892) and PETER STUYVESANT (1899).
In 1880 Mr. Howard married Alice Wyndham, sister of the English actor and manager Sir Charles Wyndham. After his sister, Ella, died in 1892, Mr. Howard acted as guardian to her children.
Mr. Howard is known as the first American playwright to support himself by his work. He was also instrumental in bringing works by American authors to the stage not only in the United States but also in England. He founded and was president of the American Dramatists Club through which he successfully lobbied congress for copyright protection for American playwrights.
Bronson Howard died at Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey on 4 August 1908.
Family tree available in PDF finding aid.