Showing posts with label American Friends of Puttenham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Friends of Puttenham. Show all posts
Thursday, August 10, 2023
Sunday, July 23, 2023
Bulletin of the American Friends of Puttenham Volume IX, Number 4 August, 1992
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF PUTTENHAM
VOLUME IX, NUMBER 4
AUGUST, 1992
Monday, November 22, 2021
Bulletin of the American Friends of Puttenham Volume IX, Number 3 JULY 1992
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF PUTTENHAM
VOLUME IX, NUMBER 3
JULY, 1992
IN MEMORIAM
Member Wayne Putnam of Lexington, Ky., died suddenly of a heart attack on Sept. 22, 1991. He is survived by his wife, Joan, who writes,
"He was a happy man and proud to be a Putnam. He had-completed his Putnam search and shared it with all who were interested, especially his grandchildren."
The Rev. Lynwood Putnam, 64, of Hodgdon, Me., uncle of member Deane Putnam of Blackwood, N.J., died on June 19, 1992 at his residence. He is survived by his wife, Betty Hutchinson Putnam, of Hodgdon, three daughters and two brothers, Ervin and Glen, both of Cary, Me. Rev. Putnam was a staff member of the New Brunswick (Canada) Bible Institute for the past 25 years where he also served on the board of directors.
PUTMANS AND PUTNAMS IN CALIFORNIA DURING THE GOLD RUSH
The relationship between the Putman and Putnam families in America is complex and still remains to be clarified in many cases. We can say with some certainty that the following cases exist:
(1) A Putnam who can trace his or her descent to 17th century New England is almost certainly a descendant of John Putnam of Aston Abbotts, Bucks, and Salem Village, Mass.
(2) A Putnam who can trace his or her descent to England at any date is almost certainly a descendant of the same de Puttenham family as is the above John.
(3) A Putnam who can trace his or her descent to New York State in the 17th or 18th centuries is almost certainly a descendant of John Putnam but also might be from the Dutch Putman family who settled in New York at an early date. This change in spelling, though quite unusual, might have occurred as a result of the fame of the two Revolutionary War Generals, Israel and Rufus.
(4) A Putman who can trace his or her ancestry to New York is almost certainly a member of the Dutch family but might also be a New England Putnam who changed the spelling of his name either by choice or because of ignorance of the correct spelling.
(5) A Putnam who can trace his or her ancestry to Virginia, North or South Carolina, Alabama, West Virginia or Kentucky in the 17th, 18th or early 19th centuries may be a descendant of Thomas Putnam of Chesham, Bucks, and Gloucester County, Va. A positive assignment, however, depends on certainty that the name never was spelled Putman. Early records are of limited value in establishing this point since the spellings Putnam and Putman were used interchangeably, just as they are in more recent records.
(6) A Putman who can trace his or her ancestry to Virginia, etc., as indicated in item 5 may be a descendant of Thomas Putnam as a result of the spelling change noted therein. However, he or she may just as likely be a descendant of the Zachariah Putman who appears to have arrived in Virginia in the 18th century from Guadaloupe, French West Indies.
Now what does all this have to do with the California Gold Rush? The answer lies in the California Census Records kindly supplied by Warren T. Putman of Rio Linda, Ca. (Warren is a Dutch Putman of the New York variety). Warren has searched the records for all 27 California counties for the years 1850, 1852 (special state census), 1860 and 1870 and provided lists of all the Putmans and Putnams appearing in these years. Most and perhaps all of these individuals arrived in California as a result of the discovery of gold in 1848 and the gold fever was over by 1870. An examination of these lists, keeping in mind the generalizations listed above, provides some interesting observations.
According to the 1850 census there were six Putnams and 9 Putmans in 24 of the 27 counties; the records for the other three have been lost. The six Putnams all were born in New England (3 Mass. and one each for Maine, Conn. and N.H.) and we can be sure they were John's descendants. Of the 9 Putmans, two were born in New England and so were probably Putnams, three were born in New York (real Putmans or perhaps Putnams) and only one was from the South (Alabama). In the special state census two years later there are 14 adult Putnams and 7 Putmans, none of whom are the same as in 1850! San Francisco, one of the missing counties for 1850 is now well represented. Of the seven Putmans, five are from New England (really Putnams), one is from England (could be either family) and again only one is from the South (North Carolina - probably a Virginia Putman). This shows clearly how frequently Putnam can come to be spelled as Putman. Of the 14 Putnams only 3 came from New England, three more came from New York and one came from Arkansas (probably the son of a New England land-grant veteran of the War of 1812). One Putnam also appears to have come from Chile, spelled Chilli.
With the influx of "49ers" really underway the 1860 census reflects the growing population. There are now 18 adult Putnams and 11 Putmans. Of these, 8 Putnams came from New England, 3 came from Canada one of whom was from the well-known Nova Scotia Putnam family, one came from England and one young woman (Adelaide, age 18) came from Ireland (the 1852 census has her from Mass., a more lilely case). The Putmans continue to show evidence of poor spelling with 4 born in New England. Only one New York Putman is listed.
By 1870 California has become civilized and those individuals keeping the census records now seem to be able to tell the difference between a Putman and a Putnam. None of the 16 adult Putmans came from New England, no less than 5 came from New York (very likely of Dutch ancestry) and five more came from the South (probably Virginia Putmans). On the other hand of the 21 adult Putnams, 19 were from New England, one was from Nova Scotia and one had no birthplace listed. When these data are compared to those of the three earlier listings the conclusion is obvious that the earlier the record the more likely it is that Putnam will be spelled Putman - at least outside of New England.
PUTNAMS IN THE NEWS
Congratulations to Senora Martha Pineres de San Clemente and her husband, Guillermo San Clemente, on the birth of their son, Guillermo Antonio San Clemente. Guillermo is the nephew of member Isabel Pineres de Henao of Cartagena, Colombia, the 11th grandson of Martha and Isabel's mother, Leonor Putnam de Pineres and the 3rd great-grandson of Dr. Charles Israel Putnam who immigrated to Colombia in the early part of the 19th century.
Member Constance Putnam of Concord, Ma., has passed on the following item from the Boston Globe of June 15, 1992: "Harold E. Putnam has been named chief financial officer and treasurer of HARVARD COMMUNITY HEALTH PLAN. He has been acting chief financial officer for the past eight months." HCHP is the largest health maintenance organization in New England.
MISSING PERSONS
An on-going program of the American Friends is the creation of a computerized record of the family relationships of the "extended" Putnam and Puttenham families around the world. This record now contains over 7000 names with several thousand more yet to be added. While most of the data for the file are provided by members who contribute details of their own descent, periodically we get news of other Putnams from various sources. One example of this is the item about Harold E. Putnam found in the previous section. Since we have no information that allows us to connect an individual such as Harold with Putnam lines already in the computer, we have to depend on our membership to help accomplish this task.
Recently three other cases have arisen as the result of the contribution of old newspaper clippings concerning Putnams of varying degrees of fame. These items are summarized below because of their inherent interest as well as in the hope that one of our members will be able to help us make a family connection.
While a number of present-day descendants of General Rufus Putnam are known, none of these individuals bears the Putnam name since they trace their descent to the general's numerous daughters. During the Second World War the Washington County (Ohio) Pioneer Association learned that Lt. Col. Rufus W. Putnam of Chicago was such a descendant and that he had a son. Lt. Benjamin Olney Putnam serving with the U.S. Army Air Corps in India. At the time Col. Putnam was serving as U.S. District Engineer in Los Angeles, Ca. Contact with this family has since been lost and we are anxious to renew it so as to record their relationship to Gen. Putnam.
James C. Putnam, the founder and first commander-in-chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, grew up in West Plains, Mo., and claimed to be a direct descendant of General Israel Putnam. He served with the 6th Cavalry along the Colorado-Utah border and in Northern New Mexico during the settlement of the Ute Indians and also was involved in the 1890 Sioux uprising that culminated in the tragic Wounded Knee, S.D., massacre. He was wounded in the Spanish-American War during fighting in Cuba and later participated in the surrender of Manila in the Philippines. After the war he lived in Columbus, Ohio, and it was there on Sept. 29, 1899, that he and 12 other veterans created the VFW, an organization that now numbers over 2 million overseas veterans. Surely one of our members can help trace James Putnam's lineage!
And this brings us to one of the most unusual cases of lost Putnams that we've seen. Member Richard Putnam of Hanover, N.H. has sent in the following clipping from the Boston Journal of Aug. 19, 1905. As is the case with many a wishful Putnam all the ladies claim to be descendants of Gen. Israel. Hopefully a little detective work will turn up some present day descendants and even establish the lineage of one or two of the ten! The text of the newspaper article goes as follows:
Nashua, N.H., Aug. 18.-0ne of the most unique reunions ever held within the borders of New Hampshire is the reunion of "The Graces," which is now being held at the home of Miss Grace Ella Putnam, 76 Amherst St., in this city. There are six young women in the party with the given name of Grace and the surname of Putnam.
The origin of this gathering is unique. There are at the present time ten young ladies who have similar first and last names, and who are known to each other; they are not closely related, although they can all trace their ancestors back to that sturdy soldier of the Revolution, Gen. Israel Putnam.
The acquaintances of "The Graces" was made in the following manner: Miss Grace Laura Putnam of Weedsport, N.Y., received a letter, which proved to be the property of Miss Grace Ella Putnam of this city. Correspondence resulted, and Miss Putnam of this city went to Weedsport to visit her newly-found friend. While there two other "Graces" were located, and a meeting was planned for this year.
The guests of Miss Putnam are: Grace Mae Putnam of Ashtabula, Oh.; Grace Sophia Putnam, Towanda, Pa.; Grace Edebel Putnam, Sutton, Ma.; Grace Laura Putnam, Weedsport, N.Y.; Grace Emma Putnam, Concord, N.H. Those who could not be present, but who have accepted invitations for the reunion next year, are: Grace Alles Putnam, Lyons, N.Y.; Grace Aurilla Putnam, Franklinville, N.Y.; Grace A. Putnam, Moline, Il.; Grace M. Putnam, Stony Creek, NY. The place of holding the next reunion, which is the third, has not been decided upon as yet.
'The Graces" Hold Unique Reunion At Nashua
SIX PUTNAM GIRLS WITH SAME FIRST NAMES GATHER AT H0ME OF ONE
NEW MEMBERS
Pauline Putnam Parker
Nehalem, Or. 97131
Barbara Putnam Winkler
Thousand Oaks, Ca. 91360
Lou Ann Harrold
Ada, Ohio 45810
Lynne L. Rhodes
Diamond Bar, Ca. 91765
Katherine E. Putnam
Bedford, N.Y. 10506
Robert E. Putnam, Editor
Monday, November 15, 2021
Bulletin of the American Friends of Puttenham Volume IV, Number 2 June 1987
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF PUTTENHAM
VOLUME IV, NUMBER 2
JUNE, 1987
The dates of our meeting have been chosen to correspond with the event commemorated by the memorial because of its importance in American history. Truly, this landing at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingham rivers was the "Start Westward" of the American nation into the Northwest Territory established by the Ordinance of 1787, a pattern to be followed all the way to the Pacific. Of even greater importance, however, was the formation of a local government based on the "Rights of Man" included in the Ordinance and subsequently incorporated in the U.S. Constitution. So, our reunion will help Marietta celebrate its Bicentennial by recognizing the part that one of our name played in making this nation great both in size and in the development of a government of the people.
Several other points of historical interest should be mentioned in connection with the above. Borglum's statue was commemorated by a postage stamp issued in Marietta in 1938. A year earlier the Northwest Ordinance also was the theme of a stamp, this one including paintings of Rufus Putnam and Manasseh Cutler.
PUTNAM FAMILY REUNION IN MONTANA: The 1987 All Putnam Reunion of The Putnam Heritage Club will be held near Wolf Creek, Montana, on Sat. and Sun., July 25, 26, 1987. This family reunion is open to all Putnams, their families and their relatives. Details are enclosed with this issue of the Bulletin.
THE OVERLORDSHIP OF PUTTENHAM: Family interest in Puttenham Manor naturally stems from its gift of our name and from its possession by our ancestors. However, as Mrs. Vincent points out in her treatment of the manor, its history is closely related to that of England. Nowhere can this be seen more clearly than in the overlordship of the manor, a track that, for several hundred years, follows closely that of English feudal politics.
To quote from Mrs. Vincent, "In the reign of Edward the Confessor, Edwin of Caddington bequeathed his interest in the manor of Puttenham in Hertfordshire to his son Leofwin. In 1057 a new earldom of Kent was granted to another Leofwin, brother of Harold Godwinsson, earl of Wessex. (This earldom included Herts). Earl Leofwin having been killed with King Harold at Hastings, the earldom was given to Odo, bishop of Bayeux and half-brother of William the Conqueror." In 1082 Odo planned to go to Rome with a band of Norman knights to insure his succession to the papacy! William I reacted adversely, had Odo arrested and imprisoned at Rauen where he remained till just before William's death in 1087. Despite all this, Odo did not forfeit his lands and a year later led a rebellion against William Rufus to whom William I had left his kingdom in England. Odo was defeated at the siege of Rochester, was banished from England, joined the first Crusade and died at Palermo, Sicily. Evidently his holdings in England, including Puttenham, were transferred to his brother, Robert, Count of Martain, who may have been made earl of Kent at the same time. These holdings passed to Robert's son, William, Count of Martain and Earl of Kent. As a result of the son's intrigues and military uprisings during the reign of William 11, he was banished from England in 1104. At this point his lands were acquired by Robert Beaumont, Count of Meulan and Earl of Leicester. Beaumont was a strong supporter of Henry I till his death in 1118. Puttenham then passed to his son, Robert Beaumont, also Earl of Leicester, who was instrumental in bringing Henry II to the throne in 1154, following the anarchy of Stephen's reign.
In 1168 Robert Beaumont died and once again Puttenham was inherited by a son, this time Robert Blanch mains, 3rd Earl of Leicester. This lord repeatedly supported Henry ll's sons in their wars against their father, losing his lands to the King's control in the process. Although partly returned in 1174 (probably including Puttenham), the entire holding did not revert to Robert until Richard l's accession to the throne in 1189. Robert accompanied Richard the Lion Heart on his crusade but died the following year, 1190. He was succeeded as Earl of Leicester by his son, Robert FitzParnel, the last Beaumont Earl. Puttenham remained part of the honor of Leicester for the better part of another century into the reign of Edward I, when it once again became part of the King's lands.
PATRICK T. L. PUTNAM: In the March, 1987, issue of the Bulletin we provided some information about Harvard anthropologist Patrick Putnam and asked for additional facts from our members. Two replies have been received and these have cleared the air completely. From George Putnam, Chairman of the Putnam Management Corporation, Boston, and a 2nd cousin of Patrick, we learn that, following his death in 1953, he was buried on the family farm at Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard. He was an eighth generation descendant of John Putnam and the fourth in succession of his line to have graduated from Havard.
Mrs. Charles (Polly Putnam) Chatfield of Belmont, Mass., also a second cousin of Patrick, reports his several visits to her parents' home, each time accompanied by a collection of exotic animals. Apparently he looked rather like George Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Chatfield particularly remembers his long reddish beard.
Both Mr. Putnam and Mrs. Chatfield called to our attention the fact that Patrick's widow, Ann Putnam, wrote a book entitled "Madami" about their life together in the Begium Congo.
Editor Robert E. Putnam
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Bulletin of the American Friends of Puttenham, Volume XVII, Number 1, February, 1999
AMERICAN OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF PUTTENHAM
Volume XVII, Number 1
FEBRUARY, 1999
PUTNAMS IN THE NEWS
On Dec. 31 Nancy Putnam Hollister, Lt. Governor of the state of Ohio, was sworn in as governor in Columbus in a ceremony attended by about 100 people from her hometown Marietta, former governor George Voinovich, the entire cabinet and many state legislators. Gov. Voinovich has resigned to begin his term in the U.S. Senate while Nancy will take over new duties as a state representative following eleven days as governor, the first woman to have held the position. Although she promised not to introduce any new legislation during her term she had no chance to rest since immediately after she took office Ohio was hit by some of the worst weather in recent years including heavy snowfall. She also had a chance to sign into law a bill she had worked hard to craft that protects farmland from unrestricted development.
Congratulations to Andrew C. Putnam and Sheri Gaynor who were married in Glenwood Springs, Co., on Jan. 28, 1997. Andrew is the son of members H. Chase and Mary Putnam of Warren, Pa.
Betty Jo Putnam Carpenter of Rutherford, N.C., has been selected by Converse College of Spartanburg, S.C. as recipient of its alumnae Career Achievement Award for 1999. Betty Jo graduated from Converse in 1949 with an A.B. degree in Voice and Music Education .. The Converse School of Music is nationally recognized and has been called "the Julliard of the South."
AN AMERICAN SCIENTIST REMEMBERED
 |
| F.W. Putnam |
In February, 1998, the American Association for the Advancement of
Science celebrated its 150th anniversary. In the December 18th issue of its Publication, "SCIENCE", Mildred S. Dresselhaus authored an article reviewing the history of the organization. As a Fellow of the AAAS I was delighted to see the recognition given to Frederick Ward Putnam (1839-
1915) who was president of the Association in the 50th year of its existence. Dr. Putnam was a Harvard anthropologist and archaeologist who did research on the Adena and Hopewell cultures of the mid-West and saved from oblivion the most famous of their works, the Serpent Mound of southwest Ohio.
Of additional interest is the fact that Dr. Putnam was the father of Eben Putnam to whom we owe a debt of gratitude for his enormous work on Putnam family genealogy, published between 1890 and 1910.
THE GIDEON PUTNAM HOTEL
Over the years I have received numerous questions about the origin of this famous hotel in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Member Janet Kral of Syracuse, NY, has now provided the answer in the form of an article (source unknown) entitled "The Story of Saratoga and Gideon Putnam" as well as a book "Durkee's Reminiscences of Saratoga" compiled by Cornelius E. Durkee. The area is famous for Burgoyne's defeat in the Revolutionary War battle as well as for its mineral springs. The springs were well known to the Iroquois who had used them for many centuries before Sir William Johnson found them to be useful in restoring his strength in 1767. However, development had to wait for the arrival of Gideon Putnam 22 years later.
Twenty-five year old Gideon and his bride, Doanda, came from Sutton, Ma., settled beside High Rock Spring, and soon became the owners of a sawmill, shipping staves and shingles down the Hudson River to New York City. Eventually, however, his thoughts turned to the springs and he purchased an acre of land beside Congress Spring where he built a guest house, naming it "PUTNAM'S TAVERN & BOARDING HOUSE" for the accommodation of 70 guests. By 1805 his mounting fortune enabled him to add an additional 130 acres to the site and he began to develop a proper village, setting aside land for the village to use as sites for a church, school and graveyard. Gideon's boarding house grew till it became nearly twice its original size. Another hotel was built and named the "Columbian". Looking to the future when even these accommodations would prove inadequate, Gideon determined to build a hotel grandly suited to the village's growing popularity as a spa. He would call it Congress Hall, in tribute to the growing fame of Congress Spring.
In 1811, working along with his carpenters he was severely injured in a fall from a scaffold. Impatient to continue, he went back to work before he was fully recovered, fell ill, and died on Dec. 1, 1812, at the age of 48. Doanda and her five sons and four daughters continued his work to completion of the grand hotel. The Putnam family remained attached to the original boarding house, eventually renaming it "Union Hall". By 1909 the springs had so deteriorated from misuse and uncontrolled bottling that the state purchased two square miles of spring-bearing land adjacent to the city and for 'eight years let the springs rest. Then during the depression the State, to provide jobs, developed as a public facility a Reservation known locally as "The Spa" and "Spa Park."
Gideon (Stephen, Elisha, Edward, Thomas, John) is described in more detail in Eben Putnam's "History of the Putnam Family in England and America" , #549, p. 280. He and Doanda (Risley) first moved from Sutton to Middlebury, Vt., and then to Rutland, Vt., and Saratoga Springs.
Members who might be interested in staying at the beautiful "Gideon Putnam Hotel" can get further information from Janet Kral. Janet also sent me information about and photos of the hotel.
A CHOCOLATE MEMORIAL
For many years Putnams traveling north of Boston on Rt. 1 at Danvers will have noticed the large sign advertising "Putnam Pantry Candies". Those who stopped would have learned that the store was built on land owned by the Putnam family since 1640 or so and is located adjacent to the "Putnam House", a home that had been owned by the Putnam family since it was built about 300 years earlier and that had been the birthplace of General Israel Putnam. So the name "Putnam Pantry Candies" can be viewed as a memorial to the General. Much more recently a young man named Shane Danford opened a chocolate candy manufacture and sale location on Putnam St. in Marietta, Ohio, and named its high quality products "Putnam Street Chocolates". Since this Putnam Street had been named to honor the same General in a town whose original settlers included several of his sons the chocolates also can be viewed as a memorial. Shane now has moved around the corner onto Front St. and has renamed his product "Putnam Chocolate" ... a divine, yet decadent experience. General Putnam can be characterized as the first folk hero of the American Republic. As a lover of chocolate I think no better memorial could be found for his life.
LUCK - THE KEY TO RESEARCH
My ancestor, Aaron Putnam, left New Salem, Mass., in 1805 to be one of the first settlers of Houlton, Me. For many years I have tried to locate his property in New Salem with no success. Now as the result of an incredible accident I think I know where it was. My son, David, in Presque Isle, Me., was given a copy of a history of Houlton published in 1958 by my grandmother, Cora Putnam. In it was a very old, yellowed piece of paper recording Aaron's sale of his "New Salem" land on April 3, 1805, to Constant Ruggles for $4400.00. The land consisted of 80 acres in New Salem, 20 acres in New Salem, 100 acres in Shutesbury and Wendell and 10 acres in Shutesbury. Since these three towns come together at a point it is likely that the land was quite close to this junction point. To complicate matters the record of the deed is in Greenfield, Ma., not New Salem or Shutesbury.
Another example of this sort of thing was precipitated by receipt of an article from Bradford Bond, a friend in Marietta. This item, found in his grand-father's effects, is called a "Historical Address" presented by Louis I. Holway of New Port Richey, Florida, at the dedication of the new library building of the Charles B. Danforth Public Library of Barnard, Vermont in the Universalist Church at Barnard, July 14, 1927. In it are references to Jennie Gifford Putnam and Jessie Putnam Wheelock. When I searched my computer file under their names nothing turned up till I searched under Barnard, Vt. There I found that this was the birthplace of Harold Putnam, author of "The Putnams of Salem Village." In the genealogical section of his book I found that Jessie Putnam was the sister of Harold's grandfather, Willard Cushing Putnam. It's a small world!
ANOTHER MAINE STORY
Thanks to David Putnam again for the following story from the Bangor (Maine)Daily News: Fred L. Putnam of Houlton won't be returning his Selective Service registration card, despite the fact that not doing so is a violation of federal law (5 years in jail or $250,000). The card in fact should have been sent to his grandfather who would have been 118 rather than 18 on the date requiring his registration. The Post Office delivered the notice to the nearest Fred L. Putnam they could find even though he lived seven miles away in New Limerick. Fred thinks the problem is an early example of the Y2K fiasco, the Selective Service blames the error on the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles an Motor Vehicle people blame it on Fred who didn't send them a copy of his death certificate.
THE BOOK CORNER
David Puttnam of "Chariots of Fire" and "The Killing Fields" fame has turned his attention from directing world-class films and presidenting Columbia Pictures to authoring a book entitled "Movies and Money" (Alfred A. Knopf, 339 pp., $27.50). In the words of Elissa Adams in a review in the Dec. 17 issue of "The Christian Science Monitor", "the stars of Puttnam's cinema saga are not Chaplin or Spielberg, Goldwyn, Wasserman, Valenti, and Rank (but rather) the bankers, producers, distributors, agents, and political lobbyists behind the scenes". She adds "Puttnam's writing is clear and practical.. .. at the very least, when the next Schwarzenegger movie grosses millions overseas, you'll understand why."
Every person likes to see his name in print especially when it appears in an unlikely manner. This happened to me last year when I came upon a 1997 book entitled "Arctic Cairn Notes - Canoests' reflections on the Hanbury-Thelon and Kazan Rivers". On page 132 was a copy of a note left on Aug. 14, 1977 by a small party of canoeists of which I was a member. The cairn in which it had been left is located at Kazan Falls just south of Baker Lake in Canada's Northwest Territories and the note contains the names and homes of the six members of the party. This river was first visited by white men in 1894. It was first canoed for recreation in 1964 and even today is one of the least known rivers in arctic Canada. In 1977 only three parties traveled it and in the 320 miles of our trip (21 days) we met three white surveyors and one eskimo family.
MISSING PERSONS
Greg Grant Putnam is searching for information about his great-grandfather, Ulysses Grant Putnam, born April 12, 1864, Dallas Cty., IA, married Nackey Earley, died Nov. 21, 1925.
My wife, Caroline, is searching for information about the parents of Joseph Sanders (Saunders?, Sanderson?), b. 17 Aug 1764, d. Dec. 1829, bur. New Ipswich, N.H., and Charlotte Dawes, b. Boston, 18 mar 1786, d. Northampton, MA, 18 May 1846.
NEW MEMBERS
New members welcomed to the American Friends of Puttenham since those listed in the previous issue of the Bulletin are:
Nancy Hallberg
Port Matilda, Pa.
George Waldo Emerson
Newport, R.I.
Judith L. Parker
Milford, N.H.
Barbara B. Turner
Pacific Grove, Ca.
Judy M. Dwyer
Longwood, Fl.
Rand M. Putnam
La Habra, Ca.
Allan Ray Putnam
Orleans, Ma.
Charles H. Browning
Palo Alto, Ca.
Arline L. Larson
Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
Robert E. Long
Tulsa, OK
Editor Robert E. Putnam
This is an addition based on the LUCK - THE KEY TO RESEARCH section. Base on the description, Aaron Putnam's land would have been around here:
Sunday, October 17, 2021
Bulletin of the American Friends of Puttenham Volume Volume XV, Number 3, December, 1997
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF PUTTENHAM
VOLUME XV, NUMBER 3
DECEMBER, 1997
A number of years ago "The Arte" and its disputed authorship were mentioned in the Bulletin. At that time the relationship of its most likely author, George Puttenham, to the Putnam family was noted as was an error in this relationship made by Eben Putnam in his "Putnam Lineage". Stimulated by receipt of a large amount of information from my English cousin, Mr. Charles Hurray-Willis, I feel the time has come to treat this subject more thoroughly.
In his letter to me, Charles, the grandson of Frank Houlton Putnam of Houlton, Maine, and Marjorie Weldon of London, England, having a strong interest in the subject, makes the following somewhat edited plea:
"Your support is needed for the recogniti6n of a brilliant literary figure living in England in the 16th century during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603). George Puttenham's name has been languishing in obscurity and misunderstanding for 400 years. It is about time we gave him the credit he deserves. Not only was he one of the most original writers in the 16th century but he also was an important influence on William Shakespeare (1564-1616) and Ben Jonson (1572-1637). Host of his works/poems have been lost (perhaps through intentional destruction by enemies in the religious controversy of the times) but fortunately three significant works and a collection of original letters in his own hand have survived."
Charles has provided summaries and some photocopies of G.P. 's works. These are available from the Bulletin editor for the cost of copying (6 cents/page). Photocopies of the original manuscripts can be obtained from Charles at a cost of about 70 pence { $1.10) per page plus postage. The high cost of the latter is due to the care required in handli11g the 400 year old manuscripts. A description of the works follows.
1. "Partheniades". An unpublished collection of 17 poems (555 lines) presented as a New Year's gift to Queen Elizabeth now in the British Museum Library. This unique collection is the only surviving example of his poetry and needs to be published in a modern version along with a modern appraisal of the life and times of G.P.
2. A "Justification of Queen Elizabeth in relation to the Affair of Mary Queen of Scots", commissioned by Elizabeth in 1581 and in the original hand of G.P. has never been published. At present it is in the Camden Society Museum Collection in the British Museum. It consists of a 24- page preface and 67 pages of the Justification.
3."The Arte of English Poesie" was published anonymously in 1589 and was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. There are facsimile copies of the original publication of 1589 owned and signed by Ben Jonson in the Library of Congress. Ten copies in the public, university and college libraries of London, Oxford and Cambridge were accessible in 1936. The best modern version is that by Gladys Willcock and Alice Walker, published in 1936, Cambridge Univ. Press. This work contains 102 pages of preface and introduction together with 315 pages of G.P. 's writings. The introduction contains an excellent summary of what is known about Puttenham's life and works. This work will be discussed further in the next issue of the Bulletin, as will my cousin's thoughts on the possible connection of George Puttenham with John Putnam's removal from Buckinghamshire to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1640/41.
BOOK REPORTS
Chase Putnam of Warren, Pa., earlier this year sent to me a delightful book entitled "English Prelude", a work describing a tour of England which emphasized the places of origin of many of the original settlers of New England. Written by Marguerite Allis and published by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1936, it is arranged by County and covers nearly 300 hamlets, villages, towns and cities. In addition it is illustrated with drawings by the author. On page 224 there is a short paragraph devoted to Puttenham and its relation to the Putnam family and on the previous page there is the lovely drawing of "Puttenham Manor" reproduced below This 16th century farm house is very similar in style to that of the oldest section of the Washingtons' home, Sulgrave Manor, in Northamptonshire, built about the same time. To show that very little has changed between 1936 and 1991 this drawing is compared with a photo taken at the same spot from which Marquerite Allis' drawing was made. The photo was taken by Larine Biggs of Wichita, Ks., during the AFOP visit to Puttenham in 1991. The Americans at the table are Larine's brother, Hadley Wait, and Caroline and Bob Putnam.
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| Puttenham Manor |
According to an advertisement by Warner Books, "Whistled Like A Bird" by Sally Putnam Chapman (with Stephanie Mansfield) is "the untold story of Dorothy Putnam, George Putnam and Amelia Earhart." It further states that "just before she died, Dorothy Binney Putnam entrusted her diaries to her granddaughter, Sally Putnam Chapman. Now, years later, Sally Chapman is ready to share their contents and take a piercing, heartfelt look at her grandparents, their world-famous friend Amelia Earhart and the turmoil, passion, and tragedy that filled their lives. They quote Mary Lovell, author of "Sound Of Wings", an earlier book about George Putnam and Amelia Earhart, as saying that Chapman's book is" A wonderful and important addition to the Amelia Earhart genre. I could not put it down and hope it enjoys the huge success it deserves. " I have not seen a review that comments on its literary value.
LETTERS FROH MEMBERS
I never cease to be amazed at the frequency with which our members discover relatives in the most unlikely ways. As the most recent example, Bill Putnam of Carthage, Mo. writes as follows: "In 1988 Charlie Phillips and I were elected to the Board of Directors of Hardware Wholesalers, Inc. We are both in the lumber/hardware business - he in Reedsburg, Wi., and I in Southwest Mo. We had never met but, with our wives Cindy (mine) and Ginny (his), soon became good friends. I served as Chairman of the Board in 91-92 and he in 92-93. Somewhere along the way he mentioned he had a 'great grandmother' who was a Putnam. We never checked it out till we visited the Phillips in Reedsburg last month {Aug. 97)."
In summary Bill states that he and Charlie are ninth cousins, their common ancestor being John Putnam of Aston Abbotts, Bucks, and Salem Village, Mass. Bay Colony. They both were born in 1943. The probability of that happening after 9 generations is about the same as winning a state lottery.
MISSING PERSONS
On Aug. 1, 1997 The American Air Museum In Britain at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, was opened officially by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The event was commemorated by publication of a beautiful Opening Ceremony Programme. One of the featured photos in the Programme was taken on July 6, 1944 and shows Princess Elizabeth after she christened the B-17G bomber "Rose of York" named in her honor. The princess posed for the photo with 306th Bomb Group Commanding Officer Colonel Claude Putnam. Can any of our members identify this American officer?
Paul and Janice Putnam are searching for information about Paul's great grandfather, William Putnam, b. Sept. 5, 1835 and d. July 30, 1903. He married Julia Ann Foster Dec. 27, 1854 in Hamilton Cty, Il. They had eight children, Thomas, James, Richard Henry, Barney, Lou, Martha Hatila and twins Mandy and Winnie. It is possible that William was the son of Bennet Putnam and his wife Sarah who are listed in the 185@ census for Hamilton County, Il., with 6 children, one of whom matches William's age.
A FOOTNOTE TO HISTORY
Last week I watched with great interest Public Television's series called "LIBERTY" about the American Revolution. The last section dealt with the difficulties in the country between the end of the war and the formation of the United States from the united States of the Declaration of Independence. Very brief mention was made of the farmers' uprising in Massachusetts, called Shay's Rebellion, typical of the internal threats to the new idea of Liberty. One of the people caught up in this event was General Rufus Putnam as described in a "HISTORY OF PELHAN, NASS. ", by C. O. Parmenter, published in 1898.
Daniel Shays had been commissioned a captain in Col. Putnam's regiment in 1779 and then left the service the following year. He returned to Pelham and was elected several times to offices there. In 1786 he became involved in the farmers' economic troubles and was chosen to lead them in their defiance of the Courts and laws which ultimately led to armed rebellion. Shays defended his action in the rebellion in an interview with Gen. Putnam seventeen days before he led an attack on the Springfield, Ma., armory. Gen. Putnam reported the interview to Governor Bowdoin in a letter from his home in Rutland, Ha., dated Jan. 8, 1787.
"Sir:-As I was coming through Pelham the other day I met Mr. Shays in the road alone, where we had a conversation, some of which was of a very particular kind. I shall state the whole, by way of dialog, as far as I can recollect; but in order to understand the meaning of some parts of it, it is necessary you should know that the week before they stopped Worcester court the last time, I spent many hours with Shays and his officers, endeavoring to dissuade them from their measures, and persuade them to return to their allegiance.
Mr. Shays-Do you know if the petition drawn up at Worcester has been sent to the governor or not?
Putnam-I am surprised to hear you inquire that of me; you certainly ought to know whether you have sent it, or not - however, since you ask the question I tell you I have been credibly informed that so late as last Friday it had not been presented.
Shays-They promised to send it immediately, and it was very wrong they did not; but I don't know that it will alter the case, for I don't suppose the governor and council will take any notice of it.
Putnam-You have no reason to expect they will grant the prayer it.
Shays-Why not?
Putnam-Because many things asked for it is out of their power to grant; and besides that since you and your party have once spurned at offered mercy, it is absurd to expect that another general pardon should be ever granted.
Shays-No! Then we must fight it out.
Putnam-That as you please, but it's impossible you should succeed -....."
The report goes on at great length but Gen. Putnam failed to convince Shays to give up the project. The attack on the armory was a failure and Daniel Shays subsequently disappeared from American history. He is best remembered by way of the Daniel Shays Highway, U.S. Rt. 202, through Pelham, Ma.
ODDS AND ENDS
In August, 1997, the Marietta Brewing Co. (Restaurant and Brewery) opened at 167 Front St., Marietta, Oh., the first brewery to function here after many decades. Recently Caroline and I joined another couple for dinner there. The food was excellent but the high point was sampling their Putnam Porter, the specialty of the day. The restaurant was so busy that I could not get to the manager to find out whether the brew was named for the main street (thus after Gen. Israel Putnam) or for Gen. Rufus Putnam, the leader of the group of New Englanders who first settled Marietta in 1788. In any case it did justice to its name.
INTERNET HOHE PAGE
Thanks to my son, Andrew, we now have a Home Page on the Internet complete with photos, arms and historical data. The address is http://www.iwaynet.net1~akputnam/home.html I reach it quickly by searching "puttenham". The photos of the church are lovely.
NEW MEMBERS
A new member welcomed to the American Friends of Puttenaham since those listed in the July, 1997, issue is:
Wayne Putnam, M.D.
Halifax, N.S. Canada
Editor Robert E. Putnam
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Bulletin of the American Friends of Puttenham Volume VIII, Number 3 June 1991
My father published a bulletin for the American Friends of Puttenham through at least 1999. I am not sure when he started by he was publishing Volume 8 in 1991. In a way, this blog is an extension of his bulletin. I found some of them in amongst the papers I have and thought I would post them on line as the internet wasn't really a thing when he was putting these out. I have not edited anything except removing people street addresses for privacy reasons.. The formatting is not the same because it would be difficult to recreate on a website. Here is the first one I found.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF PUTTENHAM
VOLUME VIII, NUMBER 3
JUNE, 1991
VISIT TO ENGLAND
The time for our tour of Puttenham and vicinity is now set for Sunday, Sept. 8 through Wed., Sept. 11. In addition, those who are interested will travel to London on the 12th to visit the British Museum to see the Domesday Book. So far, eight individuals have completed their plans to attend: Edith Thornton of Rocky Hill, Ct., David Putnam of Wilbraham, Ma., Dr. Dickson Putnam and his sister of West Plains, Mo., Mr. and Mrs. Jack Putnam of Visalia, Ca. and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Putnam of Marietta, Oh. Anyone else who plans to come should let me know as soon as possible so that accommodations can be secured. Directions for travel to Aylesbury, Bucks, from London or other cities in England will be provided in the next month. All local travel from Aylesbury to hotels and to tour sites will be provided for the group. A detailed itinerary also will be provided in July. At the moment we can say that Saturday will be a day of informal exploration and meeting of St. Mary's church members and Sunday will start with a service in the church of our ancestors and finish with dedication of the new church hall. In between, we'll have an opportunity to study the historically important area around the church and village. The next three days will be spent in touring the spots that are important in Putnam family history as well as other sites in this extremely beautiful section of England.
PUTNAM MIGRATION INTO THE MID-OHIO VALLEY
In tracing the descendants of a given family in the U.S. it is frequently found that the geographical distribution of the family is remarkably broad, resembling a tree growing from a single town in the East and branching out into many of the 50 states. In the cases of John Putnam of Salem Village and probably of Thomas Putnam of tidewater Virginia, descendants can be found in all 50 states 350 years after arrival in North America of John and Thomas. Because of this it is tempting to assume that members of the Putnam family found in a small area are all descended from an original settler of the area (of course this is not true for large metropolitan areas). That this is a very bad assumption is shown by the example of the area centered in Marietta, Ohio, and covering a circle with a radius of 20 miles. Putnam immigration into this area of Ohio and West Virginia can, in fact, be traced to six and perhaps seven different family lines spanning a period of more than 200 years.
Marietta, itself, was settled in 1788 with the arrival of a flatboat bearing 48 revolutionary war veterans from Massachusetts. The leader was General Rufus Putnam and the group included Allen and Jethro Putnam. Rufus and Allen were not closely related (3rd cousins, once removed). Jethro came from Danvers, as did Allen, but we don't know their relationship except that they were not brothers. Today there is not a single family named Putnam in this entire area descended from any of these men nor am I aware of any individuals descended from their daughters. Yet there is a very large number of Putnam families. How this came to be is a fascinating story. Most (but not all!) of the Putnam family members to be found in the Marietta area today are actually descendants of General Israel Putnam. Not all the members of the Ohio Company came out with the original 48. One who did not was Colonel Israel Putnam, son of the famous general. This Israel came overland a short time after the flatboat arrived, took up land in Belpre, just south of Marietta, and brought out his large family in 1790. His sons all remained in the Belpre/Marietta area and from them are descended many hundred present a residents.
In Cairo and Elizabeth, West Virginia, are two members of the AFOP, Sandra Harper and Marjorie Mayes. who descend from John Jeptha Putnam, born in 1762 in Sutton, Hass., died in Bath, Virginia, in 1837. John's children spread out into western Virginia before the Civil War leaving a considerable number of descendants in today's population in our area of interest. But, as we have already discovered, one must be careful not to draw any conclusions about other Putnams in the same area from this fact. In Belmont , West Virginia and Marietta, Ohio, live two sisters, Deloris Putnam Morris and Violet Putnam Blair, also members of the AFOP. These ladies descend from an old V1rginia family which is almost certainly that derived from the Thomas Putnam who came to Virginia in 1647 from Chesham, England. One of the members of is family, John M. Putnam, moved west of the Appalachian Mts. from Fauqler County between 1845 and 1873. This family finally reached the area of interest after 1900 and has contributed a significant number of individuals to today's population.
And where does my family fit in all of this? Nowhere! We are late comers to the area, having arrived from Salem Village via New Salem ,Mass., Houlton, He., Northampton, Mass., and Wilmington, Delaware, only in 1967. And to find a common ancestor with any of the others we have to go all the way back to John of Salem Village and his sons.
MORE CIV1L WAR LETTERS
Several weeks ago we were delighted to have an unexpected visit from member Stephen Morgan Wells, recently retired manager of the Susse Motel in Portsmouth, N.H., and his wife Betty. Steve is one of the descendants of the Col. Israel Putnam mentioned in the previous section and his family is from Athens, Ohio, home of Ohio University (founded by Rufus Putnam, among others). Steve was on what proved to be a successful search for reliable evidence of his ancestry. As a result of this visit he has provided a fascinating collection of letters from a soldier in the Union army, Lt. David P. Putnam, to his parents in Athens. David was born in Marietta in 1841 and was a brother of Stephen's great-grandfather. The letters span his service career from late in 1862 till after the end of the war in 1865 and are virtually a week-by-week record of the war in the West including Sherman's campaign in Georgia. The letters will be serialized in "The Tallow Light", a publication of the Washington County (Ohio) Historical Society, and will be donated to the Ohio Historical Society.
THE ANCESTRY OF THE CHILDREN OF DEACON EDWARD PUTNAM
Member Harry Brawner of Menlo Park, Ca., has provided the following account of the ancestry of Mary Hale, wife of Edward Putnam, which may be of interest to their many descendants in the AFOP.
"The nine children of Deacon Edward Putnam and their descendants are all very much Putnams, but they also share another fascinating ancestry. Edward was born in Salem Village, Mass., (baptized July 4, 1654), the second son of Thomas and Ann Holyoke Putnam, and there married Mary Hale on June 14, 1681.
Mary Hale also was born in Salem Village on July 15, 1660, the daughter of Judge Thomas and Mary Hutchinson Hale. The judge was well known and highly respected and himself New England born. His father, another Thomas, was the immigrant ancestor settling with this wife, Thomasine, in Newbury, Mass., where he became a selectman before dying there on Dec. 21, 1682. his birthplace was Walterstone, Herefordshire, on the Welch border. The date was June 15, 1606.
This Thomas' father was William (1568-1634) who held the honor of High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, the home county of the Putnam family. Thomas' mother was Rose, a daughter of Sir George Bond, Lord Mayor of London in 1587, at the time of the Spanish Armada threat. Sir George's wife was Winifred Leigh.
Lady Winifred, in turn, was the daughter of Sir Thomas Leigh, Lord Mayor of London in 1558, the momentous year in which Mary I, "Bloody Mary", was succeeded on the throne by the great Elizabeth. Sir Thomas and his spouse, Alice Barker, retired to Stoneleigh Abbey in Warwickshire. The home is occupied by the Leigh family to this day.
The Leigh family is authenticated for another eleven generations previous to Sir Thomas beginning with Haman de Leigh, whose son was married around 1160 and was lord of High Leigh Manor in Chestershire. One other Leigh deserves mention. Sir Thomas' great,great grandfather was Sir Piers Leigh who fought as a young man with distinction at the battle of Crecy in 1346 in support of the Plantagenet King, Edward III. He continued in his loyalty to this royal family even as the throne was usurped by the Lancastrian, Henry IV. The latter heartlessly ordered the execution of the old man and Sir Piers was beheaded in Chester in 1399."
PUTNAMS IN THE NEWS
Can one of our members identify the Jennifer Putnam who is shown in the Associate Press photo below?
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| Associated Press |
Pressing for revival
Jennifer E. Putnam holds a photograph of her great-great-grandmother Julia Ward How, who wrote the lyrics to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Putnam wants the song to become part of the next welcome-home parade for Persian Gulf War troops, July 4 In Washington, D.C. "It could become the anthem of a new age," Putnam says.
Member Hamilton S. Putnam of Concord, N.H., recently gave two lectures before the N.H. Historical Society and at the Bicentennial Celebration of the N.H. Medical Society. His topics were the 388 years (sic) of N.H. medicine and the part played in it by Dr. Josiah Bartlett, the Society's first president, first governor of N.H. and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Hamilton was executive director of the Society for 38 years and currently is director of the John P. Bowler, M.D. Memorial Library. He is the author of "COUNTRY ON FIRE", a history of the period of the French and Indian wars (1755-1764) and the part played in it by his ancestor, Israel Putnam.
In the November, 1990, issue of the Bulletin we reported two newspaper articles about Todd Putnam of Seattle, Wa., and his publication "National Boycott News". The Wall Street Journal also recognized news in this item but didn't get it on their front page until the April 24, 1991 issue. Then they did it up properly with a long article. The first paragraph is worth quoting since it sums up the Journal's tongue in cheek treatment of the story. "(Todd Putnam) sorely needs a new pair of shoes, but he can't wear leather - the company has been accused of exploiting the black community. Rubber and plastic are also out, because they don't recycle well. And he has even had to stop buying his Chinese-made all- cotton shoes because of the Tianenmen Square massacre."
MISSING PERSONS
Information is needed about Polly Putnam of Tyringham, Mass., who married Nathaniel Gleason on 13 June 1795 in Tyringham. Nathaniel was born on 1 Nov. 1773 in Ward, Mass., and was living in Becket at the time of his marriage. Contact Caroline W. Putnam, wife of the Editor, if you know anything about Polly.
Larine Biggs, 6115 Jaqueline, Wichita, Ks., wants to contact anyone who is descended from Levi and Charlotte (Estes) Putnam who lived in the Dwight, Illinois, area about 1840. One daughter, Hannah, married Clark Wait.
IN MEMORIAM
Wichita, Ks., architect, Wendell Parks, died at the age of 88 on March 16, 1991, in Wichita. He was a descendant of Gen. Israel Putnam and a relative of members Larine Biggs and Hadley Wait also of Wichita.
NEM MEMBERS
New members welcomed to the American Friends since the April issue of the Bulletin are:
William B. Putman, Jr..Hyannis Port, Ma.
Marjorie F. Mayes
Elizabeth, W. Va.
Leonor Carrasquilla Castello
Bogota, Columbia, S.A.
Marjorie R. Atherton
Morris, Ct.
Robert A. Putnam
Winter Spr., Fl.
Marlynn D. Clements
Mansfield, Oh.
Donna R. Carlson
Austin, Tx.
K. Troy Putnam
Radnor, Oh.
Wendy V. Smith
Rexdale, Ont., Canada
Robert E. Putnam, Editor
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