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Generation No. 1


Nathaniel Putnam (John) was born Abt. 1619 in Aston Abbotts, Buckinghamshire, England, and died July 23, 1700 in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Hutchinson September 3, 1648 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, daughter of Richard Hutchinson and Alice Bosworth. She was born August 20, 1629 in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, England, and died June 24, 1688 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts.
 

Notes for Nathaniel Putnam:
In 1694, Nathaniel and John Putnam testified to having lived in the Village since 1641. Nathaniel Putnam was a man of considerable landed property; his wife brought him seventy-five acres additional and on this tract he built his house and established himself. Part of this property had remained uninterruptedly in the family. It was better known as the "old Judge Putnam place."

In 1648, both Nathaniel and his wife Elizabeth were admitted to the church in Salem, Massachusetts. He was Constable  in 1656, and afterward deputy to the General Court, 1690-1691, selectman, and always at the front on all local questions, whether pertaining to politics, religious affairs, or other town matters. "He had great business activity and ability and was a person of extraordinary powers of mind, of great energy and skill in the management of affairs and of singular sagacity, acumen and quickness of perception. He left a large estate.

Nathaniel Putnam was one of the principals in the great lawsuits concerning the ownership of the Bishop farm. His action in this matter was merely to prevent the attempts of Zerubabel Endicott to push the bounds of the Bishop grant over his land. The real principals in the case were James Allen who had obtained the Bishop farm as part of his wife's dowry, and Zerubabel Endicott. The case was a long and complicated affair and was at last settled to the satisfaction of Allen and Putnam. Endicott was so chagrined that he was a different man and soon died from the effect of being cast by the courts. This Bishop grant which caused the trouble was sold by Allen to the Nurses and later belonged to Calvin Putnam. The above suit was settled in 1683.

During the unhappy trouble concerning the settlement of a minister over the parish at Salem Village, Nathaniel  Putnam was a most determined opponent to the Rev. Mr. Bayley, but when Bayley was dismissed he joined with his brothers Thomas and John Putnam, Thomas Fuller, Sr., and Joseph Hutchinson, Sr., in a deed of gift to Mr. James Bayley of twenty-eight acres of upland and thirteen acres of meadow, which constituted a very valuable property. This was of date May 6, 1680. On December 10, 1688, Lt. Nathaniel Putnam was one of the four messengers sent to Rev. Samuel Parris to obtain his reply to the call of the parish. Parris put them off. His final engagement was settled by younger men, one of whom was Dea. Edward Putnam. Mr. Parris, however, was supported by Nathaniel Putnam, who four years later was completely deceived in regard to the witchcraft delusion. That he honestly believed in witchcraft and in the statements of the afflicted girls there seems to be no doubt; that he was not inclined to be severe is evident, and his goodness of character shows forth in marked contrast with the almost bitter feeling shown by many of those concerned. Nathaniel lived to see the mistake all had made. That he should have believed in the delusion is not strange for belief in witchcraft was then all but universal. The physicians and ministers called upon to examine the girls, who pretended to be bewitched, agreed that such was the fact. Upham states that ninety-nine out of every hundred in Salem believed that such was the case. There can be no doubt that the expressed opinion of a man like Nathaniel Putnam must have influenced scores of his neighbors. His eldest brother had been dead seven years and he had succeeded to the position as head of the great Putnam family with its connections. He was known as "Landlord Putnam," a term given for many years to the oldest living member of the family. He saw his brother Thomas Putnam's family afflicted and, being an upright and honest man himself, believed in the disordered imaginings of his grandniece, Ann. These are powerful reasons to account for his belief and actions. The following extract from Upham brings out the better side of his character. - "Entire confidence was felt by all in hiss judgment, and deservedly. But he was a strong religionist, a lifelong member of the church and extremely strenuous and zealous in his ecclesiastical relations. He was getting to be an old man and Mr. Parris had wholly succeeded in obtaining, for the time, possession of his feelings, sympathy, and zeal in the management of the church, and secured his full cooperation in the witchcraft prosecutions. He had been led by Parris to take the very front in the proceedings. But even Nathaniel Putnam could not stand by in silence and see Rebecca Nurse sacrificed." A curious paper, written by him, is among those which have been preserved: "Nathaniel Putnam, Sr., being desired by Francis Nurse, Sr., to give information of what I could say concerning his wife's life and conversation, I, the above said, have known this said aforesaid woman forty years, and what I have observed of her, human frailties excepted, her life and conversation have been according to her profession, and she hath brought up a great family of children and educated them well, so that there is in some of them apparent savor of godliness. I have known her differ with her neighbors, but I never knew or heard of any that did accuse her of what she is now charged with."

A similar paper was signed by thirty-nine other persons of the village and the immediate vicinity, all of the highest respectability. The men and women who dared to do this act of justice must not be forgotten: - "We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being desired by Goodman Nurse to declare what we know concerning his wife's conversation for time past, - we can testify, to all whom it may concerrn, that we have known her for many years, and according to our observation, her life and conversation were according to her profession, and we never had any cause or grounds to suspect her of any such thing as she is now accused of.

Israel Porter Samuel Abbey
Elizabeth Porter Hepzibah Rea
Edward Bishop, Sr. Daniel Andrew
Hannah Bishop Sarah Andrew
Joshua Rea Daniel Rea
Sarah Rea Sarah Putnam
Sarah Leach Jonathan Putnam
John Putnam Lydia Putnam
Rebecca Putnam Walter Phillips, Sr.
Joseph Hutchinson, Sr. Nathaniel Felton, Sr.
Lydia Hutchinson Margaret Phillips
William Osburn Tabitha Phillips
Hannah Osburne Joseph Holton, Jr.
Joseph Holton, Sr. Samuel Endicott
Sarah Holton Elizabeth Buxton
Benjamin Putnam Samuel Aborn
Sarah Putnam Isaac Cook
Job Swinnerton Elizabeth Cook
Esther Swinnerton Joseph Putnam
Joseph Herrick, Sr."

An examination of the foregoing names in connection with the history of the village will show conclusive proof, that, if the matter had been left to the people there, it would never have reached the point to which it was carried. It was the influence of the magistracy and the government of the colony, and the public sentiment prevalent elsewhere, overruling that of that immediate locality, that drove on the storm.

The above document shows the position taken by the heads of several of the Putnam families of the village.  Of their children only John, Benjamin and Mary survived their father.

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Generation No. 2

Capt. Benjamin Putnam (Nathaniel, John) was born October 24, 1664 in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts, and died July 23, 1715 in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts. He married (1) Sarah Tarrant August 1684 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. She was born June 30, 1659 in Danvers, Essex County, Massachusetts, and died December 21, 1705 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. He married (2) widow Sarah Houlton July 1, 1706 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. She was born in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts, and died in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts.
 
Notes for Capt. Benjamin Putnam:

BENJAMIN PUTNAM was a prominent man in Salem, Massachusetts, held many town offices, and always had the title "Mr." unless other titles were given. He held the positions of lieutenant and captain (1706-11). From the time he was chosen tything man at the village in 1696, hardly a year passed but what he was honored by his fellow townsmen.

He was constable and collector in 1700, was constantly chosen tything man and surveyor of highways at the village. In 1707-13 he was one of the selectman, and the frequency with which he was returned to the grand and petit juries shows that his judgment was considered valuable. He is last mentioned on the Salem records in 1712 when he was one of those chosen to delineate the bounds between Salem and Topsfield. On December 30, 1709, he was chosen deacon of the church at the village, receiving every vote of the church except his own.

The title of "Landlord" was often given to the oldest living Putnam, and Benjamin is thus designated in the diary of Rev. Joseph Green. In June, 1707, Mr. Green's diary mentions "News of Captain Putnam having come to Marblehead;" and "Our country in great confusion, some of the army, and others against it. I went to Boston to ye Governor to release Benjamin Putnam;" but for what reason Captain Putnam was imprisoned can not now be discovered.

On December 30, 1709, Benjamin Putnam was chosen to be deacon under Rev. Joseph Green of the Church of Salem. Rev. Green reports in his journal that Benjamin Putnam was chosen deacon by every vote in the church except his own. By 1713, Benjamin had inherited the title of Landlord Putnam. The Rev. Joseph Green, pastor of the Salem Church refers several times in his journal to Landlord Benjamin Putnam. The first reference, to his imprisonment (for unknown reasons). "1707, June 16. News of Captain Putnam having come to Marblehead. June 17. Our country in great confusion. Some for the army, some against it. I went to Boston to ye Governor to release Benjamin Putnam.

1708, July 29. I went with B. Putnam to Reading to Deacin Fitches, to spend ye day in prayer for him, he bing almost blind, and old Mr. Weston quite blind, and other disconsolate deaf etc. Mr. Pierpont began, I prayed, Deacon Fitch, Landlord Putnam and Deacon Bancroft than sang 146 Psalm and I concluded with a short prayer and blessing." It is clear that he was a deeply religious man who kept fasts and prayed and received communion and frequently as the Puritans gave it. Rev. Green wrote about a visit he made to Landlord Putnam on July 25, 1713, saying that he was "very sick" and "out of his head." This proved to be the beginning of the end, because he died in 1714 or 1715.

He was a prominent man in Salem during the problem of the terrible witchcraft delusion, but does not appear to have taken any part in the persecutions. It seems that the members of the good family who had been the victims of this bloody hallucinations were dependents in Captain Putnam's family, and when the indemnities were paid by the general court to the heirs of those accused and imprisoned and murdered, William Good, through the instrumentality of Benjamin Putnam, obtained a large proportion. Among the signatures to the certificate of character of Rebecca Nurse, one of the victims of the time, both those of Benjamin and his wife Sarah are found. He never seems to have appeared as a witness of any account, and probably kept clear as far as he was able of the whole affair.

Capt. Benjamin Putnam's will was dated October 28, 1706, and proved April 25, 1715. He gave to his son Daniel Putnam, a minister at Reading "£150 for his learning." Overseers of the will were "Uncle John Putnam and Capt. Jonathan Putnam." Children of age in 1715 were Tarrant, Banjamin, son-in-law Robert Hutchinson and Elizabeth Putnam Hutchinson. Cornelius, the baby of the family, chose his brother Nathaniel on April 1, 1717, to be his guardian and he was expected to "learn a trade." Executors of the will were Nathaniel and Tarrant Putnam. It was witnesed by: John Jeffards, Hannah Roberds, Jonathan Putnam, and presented before Judge Appleton of the Ipswich Court, April 25, 1715.

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Generation No. 3


Dea. Nathaniel Putnam (Benjamin, Nathaniel, John) was born August 25, 1686 in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts, and died October 20, 1754 in Danvers, Essex County, Massachusetts. He married Hannah Roberts June 4, 1709 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, daughter of Ephraim Roberts and Dorothy Hendrick. She was born September 20, 1685 in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts, and died Abt. 1763 in Danvers, Essex County, Massachusetts.
 

Notes for Dea. Nathaniel Putnam:

NATHANIEL PUTNAM was a yeoman, and lived in Danvers, Massachusetts, and probably part of the time in North Reading, Massachusetts. He was elected deacon of the First Church at Danvers, November 15, 1731.

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Notes for Hannah Roberts:

In 1763, the following children and grandchildren were still living and signed receipts for their share of widow Hannah Roberts Putnam's estate: son, Jacob Putnam, daughters Sarah and Hannah Hutchinson Putnam, Kezia Putnam Marble, son-in-law Reuben Harriman for his wife Mehitible, grandson Archelaus Putnam Jr., Asa Putnam for his daughter Hannah, daughter-in-law of Hannah Putnam Hutchinson, grandson Elisha Putnam and grandchildren: Jeremiah and Sarah Hutchinson.

Children of Nathaniel Putnam and Hannah Roberts are:
 

Generation No. 4


Dea. Ephraim Putnam (Nathaniel, Benjamin, Nathaniel, John) was born February 10, 1718/19 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, and died November 13, 1777 in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire.  He married Sarah Cram in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, daughter of John Cram and Sarah Holt. She was born June 27, 1719 in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and died October 15, 1777 in probably Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire.
 

Notes for Dea. Ephraim Putnam:

He came to Wilton, New Hampshire, with his brother, Jacob, and settled at the intersection of the roads near the North Cemetery. He remained there not many years, but removed to Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, where his descendants have been numerous.

Deacon Ephriam Putnam was an early settler in Lyndeborough. Their home was destroyed by fire a short time after Ephraim's death. It was then occupied by one of his sons, and at that time the family records were destroyed. The garrison house was near his home and he had charge of it. It is said that the three early settlers of Lyndeborough, each living on a hill, would each morning signal the others if all was well. Each watched anxiously for the return signal of the others because Indians were on the rampage.

The family of Ephraim Putnam had dark eyes and black hair; an honest, conscientious and God-fearing family, and these characteristics were noticeable in the families immediately descended from him.

In 1834 Daniel Putnam of Lyndeborough supplied Col. Perley Putnam with much information concerning his branch of the family, and he wrote that at the time there were living in the town of Lyndeborough twenty-six male descendants of Ephraim Putnam, including his son Aaron. Also, up to that date there had been three "Deacon" Putnams and six "Captain" Putnams in Lyndeborough.

He was an original signer of the incorporation of the town of Lyndeborough. While the early settlers of Wilton and Lyndeborough seem to have feared the Indians greatly, and even in 1744 petitioned Gov. Westworth for soldiers to protect them, they seem never to have been molested. The petition of 1744 was signed by Ephriam Putnam and several of the Crams. None of the Wilton or Lyndeborough Putnam families are known to have supplied men for the French and Indian Wars. He was a patriot of Lyndeborough where he hired a substitute for himself to serve in the army; in 1744, was chosen on a committee to provide ammunition for the town.

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Generation No. 5


Aaron Putnam (Ephraim, Nathaniel, Benjamin, Nathaniel, John) was born Abt. 1758 in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, and died Aft. 1834 in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. He married (1) Sarah Lee December 28, 1780 in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. She died June 28, 1783. He married (2) Phebe Farnham April 28, 1789 in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. She was born in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire.
 

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Generation No. 6

Joseph Putnam (Aaron, Ephraim, Nathaniel, Benjamin, Nathaniel, John) was born 1790 in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. He married Sarah Shattuck. She was born July 12, 1790 in Temple, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, and died November 3, 1860 in Wilton, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire.
 
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Generation No. 7

George Putnam (Joseph, Aaron, Ephraim, Nathaniel, Benjamin, Nathaniel, John) was born October 24, 1817 in Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, and died Abt. 1855. He married Mrs. Elizabeth McKinney. She was born Abt. 1813 in Indiana.

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Generation No. 8


Joseph Squire Putnam (George, Joseph, Aaron, Ephraim, Nathaniel, Benjamin, Nathaniel, John) was born January 11, 1853 in Nobel Township, Wabash County, Indiana, and died October 16, 1939. He married Alice E. Stoops. She was born October 18, 1863 in Wabash County, Indiana, and died January 8, 1942 in Panona, California.

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Generation No. 9

Warren Emmett Putnam (Joseph Squire, George, Joseph, Aaron, Ephraim, Nathaniel, Benjamin, Nathaniel, John) was born January 20, 1902 in Ft. Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, and died September 29, 1977 in Seal Beach, Orange County, California. He married Mary Alva Palm. She was born April 19, 1907 in Byron, Contra Costa County, California, and died June 15, 1995 in Encinitas, San Diego County, California.
 
Children of Warren Putnam and Mary Palm are:
Sources: www.billputman.com
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