USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Lyndeborough > The history of the town of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, Vol. II > Part 15
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The late Mr. David C. Crant gave correctly the portion of the town in which Captain Lee lived. This portion was at a later day taken from Lyndeborough to constitute the town of Greenfield. In that part of the town, one of the small streams which flows into Rocky River, still bears the name of "The Lee Brook."
Captain Lee seems to have left our town soon after the close of the Revolutionary War ; and is reported to have settled in Weston, Vermont. Some of his descendants returned to New Hampshire, and lived in Hancock. According to the Hancock History, Vol. II, p. 738, note, three of his grandsons were Union soldiers in our Civil War. One of these, Charles Henry Lee, married Eliza Josephine Newell, who was born in Lynde- borough, November 24, 1850, daughter of John Newell, form- erly a miller in Lyndeborough.
LYNDEBOROUGH MEN IN CAPTAIN WILLIAM LEE'S COMPANY IN THE EXPEDITION TO RHODE ISLAND.
Capt. William Lee
Andrew Fuller
Qr. Mr. Sergt. Adam Johnson
Edward Bevins
Sergt. Samuel Hutchinson
Francis Epps
Corp. Robert Badger
Daniel Gould
Jonas Kidder
John Kidder
Jesse Lund Aaron Putnam
Aaron Lewis
Nicholas Beasom
Daniel Cram
Timothy Pearson
Reuben Spaulding
Nathan Pearson
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
PUTNAM .- The earliest ancestor of the Putnam family in America was John Putnam of Aston Abbotts, Co. Bucks, England, and of Salem, Mass., in New England, 1634. The stock from which he sprang is said to have entered Britain at the time of the Norman Conquest, about 1066 .* Mr. Eben Putnam of Salem, the author of an extended history of the distinguished family, thinks that it contained a mixture of Danish, Saxon and Celtic blood, with a predominance of the Danish. At the time of John Putnam's arrival in the Bay State, 1635, Mrs. Hutchinson, John Wheelwright, and their sympathizers, as well as Roger Williams and certain others, were making matters quite lively for the Boston hierarchy. His arrival was probably too recent to admit of very active participation on either side. But he is reputed to have been "a man of energy and great natural powers." He was "a farmer and exeedingly well off for the times. He wrote a fair hand, as deeds on record show." He died in that part of Salem, Mass., which is now Danvers, December 30, 1662. He had three sons, who came with him to America : I. THOMAS, grandsire of General Israel, famous in the Revolution. 2. NATHANIEL, baptized at Aston Abbott's, 11 Oct., 1619, died at Salem Village, 23 July, 1700. 3. JOHN, baptized at Aston Abbott's, Eng., 27 May, 1727; died at Salem Village, 7 April, 1710. The Putnam family besides its antiquity was among the titled and landed gentry of the English realm, and had its recognized coat of arms and crest. John is believed to have been the progenitor of all the Putnams of America.
" In a manuscript dated 1733, Edward Putnam," one of his grandsons, "then 79 years of age, wrote the following con- cerning the family : "
" From the three brothers proceeded twelve males; from those twelve, forty males; from those forty, eight-two males. In respect to their situation in life, I can say with the Psalmist, 'I have been young and now am old ; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor their seed begging bread,' except of God who provides for all ; for God hath given to the generation of my fathers Agur's portion, neither poverty nor riches, but fed them with food convenient for them, and their children have been able to help others in their need."
The Hon. Perley Putnam of Salem, Mass., having for many years collected material for a history of the Putnam family, is said to have stated, "that he had discovered no Putnam in this
*History of Putnam Family.
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country that was not descended from (John I) and one of his three sons.
NATHANIEL PUTNAM .- Nathaniel, the second son of John, was the ancestor of the Putnams of Salem-Canada. These were also descended from his youngest son, Benjamin, and his grandson, Nathaniel. The line of descent, therefore, of our townsmen is, first, John; then, Nathaniel, Benjamin, Nathaniel. The last named is the first to be noted in the Pro- prietors' Records of Salem-Canada.
Nathaniel Putnam of the fourth generation, great grandson of John, was one of the early proprietors of Salem-Canada. At the drawing of Second Division Lots, of 130 acres each, on the 21 of June, 1737, Deacon Nathaniel Putnam drew on the right of Capt. Samuel King, being home lot No. 5, the two second division lots numbered 5 and 80. He seems to have purchased the full right of Capt. King, and was afterwards an active participant in the interests of the town for more than twelve years. By the formation of township No. 2, he, with his sons, were made citizens of that town. "Only a few of the proprietors, or stockholders, settled in Salem-Canada," wrote Rev. F. G. Clark, " but they were interested in the pros- perity of the town, and voted money freely for a meeting-house, support of preaching, and building of roads." "Deacon Nathaniel Putnam, Joseph Richardson, Edward Hardy, and Timothy Cummings were the only original proprietors, so far as can be found, who made homes for themselves in the town." He built the first saw-mill in the old town of Salem-Canada, in 1739. This was a great convenience at the time, and he re- ceived a consideration of ten pounds in view of it, for which an order was given him, September 15, 1741. One of the earliest roads in the town was, also, laid out from the saw-mill of Dea. Nathaniel Putnam to the meeting-house. Traces of this old road are still discoverable in the southern part of Lyndeborough and across the line into Wilton. The mill stood on the stream which forms Barnes', or later Gaerwen's Falls, and was situated a little above the falls. The Putnams, Dales and others, who, at a later day, were set off into township No. 2, were promi- nent helpers in building the first meeting-house in the old town. Indications are not wanting to show that these interested and worthy citizens of the old town were coerced into signing the the petition for the formation of the new township No. 2. They
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were highly prized neighbors always, and had many interests in common with their former townsmen. Nathaniel Putnam was advanced in years when the new town was constituted, in 1749. He was born in Salem, August 25, 1685. He married Hannah Roberts, June 4, 1709, and died October 21, 1754. He was buried in Danvers, Mass. His posterity in the male line consisted of four sons, viz. : Jacob, Archelaus, Ephraim, and Nathaniel.
EPHRAIM PUTNAM .- Ephraim Putnam was the third son of the above-named Nathaniel, and came to Salem-Canada with his father and brothers. He was of the fifth generation from the immigrant John, and was born in Salem Village, February 10, 1719. He died in Lyndeborough, November 13, 1777, at the age of 58 years, after an active and useful life.
He married Sarah, a twin daughter of John Cram, the first settler in Salem-Canada. She was born in Woburn, Mass., June 27, 1719, and came with her father into the new settlement. She died October 14, 1777, aged 58 years.
Ephraim Putnam and wife settled on second division lot No. 5, near his brother, Jacob, not far from the intersection of the roads near the north cemetery in Wilton. He remained with his father some time; but took a deed of the home farm of John Cram, his father-in-law, February 23, 1753. According to Rev. Frank G. Clark, the first meeting in the interests of a settled ministry "was held at the house of Ephraim Putnam, September 3, 1756 .* " "The home of Deacon Ephraim was destroyed by fire a short time after his death, and at that time the family records were destroyed. One of his sons then oc- cupied the house. The children (born in town) were all bap- tized by Rev. Mr. Wilkins, of Amherst, and births recorded by Jacob Wellman, society clerk."f
The traditions of Indian incursions in this town seems to be treated by Rev. Mr. Clark with too little credit. True, none of our inhabitants, so far as known, perished by the hands of the red men. But it is a matter of history and of fact, that a gar- rison was built in the town by order of Major Lovewell, a brother of John of the "Pigwacket fight." This fort was standing at the time of the French and Indian war, in 1744. Not only was there a fort here, but John Cram, who in 1708,
* See pp. 278-279.
t Hy. of Put. Fam. Pt. IV, p. 203.
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did fort duty at Fort William and Mary, for a time, had com- mand of it. (See p. 521.)
Sarah, the wife of Ephraim Putnam, is reported on one occa- sion to have shown remarkable courage and strategy in holding the fort when her husband was absent. The enemy were stealthily approaching but were betrayed by the dogs, which always barked more furiously on scenting the Indians. The single guard in charge was too timorous to be of much service. But Sarah was cool, and ordered the men (as though present) to their posts, at different stations. The man and her own boy, also, answered in changed tones from,different points, and then all was quiet. This gave the enemy the impression that the fort had more defenders than they knew, and prevented an attack. After peace came about, the Indians said that at that time they thought they were able to capture the fort, but were surprised that so many men could have gotten there without their knowledge, and gave up their design, for fear of being defeated. They said, also, that at other times they could have captured the commander, but they refrained, thinking they would capture the whole force together.
An Indian told that once when the commander turned his horse into the pasture, he lay so near the bars that the horse could have stepped on him. But he did not want to kill the white man then, because they had planned to take the garrison and kill them all at one time.
Ephraim Putnam was one of the original signers of the peti- tion for the incorporation of the town under the royal charter, which was granted April 23, 1764. At the first legal town meeting, he and Jacob Wellman, one of the proprietors of the town, were elected tything men. The following year he was chosen town treasurer, an office to which he was elected nine years in succession. The stormy times of the Revolution were then coming on, and at the town meeting, October 31, 1774, it was voted, " To purchase a town stock of powder, balls, and flints," which was to consist of "One barrel of powder, one- hundred weight of lead, and five dozen flints; " and Deacon Ephraim Putnam was chosen "a committee to provide the above said stock."
He bore a very active part in the Revolution. In the Revo- lutionary records of the town it is stated that in 1776, " Deacon Ephraim Putnam and son Ephraim did a whole turn; they hired Nathaniel Bachelor."
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The farm on which he lived was a part of second division lot No. 41. But he had also a deed from Benjamin Lynde, Jr., Esq., of second division lot No. 44, which was burned with his dwelling. These were the lots from which the original owners, Lynde and Cram, gave the spacious grounds for the first meeting-house, which at that time was built near the middle of the township of Salem-Canada.
When the first meeting-house grounds were given up, they reverted to the possession of the original owner, then Deacon Ephraim Putnam. His son Ephraim seems to have succeeded him in occupying that part of the farm including lot No. 44; he was known while his father lived as Ephraim Putnam, Jr., and afterwards as Ephraim Putnam.
EPHRAIM PUTNAM, JR .- Ephraim Putnam, Jr., was the son of Deacon Ephraim, and was himself a deacon. He was born in Danvers, Mass., June 15, 1744. He married Lucy Spaulding, who was probably a sister of Capt. Levi Spaulding, and nearly the same age. He seems to have been a man of unusual influence in his day. (For his public services see pp. 196, 257, 258, 260.) He had three sons who lived in what is now South Lyndeborough village. The places where these sons lived are well known. But where he fixed his own dwell- ing seems now to be a matter of conjecture. The likeliest place is that, at present, the old dwelling which was afterwards remodeled by another Ephraim Putnam into the tavern, now the commodious residence of Capt. Andy Holt. He was sealer of lumber for many years, an office which implied that he was either a manufacturer of it or had some practical knowledge of the quality and worth of it. The lumber and shingle mill, now the property of Mr. E. H. Putnam must have served to make lumber in his day, and may have been built by either him or his father. It was owned a few years after his death by his brother, Ensign David. His death occurred March 2, 1799. For his children see Genealogies.
EPHRAIM PUTNAM, THIRD .- Ephraim Putnam, Third, had his home on the grounds now occupied by Mr. W. P. Steele. (See p. 503.) He was the father of the better-known Capt. Eleazer. He received the rather ironical title of General Putnam when a boy, as is narrated on this wise. Having seen some tracks in the snow which he thought were bear tracks, he
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hastened home and informed his father. The neighbors were roused, and all prepared for a bear hunt. They found the tracks to be only crow tracks. Whether piqued or amused at the false alarm, his father said when he met him, " Why, General Put- nam, not to know crow tracks from a bear's! " From that day on, he was called " General Putnam."
None of his children lived to mature age, save Capt. Eleazar. For his record see sketch of the Lafayette Artillery Company.
DANIEL PUTNAN, ESQ .- Daniel Putnam was the son of Ephraim Putnam and Lucy Spaulding, and was born September 3, 1770. He married Hannah Johnson, one of the family which gave name to Johnson Corner. In the record of the town meeting for March, 1798, we find Daniel Putnam chosen sealer of lumber, an office held by his father for many years previous, and one to which he himself was chosen, till he com- pleted a service of thirty years. In 1804, he is styled Lt. Daniel Putnam, and from 1806 on is frequently called Capt. Daniel Putnam, (see History pages 219 and 220). Later in life he was designated as Squire Daniel, or Daniel Putnam, Esq.
He must have been very popular, for he was chosen Repre- sentative to the General Court twelve times in succession, from 1805 to 1816, and once again in 1820. He supplied Col. Perley Putnam with much information, and wrote concerning the family in this town :
"There are living in the town of Lyndeborough twenty-six male descendants of Ephraim Putnam, including his son Aaron. Up to the present date (1834) there have been three Deacon Putnams, and six Capt. Putnams in Lyndeborough."*
Daniel Putnam owned a saw-mill, undoubtedly that which now belongs to Mr. E. H. Putnam. He was a carpenter by trade and his assistance and advice were sought in the repair- ing and erecting of public buildings in the town. He was prominent in the Universalist movement and purposed erecting a parsonage for the accommodation of the Universalist minister, Mr. Hussey. The lot on which he set out to build was after- wards sold to his grandsons, Charles and William Richardson, who erected on it the house in which Mrs. Clough of Lynn, Mass., has now a summer home.
Daniel Putnam, Esq., departed this life in December, twelfth day, 1841, aged 71 years. His wife Hannah passed away in 1872, aged 96 years. For his children, see Genealogies.
* See Putnam Family, part IV, p. 204.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
JOHN PUTNAM, son of Ephraim and Lucy (Spaulding) Putnam, lived with his sister Betsey, on the ground now oc- cupied by the house of Mr. Walter Tarbell. Solomon Cram, who built the blacksmith shop in the village, was their nephew, and took care of them in their last days, and received their estate in reward for his services. John Putnam seems to have owned the land which is now the property of Mr. Joseph A. Johnson, south of the road, as well as Mr. Tarbell's lot. (See p. 505.)
Of the daughter Esther, we have but the record of her birth.
But Sarah Putnam, daughter of Ephraim and Lucy (Spauld- ing) Putnam, married David Cram, Jr., and they removed to the state of Vermont. Solomon, above-named, was their son.
CAPTAIN ISRAEL PUTNAM .- Captain Israel Putnam was the son of Squire Daniel Putnam. (See Genealogies.) He owned and operated the saw-mill which now belongs to Mr. Edwin H. Putnam. He built an addition to it. (See pp. 340 and 522.) He served the town three terms as representa- tive (See p. 258) and was prominent in middle life, in the affairs of the town. He held many important offices, and served many years as surveyor of lumber. He had four sons, William R., Daniel, Israel and Sumner ; and also four daugh- ters, Mary Angeline and Hannah by first wife, and Abby and Letitia by the second. Of his sons, two won more than ordi- nary distinction ; one in the realm of business, and another in literature and pedagogy. Some notices of these follow.
WILLIAM R. PUTNAM .- [The following notice is taken from the Woburn News of Dec. 7, 1901. ]
"William R. Putnam, for three score years an honored citizen of Woburn, died at his home on Union Street, Monday afternoon, Dec. 2, aged 80 years. . Mr. Putnam was born in Lyndeborough, N. H., in 1821, and was the son of Israel and Ruth Putnam. The public schools of his native town furnished educational advantages of a limited extent, as, early in life he was forced to begin work. When 21 years of age he came to Woburn and secured employment with Mr. Sheffy, then a patent leather manufacturer in Wilmington. Later he was similarly employed in Newark, N. J., which place was headquarters for this branch of industry. After four years in Newark, he was employed two years in Philadelphia, where he was superintendent of a patent leather factory. He came back to Woburn in 1852 and entered the firm of S. O. Pollard & Co., doing business on Easton Avenue. The firm con- ducted a lucrative business for 20 years, when Mr. Putnam severed his connection and retired from active business. Since theh he has busied
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himself with his real estate business. Mr. Putnam was a member of the board of selectmen in 1874-1875, and served on the cemetery committee and as superintendent of the cemetery for several years. He might have filled public office on many occasions if his inclinations had ac- corded with the wishes of his fellow-citizens. He was one of the pioneer organizers of the Co-operative Bank and a member of its first board of directors. Woburn loses, in his death, one of its most upright citizens, a man of quiet, unobtrusive nature, of courtly and kindly manner, and of cleanly life. His widow and one granddaughter, Miss Christine Kelley, survive him. The funeral was held Thursday, Dec. 5, at 2 p. m., from the First church parlor, Rev. Dr. March officiating."
This record is believed to contain no word of undue praise. The Baptist church has several times profited by and rejoiced over his generous benefactions. (See p. 350). He made valuable personal gifts of books to the Lyndeborough public library. (See p. 388.) He invested a very generous sum out of the residue of the Jotham Hildreth estate, of which he was trustee, the interest of which should be used to assist the worthy, unfortunate poor of the town. Such men are truly an honor to their native town.
DANIEL PUTNAM, A.M., LL.D. - " Daniel Putnam was born in Lyndeborough, January 8, 1824. The early years of his life were spent on a farm, in a lumber mill, and in a carpenter's shop. His early education was such as a New England district school gave at that period. After his tenth or twelfth year he attended school only in the winter season. This was the only schooling he received until twenty years of age. During the latter part of this early period he received much advantage from a kind of lyceum, which was organized in many of the school districts of the country. In this society he gained considerable practice in writing, speaking, and de- bating, and cultivated a love for reading. This was his first · step above the ordinary work of the common district school, and opened the way for the broader education and wider culture which were gained in later years.
By manual labor and by teaching school in the winter months he earned the means necessary to fit himself for college. His preparatory course was taken in an academy at New Hampton, N. H. From this place he went to Dartmouth College, from which he graduated with the class of 1851. After graduation he taught for a time in the school at New Hampton, and later for a year in Vermont.
Professor Putnam came to Michigan in the summer of 1854,
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·
and held the professorship of the Latin language and literature in Kalamazoo College for four or five years. He left the college to take charge of the public schools of the city of Kalamazoo. In this field of labor he showed good executive ability and skill in the work of organization. In 1865 he returned to the college and labored two or three years under the direction of Dr. John M. Gregory. On the resignation of President Gregory he was act- ing executive of the college for one year. In 1867 he was elected superintendent of the schools of Kalamazoo county. He resigned this position to accept a professorship in the normal school, entering upon his duties at the opening of the school year, 1868-9. His connection with the school has extended over a period of thirty years. During three years he was acting principal of the institution.
Professor Putnam served two years as alderman and two years as mayor of the city of Ypsilanti, and has always manifested a deep interest in the welfare and prosperity of the community in which he has had his home. . . . For more than fifty years he has been a member of the Baptist church, and active in the work of the denomination. . . As a man, he is
unassuming and retiring in his character, but positive in his opinions and firm in his convictions of duty in all the rela- tions of life. As a teacher, he appeals to a student's sense of honor, and seeks to develop the higher and nobler elements of his character, seeks to make his pupils men and women of the best kind, rather than simply scholars and teachers. Many a former normal student, now at work in the schools of the state, declares that the calm serenity of Professor Putnam's life and character goes with him as an inspiration in all his work. His deeds are as lighthouses, 'they do not ring bells or fire cannon to call at- tention to their shining - they just shine.'
As an indication of the high esteem in which he was held as a scholar, he received in 1897, the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University of Michigan." (From sketch of his life given by a friend in the History of Michigan State Normal School, pp. 150-152.)
We close this sketch by naming some of his published works : " Sunbeams through the Clouds " (a little manual for the special use of inmates of asylums for the insane), in 1871 ; " A Geog- raphy of Michigan," 1877, (published with Colton's geogra- phy) ; " A Sketch of Michigan State Teachers' Association," 1877, (published by the association); " Outline of the Theory
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and Art of Teaching," 1883; "Manual of Pedagogics," 1895 ; "History of the State Normal School," 1899. (For his family see Genealogies.)
REV. JOHN RAND was the pulpit supply of the people of Lyndeborough for some months before being invited to become their pastor. They gave him the call Sept. 27, 1756, but he did not accept it until the next year. The church was organized Dec. 5, 1757, with about twenty members, eight of whom were males. Two days after the organization of the church, Dec. 7, Mr. Rand was ordained to the pastorate of it, as the first Con- gregational minister in Lyndeborough. From the proprietors of the town he received £40, as an encouragement to settle among the people. This sum was payable in three equal annual instal- ments, and beside this an annual salary of £40 was given him, and the society were " to provide a certain amount of wood, and one shilling each for each soul in town, and to increase the number of shillings according to the increase in the number of souls."
Mr. Rand lived the last part of his pastorate on the place now owned by Mrs. Charles R. Boutwell. But his term of service was very brief for those days, and after four years and four months, April 8, 1762, he was dismissed. Subsequent to his leaving Lyndeborough, he lived in Goffstown and Bedford, but was never afterward settled as pastor. He was justice of the peace under George III. He removed to Bedford in 1778. In 1783 we find his name in the Town Papers of N. H. as town clerk in Bedford, and also one of the selectmen .*
Of the children of Rev. John Rand one or two facts of interest may here be added : -
Nehemiah, who was born May 22, 1776, and died in Newport, N. H., January, 1869, married in New Boston, Mary, a lineal descendant of Gen. Putnam. They had nine children, two of whom, Edgar and Betsey, lived in Lyndeborough, for whom see genealogies of Rand and Dutton.
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