PUTNAM Henry[1]

Male 1712 - 1775  (62 years)


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  • Name PUTNAM Henry 
    Birth 14 Aug 1712  Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Baptism 17 Aug 1712  Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Gender Male 
    _UID 321ACD1B23528F45B0955AF0207091C5F27E 
    Death 19 Apr 1775  Lexington, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Notes 
    • There is considerable difficulty in tracing the history of this family as the father left Danvers, Massachusetts, and his son Heny seems to have remained there, causing some confusion in regard to locaities; added to this are various contradictory statements received from descendants now scattered throughout the United States and who are limited somewhat in their knowledge bt the tradition which variously states that Henry, senior, and Henry, junior, were killed at Lexington.
      The whole life-history of both father and son would undoubtedly prove interesting as they seem to have had the same love of adventure, the reckless bravery and patriotism of General Israel Putnam, with whom they were allied by marriage as well as blood.
      There is a romantic story concerning the courtship of Henry Putnam. It is related that on one of his journeys from Medford to Connecticut, he stopped over night at Bolton, fell in love with the host's daughter, proposed in the morning, was immediately married and with his bride drove back her dowry consisting of two cows and twelve sheep.
      In 1738, he united with his brother, Samuel Putnam of Topsfield, Massachusetts, and their mother Elizabeth, in a deed of sale of land in Danvers to Benjamin and Joseph Knight. In or about the year 1745, he sold his father's homestead to Phineas Putnam, but had not disposed of all his property in Danvers as he was on the tax list there in 1752, and on the 4th of March of that year was one of the three tellers at the first town meeting in Danvers to collect and count the votes for selectman. At this meeting he was chosen surveyor of lumber. Probably about this time he removed to Charlestown as the name of Henry Putnam does not occur on the Danvers tax list until 1757, when we may suppose it is the son and not the father who is mentioned.
      Henry Putnam (since writing the above [1890] all doubt as to the Henry of Charlestown has vanished; see will of Nathaniel Boardman in Essex Probate) was taxed in Charlestown from 1756-1765 (he had purchased of J. Hartwell, forty-five acres in 1753), kept school without the neck. He was then styled "Gentleman" and according to Wyman, from Danvers.
      On 9 May, 1763, Henry Putnam, of Charlestown, "Gentleman," was appointed administrator on estate of his son John late of Charlestown. It appears from the above extracts that he was more or less of a soldier, a scholar, and a man of some consequence, else he would not have had the title of gentleman. Some time, soon after 1763, he probably removed to Medford, Massachusetts, and was perhaps there when the Alarm of the 19th of April was sent out and may have joined his old friends among the Danvers minute men. At the outbreak of the Revolution he was living with his son in West Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was a sergeant at the capture of Louisburg. It is worthy of notice that the Danvers Militia marched from Danvers to West Cambridge, a distance of over sixteen miles, in four hours. It was at West Cambridge that the greatest loss was met with by the Americans; it was at that point that the Danvers Companies, hoping to intercept the retreating British, took possession of a small. walled enclosure and with shingles attempted to form a breastwork. There were nearly two hundred men from Danvers and Beverly. Henry Putnam, senior, of Medford, was killed, his son Henry badly wounded, Perley Putnam was killed and his brother Nathan wounded; all but the first being members of the Danvers company. Another son of Henry, Eleazer, who went out with his company from Medford, was near or among the Danvers Men.
      There Henry Putnam gave up his life for his country at the age of sixty-three ; he had volunteered his services as he was exempt from military duty. I have seen it stated that five of his son were there. His son Henry remained in Medford wounded, probably at the home of his brother Eleazer ; but was at the battle of Bunker Hill.
    Person ID I75346  Noyes Family Genealogy
    Last Modified 20 Jul 2009 

    Father PUTNAM Eleazer,   b. 1665, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Jan 1732, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 67 years) 
    Mother ROLFE Elizabeth,   b. 14 Dec 1679, Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Jan 1752 (Age 72 years) 
    Marriage 14 Nov 1711  Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3
    Family ID F29283  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family [PUTNAM] Hannah   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Marriage Bef 1737  [4
    Children 
     1. PUTNAM Billings,   b. 11 May 1749, Danvers, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Jan 1814, Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 64 years)
    Family ID F29282  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 23 Feb 2024 

  • Sources 
    1. [S4357] Book-A History of the Putnam Family, pp.146-148.

    2. [S4357] Book-A History of the Putnam Family, p.70.

    3. [S281] Book-VR Newbury, MA; Vol. II - Marriages & Deaths, 2:431.

    4. [S4357] Book-A History of the Putnam Family, p.146.