John Putnam Jr. (bef. 1627 - 1710)

Born before 27 May 1627 in Aston Abbotts, Buckinghamshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Rebecca (Prince) Putnam — married 3 Jul 1652 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 7 Apr 1710 after age 82 in Salem Village, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

John Putnam Jr. immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

John Putnam Jr. was involved in witch trials

John Putnam [Jr.], was baptized at Aston Abbots, Buckinghamshire on 27 May 1627.^[1] He was the son of John Putnam and Priscilla Gould.^[2][3][4] He emigrated in 1640 with his parents to Salem, Massachusetts.^[5] John Putnam married at Salem on 3 September 1652 Rebecca Prince, daughter of James and Katherine (Franklin).^[6] John Putnam died at Salem Village on 7 April 1710.^[7]

He married about 3 September 1650 in Salem Village Rebecca Prince.^[8][9]

He was active in church and town matters. Was active in having Salem Village made into a separate town. Became a captain in the town horse troup by 1687. Was Selectman in 1681. Large landowner. Deputy to General Court in 1677, 1680, 1686, & 1691.^{[citation needed]}

Children^[10]

1. Rebecca, b. 28 May 1653; m. 22 Apr. 1672, John Fuller
2. Sarah, 4 Sept 1654; m. July 1672 John Hutchinson
3. Priscilla, 4 Mar. 1657
4. Jonathan, 17 Mar. 1659
5. James, 4 Sept. 1661
6. Hannah, 2 Feb. 1663
7. Eleazer, 1665
8. John, 14 July 1667
9. Joanna, bapt. 4 Sept. 1670
10. Ruth, Aug. 1673

John passed away in 1704.^{[citation needed]}

Research Notes

A detailed biography on John Putnam [Jr.], including his children, was previously published by Eben Putnam.^[11]

Though NEHGR (2016), 170:203 provides a nice summary of John and his wife Rebecca's genealogical details, one oversight it makes is when John's wife was last known to be living (i.e., after 1692). Her death date can be further narrowed by looking at Essex County deeds, which also highlight information such as John's military title (Capt.) and the large amounts of land he owned. For example, on 31 December 1695, Capt. John Putnam and his wife Rebeckah appeared before a magistrate when they gave to their son John Jr. the 90 acres John Jr. dwelled on.^[12]

John Putnam's involvement in the Salem Witch Trials included:^[13]

A deposition with his wife Rebecca against George Burroughs on 9 May 1692

Signing a statement of George Herrick and Benjamin Wilkins against John Willard and Sarah Buckley on 17 May 1692

Signing Israel Porter's petition for Rebecca Nurse with his wife Rebecca in May 1692

Making a deposition with Samuel Parris vs. Rebecca Nurse and Martha Carrier on 29 June 1692

A testimony with his wife Rebecca for Rebecca Nurse on 29 June 1692

Notified as a possible jury member on 3 January 1692/3

Served as foreman of the jury that found Mary Barker not guilty on 10 May 1693

Sources

1. ↑ NEHGR, (2016), 170:203.
2. ↑ Eben Putnam, A history of the Putnam family in England and America, Publisher? Year? page #?
3. ↑ Christening record (FamilySearch)
4. ↑ Bradbrook, William (ed.), Buckinghamshire Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Vol 1, (New Series), includes Aston Abbots 1559-1837, p. 17; Film # 007810058 , (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9R-1QVT-6?i=751 : accessed November 2023).
5. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Directory, (Lowell, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015).
6. ↑ NEHGR, (2016), 170:203.
7. ↑ NEHGR, (2016), 170:203.
8. ↑ James Savage, First Settlers of New England, vol 3 - Prudden through Quilted
9. ↑ Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2011, marriage record (subscription required)
10. ↑ Savage, op cit
11. ↑ Eben Putnam, A History of the Putnam Family in England and America, 2 vols. (Boston, 1891-1908), 1:29-36, available at: https://archive.org/details/ahistoryputnamf01putngoog/page/28/mode/2up.
12. ↑ Essex County Deeds, 11:123, available at: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89ZZ-BSNK?i=358&cc=2106411&cat=209907.
13. ↑ Bernard Rosenthal, Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt, (New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2009), p. 246, 282, 349, 429, 435, 728, 826.