Sarah (Putman) Graff (1742 - 1805)

Born 1742 in Tribes Hill, Tryon, New York Colony

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Oct 1805 at about age 63 in Fonda, Mohawk, Montgomery, New York, United States

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Biography

Sarah was born in 1742. She was the daughter of Arent Victor Putman (1719-1780) & Elizabeth Peek (1721-aft. 1769). Baptized 01 Mar 1754, at "Mohawks," by Rev. Dr. John Ogilvie Minister of St. Peter's Anglican Church, Albany, later Assistant Minister at Trinity Church, New York City, from 1764 until his death in 1774. He also baptized her siblings Cornelia/Clarissa (1751/52), Ann (1756), and Cornelius (1758) - those siblings whose birth fell within his time at Albany, in addition to many "Potman" cousins. Assuredly unaware of the private Trinity Church records not published until 1936, Eben Putnam excludes all four baptisms by Rev. John Ogilvie (Sarah and Ann entirely) in his 1908 updated/last edition of "A History of the Putnam Family in England and America .

Siblings:

1. Cornelia/Clarissa (1751-52)
2. Ann 1756
3. Cornelius 1758

Sarah married Jacob Abrahamse Graff (1726–1805) in about 1761.

Children:

1. Philip Jacobse Graff 1767–1837
2. Peter Graff 1769–1836
3. Aaron Graff 1782–1850

Sarah passed away in 1805 and was interred in the Caughnawaga Cemetery, Fonda, Montgomery County, New York, USA^[1]

Research Notes

From FaG: Three couples are often cited as her parents, all of whom lived in Tryon or Albany counties before the American Revolution and had daughters named Sarah:

1. Johannes Arentse Putman (1711-1776) & Geertruyd Six (1716-1760) 2. Teunis Cornelise Putman (1716 - aft. 1790) & Rebecca Arentse Van Antwerp (1721-1766) 3. Arent Victor Putman (1719-1780) & Elizabeth Peek (1721-aft. 1769)

Sarah Putman (abt. 1750-?), daughter of #1, was also great-aunt of Ernestus Putman (1776-1865), who obliquely references her in 1829, "My grandfather's name was John Putman, I do not know my grandmother's name [Geertruyd Six], she died when my father was but six years old. They lived in the western part of New York, which was then a wilderness. Grandfather being unable to keep the family together, I have knowledge of but five of the nine, my father [Arent Janse Putman] now living at Schenectady, uncles David and Henry, and my aunts Mary and Sarah." Sarah is never referred to as Sarah Graff and in subsequent references is always paired with Mary Putman, seemingly a close and older sister.

Many early published genealogies to the contrary, it's well documented that Sarah Putman (1751-bet. 1819–1829), daughter of #2, married John Lewis (1746-1823); all the given-names of their children closely follow, in expectable naming patterns of the day, the ancestral names of both parents.

Sarah Putman (1742-1805), daughter of #3, had siblings named John, Maragriet/Margaret, Maryte/Mary, Anatje/Ann - all of whom were apparent sponsors at various recorded baptisms of her children. Neither Sarah Putman of #2, 3[sic] above have similarly complete relations so named - whether siblings, aunts, uncles, or in-laws - lending great credence based on likely identity of baptism sponsors alone, that this Sarah Putman married Jacob Graff in about 1761.

If the above is true, and based on her transcribed/inscribed age on her gravestone (no longer extant), she would have been born in 1742, thus before the marriage of her parents 05 Aug 1743. This might have been reason enough not to be (or not allowed to be) baptized in the place and manner of later siblings. This Sarah Putman was baptized 01 Mar 1754, at "Mohawks," by Rev. Dr. John Ogilvie (1722-1774, Find A Grave Memorial# 11796086), Minister of St. Peter's Anglican Church, Albany, later Assistant Minister at Trinity Church, New York City, from 1764 until his death in 1774. He also baptized her siblings Cornelia/Clarissa (1751/52), Ann (1756), and Cornelius (1758) - those siblings whose birth fell within his time at Albany, in addition to many "Potman" cousins. His 1771 portrait by John Singleton Copley hangs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), loaned by Trinity Church.(1)

Assuredly unaware of the private Trinity Church records not published until 1936, Eben Putnam excludes all four baptisms by Rev. John Ogilvie (Sarah and Ann entirely) in his 1908 updated/last edition of "A History of the Putnam Family in England and America . . . . ."(2)

Sources:

1. Vestry of Trinity Church Parish, New York City, Records of Trinity Church Parish, New York City; "Mohawks [location], March 1st [date], Sarah Datr of Arent & Elizabeth Potman [given-name w/parents], Elizabeth Peak [sponsor];" original publication year: July, 1936 - April, 1938, NYG&B Record; compiled in a single edition July, 1950; bound preservation photocopy, BookLab, Inc., Austin, 1996; p. 11 (reprint), p. 9 (original); original page signed by Rev. John Ogilvie (1722-1774), Minister of St. Peter's Anglican Church, Albany, later Assistant Minister at Trinity Church, New York City, from 1764 until his death in 1774.

2. Eban Putnam, "A History of the Putnam Family in England and America Recording the Ancestry and Descendants of John Putnam of Danvers, Mass., Jan Poutman of Albany, N.Y., Thomas Putnam of Hartford, Conn.;" Volume II, Illustrated; pp. 106-107.

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (Find A Grave: Memorial #151975744 : accessed 14 March 2022), memorial page for Sarah Putman Graff (1742–20 Oct 1805), citing Caughnawaga Cemetery, Fonda, Montgomery County, New York, USA ; Maintained by pkarchs (contributor 47286217) .