Henry Putnam (1712 - 1775)

Born 14 Aug 1712 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah Ellis (Boardman) Putnam — married 23 Jun 1736 in Griswold, New London, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 19 Apr 1775 at age 62 in Arlington, Menotomy, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

Minuteman Henry Putnam served with Massachusetts Militia during the American Revolution.

Henry Putnam is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A092565.

Henry Putnam is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 274525
Rank: Soldier

Henry Putnam was Killed in Action during American Revolution.

From the History of the Putnam Family in England and America: "Henry Putnam, b. 14 Aug. 1712; bapt. Salem Village, 17 Aug. 1712; killed 19 April 1775." (Eben Putnam, History, vol 1, p. 70.)(A list of Provincials who were Killed or in the engagement with His Majesty's Troops at Concord.)

"Henry (Eleazer, John, John), born in Salem Village, 14 Aug. 1712; killed at Lexington, 19 April 1775; married Hannah Ellis Boardman Children:

Henry, b. 1737 (by a curious error the record dates his birth as 1747), bapt. at the church in Salem Village, 2 Dec. 1753. Eleazer, b. 5 June, bapt. 13 Aug. 1738. Elijah, b. 23, bapt. 26 July 1741. Probably Elijah who was graduated from Harvard College, 1766. Roger, b. 10, bapt. 16 Oct. 1743. John, b. 11 Oct., bapt. 13 Oct. 1745; administration on his estate granted to his father, with Caleb Brooks and Thomas Reed as bondsmen, 9 May 1763. (According to Perley Putnam MSS, this John had removed to St. John.) Billings, b. 11 May 1749. Benjamin, b. 26 Aug., bapt. in Salem Village, 15 Sept. 1751; d. Savannah, Georgia, 1801.

There is considerable difficulty in tracing the history of this family as the father left Danvers and his son Henry seems to have remained there, causing some confusion in regard to localities; added to this are various contradictory statements received from descendants now scattered throughout the United States and are limited somewhat in their knowledge by 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 Gen. 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 overnight at Bolton, fell in love with his 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.

He is said to have been at the capture of Louisburg; being in command of a company there; his son Henry was also there from Danvers.

In 1738, he united with his brother, Samuel Putnam of Topsfield, 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 was taxed in Charlestown from 1756-1765 (he had purchased of J. Hartwell, forty-five acres in 1753), kept school without the neck. He has then styled "Gentleman" and, according to Wyman, from Danvers.

On 9 May 1763, Henry Putnam, of Charlestown, "Gentleman" was appointed administrator on the 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. Sometime, soon after 1763, he probably removed to Medford 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.

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 years; he had volunteered his services as he was exempt from military duty. I have seen it stated that five of his sons 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." (Eben Putnam, History, Vol 1, pp. 146-48)

Sources

• Abbatt, William. The Dead of Patriots' Day, April 19, 1775, The Magazine of History with Notes and Queries (William Abbatt, New York, 1905) Vol. 1, Page 244.

• Wikipedia: Battle_of_Menotomy

• Wild, Helen Tilden. Medford in the Revolution, Military History of Medford, Massachusetts, 1765-1783 (J.C. Miller, Jr., Medford, Mass., 1903); p. 46
  • "Putnam, Henry. Killed at Menotomy on retreat of British, April 19, 1775. Served as lieutenant at capture of Louisburg, 1758. Born at Danvers, Mass., Aug. 14, 1712; came to Medford from Charlestown, 1765, with wife Hannah ; she died in Newburyport."

• https://readtheplaque.com/plaque/roster-of-the-first-company-of-minutemen

• Vital Records of Medford, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1907).