Capt. Benjamin Putnam

Wife #1 Elizabeth Putnam dau. of Thomas Putnam, married Aug. 25, 1686; died 1705.

Wife/Partner : Hannah Tarrant (son Tarrant is born in April 12, 1688). Village records say all children are Hannah's, She is called "wife Hanna" when referring to the all the children being hers.

Wife # 2 Sarah Holton b. 1664/65 Salem Village, MA, m. July 1, 1706, d. 1714/15 Salem Village, MA. 2nd wife of Benjamin Putnam. Cannot be mother of Cornelius Putnam, b. Sept. 3, 1702.

Capt. Benjamin Putnam was a prominent but humble man in Salem Village and held many town offices. He owned significant farmland which he had inherited from his father Nathaniel. He owned a farm called Davenports Farm which he bequeathed to his sons Benjamin Putnam Jr. and Stephen.

During the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692, Benjamin Putnam joined his father Nathaniel, along with 37 others, in signing a petition pleading on behalf of Rebecca Nurse. His second wife, Sarah Holton, whom he married in 1706 also was a signer of that petition.

He always retained the title of "Mr." unless other titles were given. From 1706-1711 he held the positions of Lieutenant and Captain. From 1695-6 he was chosen annually to be both Tything Man and surveyor by his fellow townsmen. He served as selectman from 1707-1713 and was frequently on grand and petit juries. His last appearance in the Salem records show him as one chosen to walk the bounds between salem and Topsfield.

On. Dec. 30, 1709, Benjamin Putnam was chosen to be deacon under Rev. Joseph Green of the Church of Salem. Rev. Green reports in his journal that Benjamin Putnam was chosen deacon by every vote in the church except his own. By 1713, Benjamin had inherited the title of Landlord Putnam. The Rev. Joseph Green, pastor of the Salem Church refers several times in his journal to Landlord Benjamin Putnam. The first reference, to his imprisonment (for unknown reasons). "1707, June 16. News of Captain Putnam having come to Marblehead. June 17. Our country in great confusion. Some for the army, some against it. I went to Boston to ye Governor to release Benjamin Putnam. 1708, July 29. I went with B. Putnam to Reading to Deacin Fitches, to spend ye day in prayer for him, he bing almost blind, and old Mr. Weston quite blind, and other disconsolate deaf etc. Mr. pierpont began, I prayed, Deacon Fitch, Landlord Putnam and Deacon Bancroft than sang 146 Psalm and I concluded with a short prayer and blessing." It is clear that he was a deeply religious man who kept fasts and prayed and received communion and frequently as the Puritans gave it. Rev. Green wrote about a visit he made to Landlord Putnam on July 25, 1713, saying that he was "very sick" and "out of his head". This proved to be the beginning of the end, because he died in 1714 or 1715.

Capt. Benjamin Putnam's will was dated Oct. 28, 1706 and orved April 25, 1715. He gave to his son Daniel Putnam, a minister at Reading "£150 for his learning". Overseers of the will were "Uncle John Putnam and Capt. Jonathan Putnam." Children of age in 1715 were Tarrant, Banjamin, son-in-law Robert Hutchinson and Elizabeth Putnam Hutchinson. Cornelius, the baby of the family, chose his brother Nathaniel on April 1, 1717 to be his guardian and he was expected to "learn a trade".

Executors of the will were Nathaniel and Tarrant Putnam. It was witnesed by: John Jeffards, Hannah Roberds, Jonathan Putnam, and presented before Judge Appleton of the Ipswich Court, April 25, 1715.

Sources 

1. 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 1 (Google eBook) Eben Putnam Salem Press Publishing and Printing Company, 1891.  Page 58

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(III) Captain Benjamin, youngest son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Hutchinson) Putnam, was born Dec. 24, 1664, at Salem Village, and died at the same place about 1715. He was a prominent man in Salem and held many town offices, being tythingman at the village in 1695-06, and constable and collector in 1700, and was selectman in 1707-1713, and was often on the grand and petit juries. He was chosen to perambulate the bounds between the towns of Salem and Topsfield, which was his last appearance on the records, in 1712. he held the position of lieutenant and captain, was in the Indian war, and received titled in 1706-1711. It appears that he was imprisoned at one time, but for what cause does not appear. Among the signatures to the certificate of character of Rebecca Nurse, the names of Benjamin and his wife Sarah appears. Rev. Joseph Green, in his diary, mentions calling on "Landlord Putnam" and that he was sick and out of his head. Dec. 30, 1709, he was chosen deacon of the church of the village. His will, dated Oct. 28, 1706, was proved April 25, 1715. He gives to his son (minister at Reading) "one hundred and fifty pounds for his learning," Overseers, Uncle John Purnam an Captain Jonathan Putnam." All his children but Josiah are mentioned. He was married Aug. 25, 1686, to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Putnam (according to Colonel Perley Putnam), but on the Salem records the births are recorded as by wife Hannah. His first wife died Dec. 21, 1705, and he married (second) July 1, 1706, Sarah Holton. Children: Josiah, Nathaniel, Tarrant [see below, scroll down], Elizabeth, Benjamin, Stephen, Daniel [see below, scroll down], Israel and Cornelius. (Mention of Tarrant and Daniel and descendants appears in this article.).

http://dunhamwilcox.net/me/me_bio_putnam.htm

• Reference: TNG Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 22 2017, 18:59:32 UTC

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• https://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Essex/Salem/aBirthsP.shtml "(PUTNAM (Putman)) Benjamin, s. Nathanyell and Elizabeth, 24: 10m: 1664. CTR"
• https://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Essex/Salem/aMarriagesP.shtml "(PUTNAM (Putman, Putnum, Puttman, Puttnam)) Benjamin [Lt. CTR], and Sarah Holton, July 1, 1706."

GEDCOM Source

@R450171231@ North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,61157::0 Book Title: A History of the Putnam Family in England and America, Recording the ancestry and descendants of Jo 1,61157::844195

GEDCOM Source

@R450171231@ North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,61157::0 Book Title: A History of the Putnam Family in England and America, Recording the ancestry and descendants of Jo 1,61157::844195

GEDCOM Source

@R450171231@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=103274669&pi...

The children of Walter, Sr., and Margaret Philips, were:

3. Sarah, who married first, Benjamin Holten, and second, in 1706, Capt. Benjamin, son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Hutchinson) Putnam;

References

• http://www.vibber.com/getperson.php?personID=I1044&tree=Alan_Donald...
• Historical Collections of the Danvers Historical Society, Volumes 6-9vBy Danvers Historical Society Page 12 GoogleBooks