Person:Nathaniel Putnam (1)

REF EBEN PUTNAM'S HISTORY

II. 5 Nathaniel (John), baptized at Aston Abbotts, 11 Oct., 1619; died at Salem Village, 23 July, 1700; married at Salem, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard and Alice (Bosworth) Hutchinson of Salem Village, born 20 Aug., and baptized at Arnold in England, 30 Aug., 1629; died 24 June, 1688.7 In 1648, both Nathaniel and his wife Elizabeth were admitted to the church in Salem.

Of these only John, Benjamin and Mary survived their father. In 1694, Nathaniel and John Putnam testified to having lived in the Village since 1641. Nathaniel Putnam was a man of considerable landed property; his wife brought him seventy-five acres additional and on this tract he built his house and established himself.

Part of this property has remained uninterruptedly in the family. It is now better known as the "old Judge Putnam place." He was constable in 1656, and afterward deputy to the General Court, 1690-1691, selectman, and always at the front on all local questions, whether pertaining to 7 According to another account of ancient date, "1st June, ‘, 60." politics, religious affairs, or other town matters. "He had great business activity and ability and was a person of extraordinary powers of mind, of great energy and skill in the management of affairs and of singular sagacity, acumen and quickness of perception. He left a large estate."8

NATHANIEL PUTNAM was one of the principals in the great lawsuit concerning the ownership of the Bishop farm. His action in this matter was merely to prevent the attempts of Zerubabel Endicott to push the bounds of the Bishop grant over on his land. The real principals in the case were James Allen who had obtained the Bishop farm as part of his wife's dowry, and Zerubabel Endicott. The case was a long and complicated affair and was at last settled to the satisfaction of Allen and Putnam. Endicott was so chagrined that he was a different man and soon died from the effect of being cast by the courts. This Bishop grant which caused the trouble was sold by Allen to the Nurses and now belongs to Calvin Putnam. The above suit was settled in 1683.

During the unhappy trouble concerning the settlement of a minister over the parish at Salem Village, Nathaniel Putnam was a most determined opponent to the Rev. Mr. Bayley, but when Bayley was dismissed he joined with his brothers Thomas and John Putnam, Thomas Fuller, sr., and Joseph Hutchinson, sr., in a deed of gift to Mr. James Bayley of twenty-eight acres of upland and thirteen acres of meadow, which constituted a very valuable property. This was of date of 6 May, 1680. On 10 Dec., 1688, Lt. Nathaniel Putnam was one of four messengers sent to Rev. Samuel Parris to obtain his reply to the call of the parish. Parris put them off. His final engagement was settled by younger men, one of whom was Deacon Edward Putnam. Mr. Parris, however, was supported by Nathaniel Putnam, who four years later was completely deceived in regard to the witchcraft delusion. That he honestly believed in witchcraft and in the statements of the afflicted girls there seems to be no doubt; 8 Upham's Witchcraft that he was not inclined to be severe is evident, and his goodness of character shows forth in marked contrast with the almost bitter feeling shown by many of those concerned. Nathaniel lived to see the mistake all had made. That he should have believed in the delusion is not strange for belief in witchcraft was then all but universal. The physicians and ministers called upon to examine the girls, who pretended to be bewitched, agreed that such was the fact. Upham states that ninety-nine out of every hundred in Salem believed that such was the case. There can be no doubt that the expressed opinion of a man like Nathaniel Putnam must have influenced scores of his neighbors. His eldest brother had been dead seven years and he had succeeded to the position as head of the great Putnam family with its connections. He was known as "Landlord Putnam," a term given for many years to the oldest living member of the family. He saw his brother Thomas Putnam's family afflicted and, being an upright and honest man himself, believed in the disordered imaginings of his grandniece, Ann. These are powerful reasons to account for his belief and actions. The following extract from Upham brings out the better side of his character.--"Entire confidence was felt by all in his judgment, and deservedly. But he was a strong religionist, a life-long member of the church and extremely strenuous and zealous in his ecclesiastical relations. He was getting to be an old man and Mr. Parris had wholly succeeded in obtaining, for the time, possession of his feelings, sympathy, and zeal in the management of the church, and secured his full co”peration in the witchcraft prosecutions. He had been led by Parris to take the very front in the proceedings. But even Nathaniel Putnam could not stand by in silence and see Rebecca Nurse sacrificed. A curious paper, written by him, is among those which have been preserved:

"Nathaniel Putnam, Sr., being desired by Francis Nurse, Sr., to give information of what I could say concerning his wife's life and conversation, I, the above said, have known this said aforesaid woman forty years, and what I have observed of her, human frailties excepted, her life and conversation have been according to her profession, and she hath brought up a great family of children and educated them well, so that there is in some of them apparent savor of godliness. I have known her differ with her neighbors, but I never knew or heard of any that did accuse her of what she is now charged with."

A similar paper was signed by thirty-nine other persons of the village and the immediate vicinity, all of the highest respectability. The men and women who dared to do this act of justice must not be forgotten:--

"We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being desired by Goodman Nurse to declare what we know concerning his wife's conversation for time past,--we can testify, to all whom it may concern, that we have known her for many years, and according to our observation, her life and conversation were according to her profession, and we never had any cause or grounds to suspect her of any such thing as she is now accused of.

 Israel Porter                Samuel Abbey 
 Elizabeth Porter             Hepzibah Rea 
 Edward Bishop, Sr.           Daniel Andrew 
 Hannah Bishop                Sarah Amlrew 
 Joshua Rea                   Daniel Rea 
 Sarah Rea                    Sarah Putnam 
 Sarah Leach                  Jonathan Putnam 
 John Putnam                  Lydia Putnam 
 Rebecca Putnam               Walter Phillips, Sr. 
 Joseph Hutchinson, Sr.       Nathaniel Felton, Sr. 
 Lydia Hutchinson             Margaret Phillips 
 William Osburn               Tabitha Phillips 
 Hannah Osburne               Joseph Holton, Jr. 
 Joseph Holton, Sr.           Samuel Endicott 
 Sarah Holton                 Elizabeth Buxton 
 Benjamin Putnam              Samuel Aborn 
 Sarah Putnam                 Isaac Cook 
 Job Swinnerton               Elizabeth Cook 
 Esther Swinnerton            Joseph Putnam" 
 Joseph Herrick, Sr. 

An examination of the foregoing names in connection with the history of the village will show conclusive proof, that, if the matter had been left to the people there, it would never have reached the point to which it was carried. It was the influence of the magistracy and the government of the colony, and the public sentiment prevalent elsewhere, overruling that of that immediate locality, that drove on the storm. 

The above document shows the position taken by the heads of several of the Putnam families of the Village.

WILL OF NATHANIEL PUTNAM.

       In the Name of God Amen, I Nathaniel Putnam of Sale
     in ye County of Essex in ye province of ye Massachusets 
     Bay in New England being in perfect health & strength 
     & sound in mind & memory, yet Considering that old age 
     is come vpon me & ye vncertainty of my life doe make Th
     my last Will & Testament hereby revoaking all former & 
     other wills by me heretofore at any time made. 

Impes I resigne my soule to God whoe Gaue it & my body to dece

     burial hoping for a gloriours resurrecon in & through 
     ye merits of my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ to whome 
     bee Glory foreuer. 

And For my Outward Estate which God hath bestowed on me

     I Giue bequeath & bestow ye same as hereafter in this my 
     will is expressed. 

Itm. I Giue vnto my daughter Mary Tuft ye wife of John

     Tuft one hundred and Twenty pounds in money to be pa
     by my Executor hereafter named within three yeares aft
     decease to which with ye fifty pounds which I formerly ga
     her is in full & ouer & aboue what I promised her on marriage. 

It. I Giue vnto my said Daughter Mary ye one half of my

     household goods that were in ye house when my wife Deceas
     in ye quality & condition that ye said goods sha
     at my departure. 

Itm. I Giue vnto my Grandchildren ye sons & daughters of

     my daughter Elizabeth Flint Deceased, viz: to Mary who 
     hath a lame hand twenty poundes in money & to ye others 
     Eight Ten pounds a peice if they shall ariue at Age, viz: 
  ye sons at Twenty one yeares & ye Daughters at Eighteen 
     yeares or marriage to be paid by my Sonn John Putnam to 
     each of my said Nine grand children as they come to age 
     as aforesaid. 

Itm. I Giue vuto my Sonne John Putnam besides about an

     hundred acres of vpland & about sixteen acres of meadow 
     which I haue already Giuen him by deed of Gift: viz: I 
     giue & bequeath vnto him all my land & meadow which I haue 
     lying on ye Northwesterly side of ye Riuer Caled Ipswich 
     Riuer scituate in Salem bounds in seueral peices containi
     in ye whole about Seuenty acres be ye same more or less. 

Itm. I Giue vnto my said Sonne John Putnam about one hundr

     & sixty acres of land adjoyning to ye hundred acres of 
     land which I formerly gaue him by deed of Gift being his 
     homestead he paying to my sd nine grand children ye legaci
     hereby giuen them. 

Itm. I Giue to my Said Sonne John all ye remainder of that la

     (besides what I haue sold). That I formerly purchased of 
     William Jeggles: all to be to him & his heirs foreuer. 

Itm. I Giue to my said sonne twenty pounds in money to be

     paid him by my Executor in three years after my decease. 

Itm. I Giue to my said Sonne halfe my wearing apparell. Itm. I Giue to my sd son John Thirty pounds to be paid by

     my Executor within one yeare after my decease in graine 
     & cattle at money price: which legacies with ye hundred 
     pound I Gaue him formerly for land sold which I had of Wm. 
     Jeggles is in full of his portion. 

Itm. I Giue vnto my sonne Benjamin Putnam my homestead

     that is my farme that I now dwell on as alsoe all my other 
     lands & meadows whether in possession or reuersion wheresoeu
     scituate lying & being which are not perticularly in 
     this will otherwise disposed off. to be to him & his hiers F
     Euer. 

Itm. I Giue to my said Sonne Benjamin all my personall Estate

     whether money Cattle corne Debts or other estate what 
     ever. 

Itm. I make & Constitute my said sonn Benjamin Putn

     be ye sole Executor of this my last will & Testament. 

Lastly. I Desire & apoint my Good friend Capt. Samuel Gardner

      & Sargt John Leach to be ouerseers of this my will. 

Itm: My Will further is that neither of my two sonns shall se

     any of ye lands hereby Giuen them nor any wayes dispo
     of ye same vntill ye Seuerall legacies & payments in th
     my will Giuen & apointed be respectively paid and fullfill
     or Security Giuen for payment of ye same; & yr lands respectiue
     to stand bound for fullfilling of ye same. 

It. my will is that in Case either of my sonns should negle

     & refuse to pay what I haue ordered them to pay 
     or any differences arise either betwixt my two sonns or betwi
     either of them & ye Legatees. Then & in such case 
     my will & desire is that my said ouerseers heare & determi
     ye same & that Euery one acquiesce in what they shall 
     doe. 
       In Testimoney that this is my last Will & Testament I 
     hane herevnto set my hand & seale this 21 Day of February 
     1698-9, & in ye Eleuenth yeare of ye Reigne of Willi
     3d of England &c. King defenr of ye faith. 
       Signed Sealed published Nathaniel Putnam [SEAL.] 
     & declared in psence of vs 
Henry West 
Henry West Juner                    Essex ss. Before ye Honble 
Stephen Sewall                  Jonatha Corwin Esq. Judge of 
Margaret Sewall                 Probate of Wills &c. August 
     12th 1700 Majr Stephen Sewall, Henry West Senr & Henry 
     West Junr all pesonally Appeared and made Oath they were 
     prsent and did see Natha Putnam Signe Seal & heard him 
     publish and Declare this Instrument to be his last Will a
     Testament and that he was then of A Disposing mind to 
     there best undestanding & that they then subscribed as 
     Wittnesses in his psence. 
                          Sworn Attest John Higginson Regr. 
       Vpon wch this Will is proued Approued and allowed being 
     pEsented by ye Executor therein named. Viz: Benja 
     Putnam. 
                                Attest John Higginson Regr. 
 Essex ss.                                 Probate Offic
                                        Salem, Dec. 28, 1889. 
 A true copy of original will and of probate on file in this offic
                          Attest, 
                              EZRA D. HINES, Asst. Register. 

A History of the Putnam Family in England and America, Volume 1

Author: Eben Putnam

Call Number: R929.2 P99.1

Recording the ancestry and descendants of John Putnam of Danvers, Mass., Jan Poutman of Albany, N.Y., and Thomas Putnam of Hartford, Conn.

Bibliographic Information: Putnam, Eben. A History of the Putnam Family in England and America, Vol. 1. Salem, Mass.: The Salem Press, 189

A History of the Putnam Family in England and America, Volume 1 , p 22-27

Wikipedia - Captain Nathaniel Putnam was born on October 10, 1619 in Aston Abbots, Buckingham, England. He was baptized there the following day. Nathaniel was admitted to the church of Salem, Massachusetts in 1648. He married Elizabeth Hutchinson in 1650 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. Nathaniel died on July 23, 1700 in Salem Village, Essex, Massachusetts.

BOSTON AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS. 1229

(II) Nathaniel Putnam, son of John Putnam, was born in England, October n, 1619, and baptized at Aston Abbotts, Buckinghamshire. England, October 11, 1619. He died at Salem, July 23, 1700. He was a prosperous farmer and settled in what is now Danvers. He married Elizabeth Hutchinson, daughter of Richard and Alice (Bosworth) Hutchinson. She was born in Arnold, England, August 20, 1629, baptized there August 30, and died at Danvers, June 24, 1688. Both were admitted to the church at Salem in 1648. Part of the original homestead at Danvers is still known as the Judge Putnam place. Nathaniel Putnam was constable in 1656 and deputy to the general court in 1690-91. He was prominent in church and town, serving for some years as selectman. He had great business ability and activity and was a man of unusual powers of mind, "of great energy and skill in the management of affairs and of singular sagacity, acumen, and quickness of perception. He left a large estate." He was involved in a lawsuit over the ownership of the Bishop farm, so called, and his side of the controversy was successful in 1683. During the trouble over the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Bay ley he was an opponent, but when Mr. Bayley was dismissed he was one of those who contributed land, May 6, 1680, to make a farm for him. He had the rank of lieutenant. He was one of the four messengers to Rev. Samuel Parris to obtain his reply to their call. As the head of the large and influential Putnam family he was known for years as "Landlord Putnam." He was a leader in the witchcraft delusion which had its centre in Salem and Salem Village, where he lived. Upham says of him. "Entire confidence was felt by all in his judgement and deservedly. But he was a strong religionist, a life-long member of the church and extremely zealous in his ecclesiastical relations. He was getting to be an old man (at the time of the Delusion), and Mr. Parris had wholly succeeded in obtaining for the time possession of his feelings, sympathies and zeal in the management of the church, and secured his full co-operation in the witchcraft prosecutions. He had been led by Parris to take the very front of the proceedings. But even Nathaniel Putnam could not stand by in silence and see Rebecca Nourse sacrificed." Children of Nathaniel Putnam, born at Salem Village: 1. Samuel, born February 18, 1652, died young. 2. Nathaniel, horn April 24, 1655, died young. 3. John. born March 26. 1657, mentioned below. 4. Joseph, born October 29, 1659, died young. 

5. Elizabeth, born August n, 1662, married Sergeant George Flint. 6. Benjamin, born December 24, 1664, died 1750; married Elizabeth Putnam. 7. Mary, born September 15, 1668, married John Tufts.

Genealogy and History of the State of Maine. (II) Nathaniel, third son of PUTNAM John and Priscilla Putnam, was baptized at Aston Abbotts, October 11, 1619, and died at Salem Village, July 23, 1700. He was a man of considerable landed property ; his wife brought him seventy- five acres additional, and on this tract he built his house and established himself. Part of his property has remained uninterruptedly in the family. It is now better known as the "old Judge Putnam place." He was constable in 1656, and afterwards deputy to the general STATE OF MAINE. 55

court, 169091, selectman, and always at the front on all local questions, whether pertaining to politics, religious affairs, or other town matters. "He had great business activity and ability, and was a person of extraordinary powers of mind, of great energy and skill in the management of affairs, and of singular sagacity, acumen and quickness of perception. He left a large estate." Nathaniel Putnam was one of the principals in the great lawsuit concerning the ownership of the Bishop farm. His action in this matter was merely to prevent the attempt of Zerubabel Endicott to push the bounds of the Bishop grant over his land. The case was a long and complicated affair, and was at last settled to the satisfaction of Allen and Putnam in 1683. December IQ, 1688, Lieutenant Nathaniel Putnam was one of the four messengers sent to Rev. Samuel Parris to obtain his reply to the call of the parish. Parris was afterwards installed as the minister of the parish, and four years later completely deceived Mr. Putnam in regard to the witchcraft delusion. That he honestly believed in witchcraft and in the statements of the afflicted girls there seems to be no doubt; that he was not inclined to be severe is evident, and his goodness of character shows forth in marked contrast with the almost bitter feeling shown by many of those concerned. He lived to see the mistake he had made. That he should have believed in the delusion is not strange, for belief in witchcraft was then all but universal. The physicians and ministers called upon to examine the girls, who pretended to be bewitched, agreed that such was the fact. Upham states that ninety- nine out of every one hundred in Salem believed that such was the case. There can be no doubt that the expressed opinion of a man like Nathaniel Putnam must have influenced scores of his neighbors. His eldest brother had been dead seven years, and he had succeeded to the position as head of the great Putnam family with its connections. He was known as "Landlord Putnam," a term given for many years to the oldest living member of the family. He saw the family of his brother Thomas Putnam afflicted, and being an upright and honest man himself, believed in the disordered imaginings of his grandniece, Ann. These are powerful reasons to account for his belief and actions. The following extract from Upham brings out the better side of his character : "Entire confidence was felt by all in his judgment, and deservedly. But he was a strong religionist, a lifelong member of the church, and extremely strenuous and zealous in his ecclesiastical relations. He was getting to be an old man, and AIr. Parris had whoily succeeded in obtaining, for the time, possession of his feelings, sympathy and zeal in the management of the church, and secured his full co-operation in the witchcraft prosecutions. He had been led by Parris to take the very front in the proceedings. But even Nathaniel Putnam could not stand by in silence and see Rebecca Kurse sacrificed. ? curious paper written by him is among those which have been preserved : "Nathaniel Putnam, senior, being desired by Francis Nurse, Sr., to give information of what i could say concerning his wife's lile and conversation. 1, the above said, have known this said aforesaid woman forty years, and what I have observed of her, human frailties excepted, her life and conversation have been to her profession, and she hath brought up a great family of children and educated them well, so that there is in some of them apparent savor of godliness. 1 have known her differ with her neighbors, but I never knew or heard of any that did accuse her of what she is now charged with."

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