Daniel Baldwin Putnam (1790-1880)

PUTNAM, ENSIGN, LOCKWOOD, CURREN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 11/18/2010 at 21:23:49

From Story County Watchman February 20, 1880

DIED--At Nevada, February 17th, 1880, Dan B. Putnam, in his ninetieth year.

Such are the brief words that convey to thousands of friends the intelligence of the death of the noblest specimens of manhood, with whom it has ever been out lot to form an acquaintance, add one who calls from us more than a passing notice. For some time he and his aged companion have been makeing their home with their son-in-law and daughter Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Lockwood. During the time he has been here, on account of his advanced years, he has been confined to the house and unable to go out much, nevertheless he formed many acquaintances and friends all of whom admits him for his true worth and pleasant and happy disposition.

Mr. Putnam was born in Wardsboro, Midham county, Vermont, May 31st, 1790, before what is now that State became a part of the Union. When he was eighteen years of age he was employed in lumbering upon the St. Lawrence River for the Montreal market, which business he followed for three years. At that early age he was noted for his habits of industry and temperance and was often intrusted with important business by his employer. While his companions spent all their wages in drinking and gambling, young Putnam allowed his to accumulate and at the end of three years he drew his money, shouldered his napsack and rifle, and started for his home in Jefferson county, New York, his father having moved there a few years previous. Shortly afterwards his father and himself built a sloop of twelve tons at Sackets Harbor which they loaded with all their worldly wealth and sailed across Lake Ontario to Lewiston, on their way west. Here they placed their boat on wheels and carted it around the fall, when it was again launched, and crossing Erie, they anchored in Sundusky Bay and settled in Erie county, Ohio, which was then the extreme frontier. In July, 1811, Mr. Putnam helped to raise the first cabin in what is now the city of Sandusky. During the War of 1812 the settlers in that part of Ohio were greatly troubled by the Indians, and frequently driven from their homes to the more dense settlements and on one occasion, in 1813, the mother of Mr. Putnam and young brother, with others, were carried off by the savages while the men were at work in the field. The captives, after much suffering, were carried to Canada and delivered to the British Soldiers, and afterwards returned to their homes. Many were the encounters which those early settlers had with the savages, and it hardly seems possible that a participant in them has just gone to his long home but such is the case. During his last days the old gentlemen was never more pleased than in recounting the scenes incidents and encounters during the early settlement of Ohio.

He was first married in Erie county, in 1815, to Miss Louise Ensign, and lived in that county until 1836, when he removed to Hillsdale county, Michigan, where his wife died, and in 1842 he was again married to Mrs. Sarah Curren, who survives him. In 1854 he again moved west and that time settled at LeGrand, Marshall county, Iowa, where the aged couple lived until a few years ago when they broke up housekeeping and have since been making their home with their children in Marshalltown and this place, enjoying every comfort that wealth and dutiful, loving children could give.

But few men of Mr. Putnam's age could give such a clear and succinct account of long life of varied experiences. He remembered distinctly many of the incidents connected with Washington's death, and the administrations of Adams, Madison, Monroe and Jackson.

In the conflicts of life, among men, he was as the stately oak of the forest, which mid storms and tempests while its neighbors are tossed to and fro yielding and finally succumbing to the elements stands alone firm and unmoved, able to resist all opposing forces. Whether lumbering on the St. Lawrence, fighting the Indians in Ohio, subduing the wilds of Michigan or prairies of Iowa, or enjoying the comforts of a home of plenty, hewn from the wilderness, during all of the many years of his manhood he was at all time and under all circumstances the same upright patriotic citizen of all occasions unflinchingly maintaining the right and rebuking the wrong wherever found. He regarded all men as his brethren and his greatest delight was in doing good to others. Genial and benevolent in his nature, he was only known to be admired by all for his many manly virtues. The young may profit by the life and example of Uncle Dan Putnam and realize that in habits of temperance, honesty of purpose and industry is found happiness, wealth and long life.