Nathaniel Putnam and Elizabeth Hutchinson

---

---

Husband Nathaniel Putnam ¹

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 11 Oct 1619 - Aston Abbotts, England 1
           Died: 23 Jul 1700 - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA 1
         Buried: 

---

         Father: John Putnam (1579-1662) 1 2 3
         Mother: Priscilla Gould (      -      ) 1

---

       Marriage:  - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA

---

---

Wife Elizabeth Hutchinson ⁴

---

           Born: 20 Aug 1629 4
     Christened: 30 Aug 1629 - Arnold, England 4
           Died: 24 Jun 1688 4
         Buried: 

---

         Father: Richard Hutchinson (      -      ) 4
         Mother: Alice Bosworth (      -      ) 4

---

---

Children

---

1 M Samuel Putnam ⁴

---

           Born:  - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

2 M Nathaniel Putnam ⁴

---

           Born:  - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

3 M John Putnam ⁴

---

           Born:  - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

4 M Joseph Putnam ⁴

---

           Born:  - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

5 F Elizabeth Putnam ⁴

---

           Born:  - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

6 M Capt. Benjamin Putnam ⁴

---

           Born: 24 Dec 1664 - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA 4
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1715 - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Elizabeth Putnam (      -1705) 4
           Marr: 25 Aug 1685 4

         Spouse: Sarah Holton (      -      ) 4
           Marr: 1 Jul 1706 4

---

7 F Mary Putnam ⁴

---

           Born:  - Danvers (Salem Village), Essex Co, MA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

---

General Notes: Husband - Nathaniel Putnam

---

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 remained uninterruptedly in the family into the early 1900s. At that time it was known as the "old Judge Putnam place." He was constable in 1656; deputy to the general court, 1690-1691; 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 Zerubbabel 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 10, 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 afterward installed as 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 was 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, said that such was the case. Upham states that ninety-nine out of every hundred in Salem believed that such was the fact. There can be no doubt that the expressed opinion of men 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. Upham says of him: "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 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 cooperation in the witchcraft persecutions. 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." In 1694 Nathaniel and John Putnam testified to having lived in the village since 1641. [GPHAV, 1029]

In 1648 both he and his wife were admitted to the church at Salem, Massachusetts.

1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 1029.

2 —, Book of Biographies, 37th Judicial District, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899), Pg 58.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1612, 1749.

4 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 1030.