Contra Costa County Biography

GEORGE A. PUTNAM

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta, December, 2006.

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
               George A. Putnam holds a prominent place among the representative 
agriculturalists in Contra Costa County. He was born in Fruitvale, Alameda 
County, California, June 3, 1860, and is the son of John H. and Elizabeth S. 
Putnam, who had eight children, five boys and three girls, all living. John H. 
Putnam died in 1907, and his wife passed away the same year. George A. Putnam 
received his education in the Pleasant Hill school near Walnut Creek, and in the 
San Ramon school. He entered the mercantile store of his father and uncle for a 
time, and in 1879 he removed to Washington, where he followed farming until 
1882, when he returned to this county and entered the store of his uncle, where 
he remained for three years. Returning to Washington, he married Miss Grace 
Bracket, a granddaughter of William Hook, February 15, 1887. To this union have 
been born five children - George Blalock (who married Miss Francis Vessing, a 
native of New York State), Grace Bell (who is attending  high school), Marion 
Bernice, John Van Alstien, and Dorothy Hazel. Politically, Mr. Putnam is 
affiliated with the Republican party. He has served on the Concord high-school 
board for two terms. He is an extensive landowner, and operates one of the most 
modern dairies in the county. He supplies milk and cream to the county hospital 
in Martinez. His dairy is a model along sanitary lines, and every modern  
condition exists for the handling of milk. Mrs. Amanda (Hook) Bracket makes her 
home at present with Mr. Putnam. She is one of Contra Costa County's most 
respected women. She was born in 1842 and crossed the plains with her parents in 
1850. She was educated  in Martinez and graduated from the Young Ladies' 
Seminary at Benicia. She was married to Rufus Bracket in January, 1861. He was a 
pioneer merchant and rancher, and died in August, 1889. Mr. Putnam has been 
identified largely with real-estate interests. He has enlarged his buildings and 
increased his stock, and today caters to a large and remunerative custom won by 
his progressive business methods and by the sterling qualities which distinguish 
his personal character.
 
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California," Elms Publ. Co., 1917, 
p. 569.