Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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


T. H. PUTNAM 
 
came to California in 1861 from Iowa. He was born in Illinois in September, 
1830, a son of Daniel Green Putnam, who was a native of Massachusetts and a 
direct descendant of the celebrated General Israel Putnam. Daniel Putnam married 
Elizabeth Washborn, also of Massachusetts, and to them were born six children, 
of which the subject of this sketch was the second. All except one, the oldest 
daughter, are still living. The father died in 1843; aged forty-two years, after 
which his widow married Morris Martin, and this union was blessed with three 
children. She died in 1857. Mr. Putnam grew to manhood in Lee County, Iowa, to 
which place his father had moved in 1842. He there married the lady of his 
choice, Miss Hannah Farley, a native of Iowa, and daughter of Drury Farley, 
formerly of Virginia. her mother's maiden name was Pally Tade, also from the Old 
Dominion, and of German extraction. Of this marriage three children were born: 
Louisa, George and Mark. On account of his wife's ill health Mr. Putnam sold his 
farm of 180 acres in Iowa, and moved to California. She died in 1863, in El 
Dorado County, at which place Mr. Putnam was engaged in the copper mines. 
Fifteen years later the subject of this sketch was again united in marriage, 
choosing for his second wife Mrs. Jemima Vandecar, nee Jemima Staff. She had 
five children by her previous marriage, and six by her union with Mr. Putnam. 
Their names are as follows: Howard, Maud, Lillie, Israel, Cleveland and Mabel. 
Mr. Putnam has traveled over the State considerably; first farmed in Sonoma 
County; in 1863 went to the copper mines of El Dorado County; subsequently 
returned to Sonoma County, where he engaged in farming three years; in 1868 went 
to San Diego County, and in 1872 came to Los Angeles County. He purchased forty 
acres near Orange and farmed until 1887, when he bought the fifty-five acres 
where he now lives, one mile south of Whittier. His leading industry in the 
future will be raising the English walnut, of which fruit he has a fine young 
orchard.
 
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 586
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler