The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-01-24

- @7s's.ssyvJls1lef6vfHvaF aF
], - .iltsIQ6sCAL SoG!E7M
VOI...XxXVI.!.s...'.:sss: ::
= a181s aaaa alFo.s shs .sssos.l siss.ssos-i
Husas Puinasn, the Father Of, Ohio, and
its Arst Grand N0sster.
Eighty males Of the name Of Putnam
lived in America, in 174O. Two Of them
were conspicuous in the annals of their
countryAnd Reesaesonsys s1a
J, Rufns was born at Sutton, w Worcester
Coanty. Meseachusetts, April 9. 1888.
Atthe age mof seven his father died, and
~ Nent 70 live with his maternal grand
.fa&hes, in Danvers.s Here he attended
the district sch ool for two year,. At the
EnAFEjage ok his mother, Rufus lived with
GhM. Wtik the death Of his stepfathAr.
1753 His stepfather denied Ruins all
edQcatiopal oppoxtuaities, and At the sc
OF atxteen he was apprenticed to 2 mill
wright. The French and the Indian
wars, Braddock's campaign, and the
bold exploits of his relative, Israel, fired
him with spirit of war. He became q
Eprovincial private soldier at the age Of
nineteen. His captain, Leonard. who
w1s q Colonel under General Gates,
AI77T, aud Brigadier- General in the
'Contfn entail army, took fancy TO Rufus,
ana com n ended him for his regular con.
duct. Rufus, IN hts Journal, mentions
that this captain assent bled HE men
every night and morning during the
campaign, and offered prayer in their
behalf 1851, he left the service, to
commence mill building and farming.
He applied himself, at his leisure nom
ents, to study, and became proficient in
surveying, and practiced it several years.
He Was one Of the Military Land Com
pany Who cent General Lyman, to Eng
land, 1863. He accompanied Col. Israel
Putnam to the "Yazoo country ssssssa
s zPutnAm Joined the revolutionary army
at Cambridge, 1775. His knowledge of
surveying made him the efficient con-
structor Of the works on Dorchester
Heights, which caused the British to
make ready, for leaving Boston. He was
afterwards in the engineering depart
ment, and August, 1776, was appointed
by Congress an engineer, with the rank
OF Colonel West Point owed much Of
it, efficiency, as military works, to Put
nam. February. 1778, he succeeded Col.
Greaton in command of troops in the
Northern Department, and Kosciusko,
the brave Pole, took his place as engi-
neer. January 8, s1783, he was com
nissionedsa . Brigsdier, General in the
Contin entail army. Peace ensuing, he
soon afterwards retired to bis farm.
5 l782 to 1888, his enterprising spirit
wass snlistsd organizing . company
for emigrating to and settling in Ohio.
1883, he won't out - the general agent,
by forty settlers. They
at the mouth OF the Musking-
nm, and called their settlement Marietta.
rhey built fort as security against the
Indians. and called It Cdmpss Aartiss.
rhey planted $50 acres of corn. 1889,
his Masonic and Presiden. brother,
" ashington, appointed him Judge of the
Supreme Court of the North West Terri
Dry. which included Ohio. 1892. he was
lppointed Brigadier under General
Wayne, and 1706, Surveyor-Generalo Of
Of the Convention that framed Con-
stitution for the State of Ohio, in 1902.
Rufus Putnam is an exemplifcation
OF what young man can do, with
patient, sober and religious industry.
Bro. Hayden, in his great work,
washington, and his Masonic Com
peers" thus speaks of his Masonic
career: -. - -. s ss. - -. "a -. E
BY both Washington and Lafayette he
was highly esteemed as an officer and .
man. With both he became connected
in the fraternal bonds of Masonic fel-
He was not Mason when he
entered the army of the Revolution, but
he became one in the summer of 17i9.
Tho festival of St. John the Baptist
wagcelehrated by the Masonic brethren
in the army that year upon the Hudson,
near w est Point, and Washington Joined
~ WAS his custom, with the Military
Lodge there on that occasion. Many
other distinguished officers Of the Am
erican army were present as Masons, and
the ceremonies were highly impressive.
Two days after this, Col. Putnam applied
to the Lodge uuder whose charter these
proceedings were held, to be made .
Mason. It was the "American Union
Lodge" which was instituted in the Con-
necticut line of the army at Roxbury,
in 1776. Colonel Putnam's application
Was favorably received, aud, at the same
meeting of the Lodge at which it was
presented, he was made Mason. 1t was
the 26th Of July, 1779. On the 26th Of
August he was made Fellow Graft, and
on the 9th Of September Master Ma
son. The place of meeting Of the Lodge
when he received his degrees, Was at the
Robinson House," on the east bank of
the Hudson, about two miles below West
Point The fortunes of this Lodge
during the Revolution. and after its
Gloss. have . highly romantic interest,
and are worthy Of . place in the history
Of our country Colonel Putnam's CON
nection with it was continued to the close
Of the war, and We afterwards find him
cherishing its privileges and maintaining
its chartered rights on the banks of the
Ohio. - the pioneer Of Christianity and
lcisillzation. as essss sBs8 IS ssaan kaas
As the dangers Of the country lessen
al in = like roU rao ~ora laeaon od fhn