Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-08-28
ISRAEL PUTNAM's =
The Home of me Rsvoiu,is
e@aI Goes TO DscayaTY SAM

e o. GSeS - O@N~ft,+
The farm owned by lsraal
is the first point Of inter Putnam
visitor in the village offst to the
Conn, which is about ,HSsomfret,
from the farm Hmiles
Putnam left but little heritas -.
his descendants save his good name
and noble example His young man
hood was spent among these hills
and rocks, every branch Of farming
receiving his attention. Ey the
time the French war opened he was
able to leave his family in a CON-
Portable home well provided for.
Putnam received very little educa-
ton, and was entirely a "self-made
man.. Many anecdotes are related
of his energy and perseverance, his
brilliant achievements in the French
and revolutionary battlcfields.
After listening to these thrilling
accounts of adventure we eagerly
wend our way over the hills and
through the valleys which cradle the
Quinnebaug river of many falls,
through forests of dense green and
signing pine, to stand on the spot
where Putnam was blowing on the
morning of April 20, IT'S, and re-
ceived the news Of the collision of
the British and the provincials OF
Boston the day previous. Leaving
his pillow and oxen to his sons care,
he FASTENED to take his place at the
head of the militia
The farm is situated on the sum-
NIT of high hill between the villages
of Pomfret and Brooklyn. 1t is
nearly all fertile soil, well adapted
to cultivation, but at present not
well cultivated. The first house he
built is not standing but the spot
where it stood is pointed out. There
is the first well he dug. Yonder is
the house he occupied at that nota-
BILE time (1775) and where he lived
through happy old age and where
he died. In this house great men
have met to be entertained by Put
nam, none being a more familiar
guest than Washington.
Whatever might have been cheer
ing in the place those days is surely
not present now, for more unin-
viting abode cannot be imagined
than the old Putnam residence. In
deed, the whole farm presents any
thing but thrifty, well-kept APP
pearance, and shame it is. Quite
different is it from the appearance of
the home of his friend at Mount
Vernon. Perhaps some faithful
band OF women will undertake to re-
store the beauty of the place, as
they did some years ago the home of
Washington. 1t could easily be
made most attractive spot, for it
overlooks some of the most enchant
ing scenery in New England. The
present owner of the farm seems to
care little about preserving the
buildings from decay, and no one
else is interested.
One must never quit the place
without a visit to VOLTS Den," the
place where Putnam in a single
hour achieved greatness and fame
for which many toll a lifetime.
Schoolboys for century have been
familiar with the story of the cap
ture of the she wolf at this place by
Putnam, whose focks she had been
feasting upon most sumptuously.
For years she had been committing
her ravages among the focks of the
whole country side. In vain were
traps set and hunting parties sent
through the forests. Rarely was
she seen, and she always escaped.
AT last they tracked her to this den
in the rock on the hillside. But no
one would venture in after her. The
dogs refused to 60 the negro re-
fused, but they at last sent for Put
nam, whose daring was we'll known,
although only 25. Putnam came, and,
with rope tied to his ankle and
carrying torch and gun, crawled
into the den, saw the wolf, shot her
and came forth triumphant
Not far away from these scenes,
where Putnam lived and died, stands
the bronze monument, which was
not erected until relic hunters had
almost demolished the marble slab
which marked his grave. In 1888
the bronze equestrian monument
was erected in the village of Brook
Ign, and his remains were removed
and placed under the pedes tai. In
dianapolis Journal.
a Mn-nhina Vic In,