Henry Clay Putnam (January 17, 1846July 7, 1913) was an

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businessman,

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politician, and

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

pioneer. He served four years each in the

Wisconsin State Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the larger Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after t ...

and

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, representing Green County. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, he was enlisted in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

Early life

Putnam was born in

Newark, Ohio Newark ( ) is a city serving as the county seat of Licking County, Ohio, United States, east of Columbus, at the junction of the forks of the Licking River. The population was 49,934 at the 2020 census, which makes it the 15th largest city in ...

, in 1846. He moved to

with his parents in 1849, settling in Decatur in Green County. He was educated in the common schools in Green County until age 16, when he enlisted in the

Civil War service

Putnam enlisted in the Summer of 1863 and was enrolled as a private in Company B of the

1st Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment The 1st Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment was a volunteer cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment is most notable as one of two cavalry regiments credited with the final capture of Confederate preside ...

. He was subsequently promoted to corporal. He joined the regiment near

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

, in the midst of the Chattanooga campaign. With the regiment, he went on to participate in the

Battle of Mossy Creek The Battle of Mossy Creek was a minor battle of the American Civil War, occurring on December 29, 1863, in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Background Union Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, while encamped at Mossy Creek and forward towards Talbott's ...

, the

Battle of Dandridge The Battle of Dandridge, January 17, 1864, was a minor battle of the American Civil War that occurred in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Background Wanting to push the Confederates out of their winter headquarters and having received reports of ...

, Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, and Wilson's Raid in Alabama and Georgia.

Postbellum career

Putnam mustered out with his regiment in July 1865. After returning to Wisconsin, he worked as a traveling salesman for nine years, then worked in the lumber business and operated a farm. In the 1890s he became involved with the Green County Bank of Brodhead as vice president. Politically, Putnam associated with the

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. He was elected president of the Village of

Brodhead, Wisconsin Brodhead is a city in Green County, Wisconsin, Green and Rock County, Wisconsin, Rock counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 3,274 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. In February 2000, the city annexed a portion of l ...

, in 1883 and 1884 and was elected to the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

in 1890 and 1892. In 1894, he was elected to the

, representing the 17th Senate district for four years. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1898. He died at his home in

, in 1913.

Personal life and family

Putnam was active for the remainder of his life in the Wisconsin chapter of the

Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...

. He married Frances Sutherland, but their only child died in infancy.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1890, 1892)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 4, 1890 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 8, 1892

Wisconsin Senate (1894)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 6, 1894

References

External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Putnam, Henry 1846 births 1913 deaths Politicians from Newark, Ohio People from Brodhead, Wisconsin Republican Party Wisconsin state senators Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly American bankers People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Union Army soldiers