Putnam Ancestory by Doris Howard

Ralph de Puttenham was our 28th great grandfather living in England in 1199.  A journeyman in 1199, Ralph held knight's fee in 1210-12. A knight's fee was a measure of land sufficient to provide for family, esquires, servants and to furnish horses and armor to fight for his overlord.  Wow this takes us back a ways!!! 

 His descendant was John Putnam of Salem Village, Massachusetts at the time of the witch trials.  John received a grant of land from the Salem Church where his wife was enrolled. He later enrolled and was accepted as freeman. 3 generations of Putnams, John, Thomas, Joseph were among the prominent, wealthy families in tiny Salem village - 17th century  He played a role in the witch trials according to his conscience.

Interesting stories found here in this ancestry line from Jennie Miller, We trace backwards in time through Jennie's mother's Thompson, to a great mother Hannah Fisk.  These are family names that help us trace back into time: Fisk, Richardson, Winn, Wyman, Putnam.  William Wyman married Prudance Putnam born in Massachusetts in 1661.  Her grandfather was the first Putnam in the New Colonies, John Putnam.  John came to the Colonies and became a prominent powerful man there in the 1600s. And he stood in support of his brother, Thomas's child in her testimony against others charging witchcraft.  Citizens of Salem were sacrificed to the hysteria.