Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

mont, of Portland, Oregon. 7. Norman
\V., of Lestershire, New York. 8. Clara
Maude, wife of AJlie G. Spear, of Stevens
Point, Pennsylvania, a George Ernest,
who is associated with his brother, llcr-
bert E., in the business in Hartford; he
was horn at the homestead, July 22, 1S81,
was educated in the common schools, and
has been associated with his brother all
his life. 1 le is a member of the Woodmen
of America, the Benevolent and Protec-
tive Order of Elks; Knights of Pythias,
and Eoresters of America. He married
Ada May, daughter of Daniel Arnott, and
has one daughter, Theodosia Victoria. 10.
Benjamin Arthur, of Portland, Maine. 11.
Francis Walter, of South Bend, Oregon.
12. Harold Douglas, also of that town. The
pa rents of this family were devout mem-
bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.
At one time or another, Francis Emery
Putnam held most of the offices in the
church, and was class leader for forty
years, and superintendent of the Sunday
school. It may be said that he was the
spiritual and financial mainstay of the
small country church with which he was
identified. Too much honor can hardly
be paid to the men who have thus upheld
the forces that make for righteousness,
and maintain an interest in the evangel-
ization of remote districts.
(X) Herbert Elmer Putman, in whose
life and business the interest of this sketch
centers, son of Francis E. and Theodosia
Victoria (Graves) Putnam, was educated
in the common schools in his native town,
the Starrucca public school, the Miller-
ville State Normal School, and a boys'
school at Alford Center, New York State,
and grew up on the home farm. He was
always associated with his father in busi-
ness, in his younger days, and from the
time he was twenty-one until he was
twenty-five, he took an active part in the
management of the business in which he
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
123
held a constantly growing interest. Later
he branched out somewhat. There was
a tine stone quarry on the home farm. A
>hort time before his marriage he bought
a half interest in the business of the man
who was working the quarry, and later
became - >le owner. This was his begin-
ning in the work which led to bis pre
business. Desiring to give hi- growing
daughters the advantage of the city, with
its better educational institutions, In- removed
to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1
and established his present business. He
continued to operate the quarry for a
couple of years, but it was difficult to
manage an industry of this nature from
such a distance, so he disposed of the
quarry. He began in Hartford by laying
sidewalks, and for some time confined his
operations to this line of work. Gradu-
ally other and more important lines of
concrete construction were taken up, until
to-day he does a general concrete con-
struction business. His work is such that
he may well take pride in the point he
has attained as a business man along con-
structive lines. After a time he also began
to handle a general line of mason's
supplies, and now does a large business
in that line also. Mr. Putnam is a member
of St. John's Lodge, No. 4, Ancient
Free and Accepted Masons; Washington
Commander}-, No. 1, Knights Templar;
the Connecticut Consistory; and the
Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Mr. Putnam married Mary Louisa,
daughter of Francis O. Cook, of Susquehanna
county, Pennsylvania, and they are
the parents of three children : Macy
Marie, a graduate of Hartford High
School, and a graduate in 1917 of Holyoke
College; Alma Lucile, a graduate, 1917,
of Hartford High School, and 1919, at
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Girls' Seminary
; and Herbert Elmer, Jr., still in