My Genealogy Hound

MAJOR EDGAR P. PUTNAM, clerk of the courts and county clerk of Chautauqua county and who was an efficient cavalry officer under General Sheridan during the war of the “Great Rebellion,” is a son of James R. and Maria L. (Flagg) Putnam, and was born in the town of Stockton, Chautauqua county, New York, May 4, 1844. James R. Putnam was a member of one of the several Putnam families who were early settlers of Chautauqua county, and who all seem, without exception, to have come from Massachusetts, where, in 1740, eighty males were registered as bearing the name of Putnam, and of whom two, Israel and Rufus, were conspicuous American generals in the Revolutionary war. James R. Putnam was a son of Gilbert Putnam and was born in the town of Stockton in 1821. He was a farmer by occupation and died in Busti when only twenty-six years of age. He was a whig in politics and married Maria L. Flagg, by whom he had one child, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Maria L. (Flagg) Putnam is a daughter of Eleazer Flagg (maternal grandfather), who was a native of Rutland, Vermont, where he was a prominent politician for many years and served as sheriff of his county. He removed with his family to Chautauqua county, where he settled in the town of Stockton.

Edgar P. Putnam attended the common schools until he was seventeen years of age, when he entered the Union army. He enlisted on September 11, 1861, as a private in Co. D, 9th New York cavalry, and served as such until 1862, when he was promoted corporal. In the same year he became sergeant, and in 1864 was commissioned first lieutenant of his company. In April, 1865, he was promoted to a captaincy and commissioned as captain of Co. I of his regiment. He was breveted major when mustered out on July 17, 1865, as his commission states, “for gallant and meritorious services.” He participated in the battles of Yorktown, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, and was with McClellan on the Peninsula. He was on detached service and carried important dispatches at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg for Generals Geary, Slocum and Meade, also in the battles of Mine Run and Brandy Station. He participated in the terrible battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court-house and Cold Harbor. After the last named battle his regiment was ordered back to Washington for the protection of that city, but was soon after transferred to the Shenandoah Valley and rendered Sheridan valuable service in the great battles of Winchester, Fisher’s Hill and Cedar Creek. Capt. Putnam led his company in Sheridan’s raids round Richmond and in the closing scene of the war at Appomattox Court-house. During his entire term of service Major Putnam’s regiment was in one hundred and fifty-six skirmishes and battles in which he was always present for duty. He was twice wounded in battle, first at Travillion Station and second at Five Forks, Va. After the close of the war he was appointed as a deputy United States surveyor, and had charge until 1875 of government surveys in Minnesota, where his headquarters were at Minneapolis. From 1875 to 1888 he was engaged in the book and drug business in Jamestown as a member of the firm of Henderson & Putnam. In 1884 he was appointed postmaster of Jamestown by President Arthur. In 1888 he was chosen clerk of the courts and county clerk of Chautauqua county, New York, for a period of three years, by a majority of six thousand votes, and entered upon the duties of his office January 1, 1889, and has ably and honorably fulfilled the same until the present time.

In 1875 he united in marriage with Eppa Mace, daughter of William Mace, a merchant of Jamestown. They have one child, a daughter, named Edna P.

Major Edgar P. Putnam is a member of the Jamestown Club, Knights of Honor, Order of Maccabees and James M. Brown Post, No. 285, Grand Army of the Republic. He is a member of Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 145, F. and A. Masons, and Jamestown Commandery, No. 61, Knights Templar. He is genial and pleasant and hospitable, and has always been public-spirited and progressive. In politics he is a strong republican, but not an extremist, and has some of his warmest personal friends in the Democratic party. He is an attendant of the Protestant Episcopal church, of which his wife and daughter are members and communicants. Major Putnam is well informed in regard to military matters, and especially upon the history of the late war, in which he was an active participant for over four years. His military record is one of remarkable interest for the unusually large number of (156) skirmishes and battles in which he honorably participated with his regiment, and for the immunity which he seemed to possess against bullets on the battlefield and disease in unhealthy camps. Both as a soldier and officer he was faithful in the discharge of his regular duties and the performance of any special work that was assigned to him.