Simon Wellington Putman, attorney, seemed to realize as few men have done the importance of the profession to which he devoted his energies, and his reputation as a lawyer was won through earnest labor, and his standing at the bar was a merited tribute to his ability. His birth occurred at Fonda, New York, on March 7, 1852, and his death on April 12, 1917. His parents were George F. and Sarah Catherine (Veeder) Putman. George F. Putman, who was a carriage manufacturer in the village of Fonda, New York, was born at Tribes Hill, New York, and died in Fonda, on July 13, 1891. He was the son of Fisher and Jane (Ellison) Putman. Fisher Putman, grandfather of Simon Wellington Putman, was born at Tribes Hill and died there. He was a merchant and also the postmaster at Tribes Hill. Jane (Ellison) Putman was born at Tribes Hill, where she passed away. Fisher Putman was the son of John A. and Matchelt [Machtelt?] (Visscher) Putman. John A. Putman and his wife were both born at Tribes Hill, and both died there. John A. Putman's parents were Aaron and Elizabeth (Pock) Putman. Aaron Putman was born in Schenectady, New York, in 1719, and was killed in 1780 at Tribes Hill by the British and Indians in Sir John Johnson's raid on the Mohawk valley. Sarah Catherine (Veeder) Putman, mother of the subject of this sketch, was born in Fonda, New York, in August, 1825, and died there on August 15, 1906. She was the daughter of Abram and Lydia (Lansing) Veeder. Abram Veeder was born in Fonda and died there. His wife, Lydia (Lansing) Veeder, was born in March, 1788, and died in Fonda. She was the daughter of Judge James and Rachael (VerPlank) Lansing. Judge Lansing was born on June 15, 1776. Rachael (VerPlank) Lansing was born on October 11, 1762, and passed away on September 4, 1794. Judge James Lansing was a descendant of Christopher Lansing of Albany, who was quartermaster in the county militia, Third Regiment, under Colonel Philip Schuyler. Abram Veeder, maternal grandfather of Simon W. Putman, was a lieutenant colonel in the Fourth Albany Regiment, 264.
Simon Wellington Putman received his early education in the public schools and was graduated from the Amsterdam Academy at Amsterdam, New York, in the class of 1870. Having decided upon the law as his chosen profession, he entered the law offices of the late Judge Richard H. Cushney of Fonda, New York, and read law for four years. The following eleven years he was clerk of the Surrogate's court, after which he was admitted to the bar, and practiced law with unusual success until his death, on April 12, 1917, at his home in Fonda.
On May 20, 1874, at Amsterdam, New York, Simon W. Putman was united in marriage to Miss Alice Francena Hadley, daughter of the late Homer Nelson and Abbie Jane (Goodrich) Hadley. She was born at Granville, New York, on May 17, 1850. Her father, Homer Nelson Hadley, was born at Ludlow, Vermont, in June, 1820, and died at Hastings, Michigan, on September 16, 1860. He was married on April 21, 1844. For a number of years Mr. Hadley was a merchant tailor in Amsterdam, New York, and later a traveling salesman for the I. C. Schuler Coffin Manufacturing Company of Amsterdam, New York. He then became associated with his father and brother in the conduct of the Hadley Flour Mills in Hastings, Michigan, but was only there six months when he died. Abbie Jane (Goodrich) Hadley, mother of Mrs. Putman, was born in Granville, New York, on September 25, 1823, and died in Amsterdam, New York, on March 9, 1876. Homer Nelson Hadley was the son of Jonas and Alice (Ordway) Hadley. Jonas Hadley was born in February, 1793, at Westford, Massachusetts, and died in October, 1862, at Bellows Falls, Vermont. His wife was born in Chester, Vermont, in 1790, and died on May 5, 1884, in Keene, New Hampshire. Mrs. Putman, widow of Simon W. Putman, attended the Cleveland, Ohio, high school and was later graduated in the class of 1871 from Amsterdam Academy, after which she taught school for one year. She is a member of Caughnawaga Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution of Fonda, and for ten years was historian of the chapter. Since 1921 she has been historian of the village of Fonda. She is an active and interested member of the Montgomery County Historical Society, the Mohawk Valley Historical Association, the New York State Historical Society, Mohawk Chapter, No. 489, Order Eastern Star, and a member of Montgomery County, New York, Woman's Republican Club. She was also one of the organizers of the Fortnightly Club of Fonda, New York, now disbanded. Her religious faith is indicated by her membership in the Zion Episcopal church of Fonda, New York.
Mr. and Mrs. Putman were the parents of eight children, two of whom, Alice Hadley Putman and Sarah Jane Putman, died in infancy. George Homer Putman was born on May 4, 1877, in Fonda, New York, and received his education in the public and high schools of that village. He is associated with Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville Railroad and resides in Gloversville, New York. On October 20, 1897, he was married to Miss Gazenah Cole, and they are the parents of three children, Helen Ruth, Alice Henrietta, and Dorothy Grace. Dr. Frank Wellington Putman, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Silas [apparently should be Simon] W. Putman, was born in Fonda, on November 8, 1878, and educated in the public schools of that place. He received a diploma from the Boston Optical Works, Boston, Massachusetts. He is now located in Newport, Rhode Island, where he has one of the best equipped offices in the east and enjoys a large practice. Dr. Putman has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Marion Smith, whom he married in November, 1898, at Johnstown, New York. By this marriage he has one daughter, Gladys Putman, now Mrs. Walter Bachelor Clarke of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mr. Clarke is associated with the John Wanamaker store in the Quaker City. On July 28, 1923, Dr. Putman was married to Mrs. Gertrude Buchanon of Newport, Rhode Island. Lansing Goodrich Putman was born in Fonda, on November 8, 1881, and graduated from the Fonda high school in the class of 1889. He then entered Harvard University and graduated in 1904. The following two years he was an instructor at Mohegan Lake Military School, after which he went to Boston, Massachusetts, and became professor of French and English, as well as the secretary of the Noble and Greenough school, and taught in this institution of learning for ten years. He then opened a professional tutoring class in Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts, and nearly the whole time while in Boston was organist in the Somerville Emanuel Episcopal church. Later he entered the Theological Seminary on Ninth avenue, New York city, and was ordained to the ministry on June 15, 1924. While a student in the Theological Seminary he was organist at St. John's church, Brooklyn, New York. Edward Visscher Putman was born at Fonda, on December 25, 1885, and educated in the public and high school of that place. He now has a position as conductor on the New York Central Railroad and resides in Albany, New York. On May 24, 1906, at Troy, New York, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Benedict of Troy, and they have one son, George Wellington Putman, born in Albany, on November 17, 1912. Guy Veeder Putman was born on February 16, 1888, in Fonda, New York. He attended the Fonda high school and studied with the Boston Optical Company of Boston. For the past fifteen years he has been head optician at the N. M. Ruddy Jewelry Store in New London, Connecticut. On June 4, 1911, he was united in marriage to Miss Nellie May Crowell. They have three children: Lansing Crowell, born on August 22, 1912; Marjorie May, born on January 28, 1914, and Mildred Hadley, born on November 6, 1915. Addison Delamater Putman was born on May 28, 1890, in Fonda, and was educated at the Fonda high school and the English high school in Somerville, Massachusetts. He is now a member of the firm of Putman & Rollins, automobiles, and doing a very lucrative business. On April 27, 1911, he was married to Miss Lola C. Reese of Johnstown, New York, daughter of John and Emma (Smith) Reese. They are the parents of one daughter, Jean Austrey, who was born on June 14, 1921.
Simon Wellington Putman was the first water commissioner of the village of Fonda. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity and was a member of Fultonville Lodge, No. 531, and was a master Mason. He also belonged to the Royal Arcanum, and the Knights of Pythias of Amsterdam, New York, and had filled all the various offices in that order and also been elected district deputy grand master of this district. He attended the Zion Episcopal church of Fonda, and cast his vote with the democratic party. He was very fond of fishing and outdoor life and spent considerable time in the north woods and along the local streams. He possessed a sober, clear judgment which gave him a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the principles of law, and few lawyers have made a more lasting impression upon the bar of the state for legal ability.