James O. Putnam

File:James O. Putnam.jpg

James O. Putnam, American diplomat

James Osborne Putnam (July 4, 1818 Attica, then in Genesee Co., now in Wyoming County, New York – April 24, 1903 Buffalo, Erie County, New York) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

Life

He was the son of Congressman Harvey Putnam (1793–1855) and Myra (Osborne) Putnam (1795–1863). He graduated from Yale College in 1839. Then he studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Buffalo. On January 5, 1842, he married Harriet Foster Palmer (died 1853), and they had four children.

He was a member of the New York State Senate (31st D.) in 1854 and 1855. On March 15, 1855, he married Kate F. Wright (1835–1895), and they had three sons.

At the New York state election, 1857, he ran on the American party ticket for Secretary of State of New York, but was defeated by Democrat Gideon J. Tucker.

He was a presidential elector in 1860, voting for Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin.

He was U.S. Minister to Belgium from 1880 to 1882.

He was Chancellor of the University of Buffalo from 1895 to 1902.

He was buried at the Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo.

Sources

• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pg. 137 and 144; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
• The New York Civil List (pg. 546; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1865)
• DEATH LIST OF A DAY; James O. Putnam in NYT on April 25, 1903
• Putnam genealogy at Family Tree Maker

External links

• James O. Putnam at Find a Grave

New York State Senate
Preceded by George R. Babcock	New York State Senate 31st District 1854–1855	Succeeded by James Wadsworth
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by William C. Goodloe	U.S. Minister to Belgium 1880–1882	Succeeded by Nicholas Fish II
Academic offices
Preceded by E. Carleton Sprague	Chancellor of the University of Buffalo 1895–1902	Succeeded by Wilson S. Bissell