Santa
Clara County
Biographies
CHARLOTTE
A. PUTNEY
As a well-known club woman of San Jose,
Cal., and a leading member of the Santa Clara Pioneer Society, Mrs. Putney
occupies a position of prominence in her section, which has been her home for
more than half a century. Born in
Watertown, N.Y., she is one of a family of six children born to Ransom G.
and Elmira (Bacon) Moody, both of whom were natives of New York and are now
deceased. The father was reared at
Watertown, in Jefferson county, was a miller by trade,
and built mills in different parts of that state. In 1840 he removed to Wisconsin, locating in
Milwaukee, where for a number of years he was a contractor and builder of
streets.
In 1849 he came overland to California,
crossing the great plains in the customary way, behind
ox teams. He was with the Manley party
as far as Salt Lake City, coming into California from there by the southern
route. In the redwood district he
engaged in building sawmills near Redwood City, and in 1852 went to San Jose
and started the first lumber yard at that place. He also built a mill on the banks of the
Coyote creek, and as an experiment it was operated by water power furnished by
artesian wells. This proved a failure
and Mr. Moody afterward built a steam mill on the corner of Third and
Santa Clara streets. This mill, which is
now owned by the Sperry Flour Company, was successfully operated by him for a
number of years, but he subsequently retired from milling pursuits in favor of
his sons, spending the balance of his life in retirement. Both he and his wife died in California, and
of the six children born to them, four were sons and two were daughters, and
three are still living, namely, Mrs. Putney of San Jose; David B.,
secretary of the Sperry Flour Company of the same city; and George, a
prosperous merchant of Gridley, Cal.
In her girlhood, after attending the
common schools of her section, Mrs. Putney continued her studies for some
time in the Academy at Milwaukee, the first institution of its kind in that
city. In 1844 she was united in marriage
with Corydon M. Putney, a gentleman born and reared in New York. While still a young man Mr. Putney
accompanied his parents to Milwaukee, and it was in that city that his marriage
took place. Here he followed farm
pursuits and in connection studied medicine until 1853, when, in company with
his wife and two children, he came to California by way of Salt Lake City,
taking the northern route. Upon locating
in San Jose he opened a grocery and drug store, which he later sold. He then engaged in the livery business and in
connection practiced as a veterinary surgeon.
Some years later Mr. Putney became general practitioner of medicine
and continued to follow this profession until his death at the age of sixty
years. He was well known throughout San
Jose and vicinity as a man of exceptional worth and professional ability, and
he was among the most active politicians of his section, being a stanch[sic] Republican in his political convictions. Three children were born to him and his wife,
two sons and one daughter. Of these, the
oldest was called Lizzie O., and the others Fred M. and
David B. The daughter married Edgar
Pomeroy, and all are now deceased.
Although advanced in years Mrs. Putney is extremely active, and is
greatly beloved in her home vicinity.
Her mind is well stored with many interesting and often thrilling
experiences of early life in California, and she has witnessed the growth and
intellectual development of the State with pride.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
ญญญญSource: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 395-396. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2015 Donna Toole.