The Judges Of New Brunswick And Their Times (1907) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. HON. JAMES PUTNAM. The Honorable Judge Putnam was born in 1725 in Danvers, then a part of Salem, in the State of Massachusetts. He graduated at Harvard University in 1746, and studied law with Attorney General Trowbridge at Cambridge. In 1754 he married Elizabeth, daughter of the Honorable John Chandler, of Worcester. John Adams, second President of the United States, studied law in the office of Mr. Putnam, and in his autobiography thus refers to his experience in this connection: "I entertained many thoughts of becoming a physician, but law attracted my attention more and more. As I attended the' courts where I heard Worthington, Hawley, Trowferidge, Putnam, and others I felt irresistibly impelled to make some effort to accomplish my wishes. I made a visit to Mr. Putnam and offered myself to him. He received me with politeness and even kindness, took a few days to consider of it, then informed me that Mrs. Putnam had consented I should board in the house and pay for my lodging one hundred dollars a year when I should find it convenient. I accepted the proposal and immediately took possession of his office. His library was not large, but he had all the most essential law 'books. Immediately after I entered, he sent to England for a handsome set of law 'books and Bacon's works." Mr. Adams, on finishing his studies, Which extended over two years, was admitted to the Bar, and when asked to remain at Worcester for the practice of his profession, replied: " The Chandlers were worthy people, and discharged the duties of theiroffice well. I have no desire to set myself in opposition to them, especially Mr. Putnam, who had married a beautiful daughter of that family, and had treated me with civility and kindness." Mr. Putnam early attained eminence as a well read lawye...