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Kinyon Digital Library

History of Adair
County, Iowa, 1915.

Biographical.  Volume 2.

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Lorenzo Putney.

An excellent farm of two hundred and twenty-five acres situated in Grove and Jefferson townships is the property of Lorenzo Putney, and is the visible evidence of a life of well directed energy and thrift, for everything that he possesses has been achieved through his own efforts and has been earned during the period of his residence in Adair county.  He had no advantages to aid him in starting out in life and even his education was largely acquired in the school of experience, but by persistent, earnest and honorable effort he has overcome all the difficulties and obstacles in his path and is now numbered among the substantial and respected citizens of Adair county.  He was born in the state of New York, February 2, 1850, and his parents, Earl B. and Charity L. (Wiltsey) Putney, were also natives of the Empire state.  On removing westward they settled in Tazewell county, Illinois, taking up their abode upon a farm on which they lived for seven years.  At the end of that period they removed to Warren county, Illinois, where the succeeding eight years were passed, after which they established their home in Winnebago county, Illinois.  Still later they came to Iowa, taking up their abode upon a farm in Adair county, in 1870.  Their remaining days were passed in this county, where they gained many warm friends.

Lorenzo Putney was one of a family of ten children, eight of whom are yet living.  He continued with his parents until he reached the age of twenty years and then returned to Illinois, after which he worked at the paper maker's trade for six years.  He they married Miss Sarah L. Allen, a daughter of Azariah and Harriet (Nelson) Allen, the latter a native of New York.  The father served as a soldier in the Civil war as a member of Company I, Thirty-first Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and laid down his life on the altar of his country.  He was a full cousin of Ethan Allen of Revolutionary war fame.  The mother is now the only survivor of a family of four children and makes her home in Rockford, Illinois, at the age of seventy-nine years.

Following his marriage Mr. Putney returned to Iowa and for four years cultivated a rented farm in Adair county, after which he purchased one hundred acres of land on section 34, Jefferson township.  Taking up his abode upon that place, he has since made it his home.  His labors have wrought a marked transformation in its appearance, for he has added tot he place all of the improvements thereon and has set out many maple trees which now constitute a fine grove.  He persistently and energetically carried on the work of the fields and in the course of time his success was sufficient to enable him to add to his original holdings.  He then purchased an additional tract of one hundred and twenty-five acres and is today the owner of two hundred and twenty-five acres of rich and productive land, which he carefully cultivates and improves so that he now has one of the fine farms of Adair county.

Mr. and Mrs. Putney have become the parents of three children:  Charles, who is residing on part of his father's farm married Lulu Johnson and has two children Sarah B. and John Lorenzo:  Minnie, the wife of L. C. West, of Greenfield, by whom she has two children;  and Albert, who is operating the home farm.  He married Clara Duff and has one daughter, Minnie Pearl.

Mr. Putney is a republican in his political views but has never been an office seeker, being always too busy to take an active part in public life.  He has always placed his dependence upon the substantial qualities of industry and determination and the secret of his success is found in work, whereby he has become one of the substantial farmers of his township.

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