{"id":114970,"date":"2024-03-27T21:17:12","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T01:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/?p=114970"},"modified":"2025-03-25T15:44:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T19:44:40","slug":"mary-lowell-putnam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/mary-lowell-putnam\/","title":{"rendered":"Reframing Mary Lowell Putnam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Putnam Library namesake was an accomplished writer<\/h2>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_8afdc1-0b .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_8afdc1-0b size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Feature.png?w=1280\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Feature.png?w=1280\" alt=\"Reframing Mary Lowell Putnam by Robyn Rodgers\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114986\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271280%27%20height%3D%27720%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201280%20720%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271280%27%20height%3D%27720%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Feature.png?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Feature.png?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Feature.png?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Feature.png 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are some cool things about being an <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/curator-corner\/archiving-history\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"104024\">archivist <\/a>in a history office. I get to have my hands in all the primary sources, talk about my favorite subjects, and work with researchers to find the resources they need to do their work. It\u2019s great. One of the other wonderful things is that I am not expected to write like a historian. I get to tell stories as if I\u2019m talking to my friends. So, friends, let\u2019s chat about Mary Lowell Putnam, her family, finding Jane Austen in her writing, and how all that came together to impact the lives of thousands of Veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">March is <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/topics\/womens-history-month\/\">Women\u2019s History Month<\/a> and I volunteered to write about Mary, \u201cBenefactress of the Home\u201d. The days were passing, and I kept asking for extensions. Why? Because most resources kept recycling the same information. When reading about Mary, one will mostly find her defined as \u201cdaughter of Unitarian minister\u201d, \u201csister of James and\/or Robert\u201d and \u201cmother of William\u201d as if she had no personal accomplishments other than being a relation. I knew this wasn\u2019t true, I just had to find it. So, I set out to reframe Mary Lowell Putnam. <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_19ad47-93.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_19ad47-93 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:225px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_19ad47-93.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_19ad47-93 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_19ad47-93 figure{max-width:225px;}.kb-image114970_19ad47-93 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_19ad47-93 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_19ad47-93 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_19ad47-93 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_19ad47-93 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_19ad47-93 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_19ad47-93 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_19ad47-93 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_19ad47-93 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_19ad47-93\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Rome.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Rome.jpg?w=540\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Rome.jpg?w=540\" alt=\"Books on the Roman Empire. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114981\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27540%27%20height%3D%27315%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20540%20315%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27540%27%20height%3D%27315%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Rome.jpg?resize=300,175 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Rome.jpg 540w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Books on the Roman Empire from the Putnam collection. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The month is running out, but fortunately, this office does not believe that women\u2019s history is confined Women\u2019s History Month. Plus, our webmaster is a kind and generous sort. Did I find new things? Yes, but as so often when researching women, I had to \u201cgo through the side door\u201d to get there. We already knew that Mary was from a wealthy Boston family, a strong abolitionist, spoke several languages, and that she lost her son early in the Civil War. What was new to write about? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For many authors, the key to who they are reside in their writings themselves. Mary tells us a lot about herself, her position in the world, and what she valued. She wasn\u2019t content to just write, though. She acted on her convictions in ways that were not entirely usual for a woman of her time and station. That said, this was not a family afraid of unusual women. While several steps removed, her cousin John Lowell Gardner Jr, was married to Isabella Stewart Gardner, a woman most unapologetically herself. Google her, you can thank me later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Lowell family tree includes lawyers, historians, authors, religious leaders, military officers, presidents and faculty of Harvard, and such intelligentsia. For the space enthusiasts amongst us, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lowell.edu\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Lowell Observatory<\/a> where Pluto was discovered was founded by Percival Lowell. The town of Lowell, Massachusetts, (home of <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/featured-stories\/edith-nourse-rogers\/\">Edith Norse Rogers<\/a>) is named for industrialist Francis Cabot Lowell. <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_245a05-ab.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_245a05-ab .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:350px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_245a05-ab.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_245a05-ab .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_245a05-ab figure{max-width:350px;}.kb-image114970_245a05-ab .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_245a05-ab .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_245a05-ab .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_245a05-ab img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_245a05-ab .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_245a05-ab img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_245a05-ab .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_245a05-ab img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_245a05-ab .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_245a05-ab\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Collection.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"491\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Collection.jpg?w=1024\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Collection.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Image of working area where books are stored. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114976\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271024%27%20height%3D%27491%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201024%20491%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271024%27%20height%3D%27491%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Collection.jpg?resize=300,144 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Collection.jpg?resize=600,288 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Collection.jpg?resize=768,368 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Collection.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Current storage area for the books Putnam donated. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mary Traill Spence Lowell was born on 3 Dec 1810 to Charles and Harriett Lowell. Gifted in languages, she was fluent in French, Italian, German, Polish, Swedish, and Hungarian, as well as being able to read and write in Greek, Hebrew, Persian, and Arabic. Some sources do vary on the list, but no matter which one uses, the list is extensive. She was also the author of no less than nine publications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both before and after she married, Mary spent a great deal of time traveling both the US and all over Europe, expanding her understanding of languages, political science, and culture. Though she was publishing as early as 1844, she came to public attention when she censured <em>North American Review\u2019s<\/em> Francis Bowen. He expressed criticism of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, a stance Mary vehemently disagreed with. Bowen had lived in Paris, and one might kindly assume that he had at least visited Hungary. <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:200px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 figure{max-width:200px;}.kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_c4bbcd-a8\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Books.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"568\" height=\"701\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Books.jpg?w=568\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Books.jpg?w=568\" alt=\"Putnam books in the collection. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114975\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27568%27%20height%3D%27701%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20568%20701%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27568%27%20height%3D%27701%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Books.jpg?resize=243,300 243w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Books.jpg?resize=486,600 486w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Books.jpg 568w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Putnam books in the collection. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mary, however, lived in Hungary for a time, spoke the language, and published <em>History of the Constitution of Hungary <\/em>as part of her line-by-line dismantling his entire work on the matter. That wasn\u2019t a turn of phrase; her responses to him in the <em>Christian Examiner<\/em> literally go line by line and take his arguments apart. It wasn\u2019t the last time she used her pen to express herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Between 1861 and 1866, she published four books, all rooted in her abolitionist work. While she doesn\u2019t shy away from words like \u201cslave\u201d, she is more delicate about it. It\u2019s not so much dancing around the subject, it\u2019s more like it\u2019s hiding in plain sight. If a reader was antislavery, messaging was clear. If one was ambivalent or pro-slavery, they were just stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The Atlantic<\/em> reviewed 1861\u2019s <em>Records of an Obscure Man <\/em>and 1862\u2019s<em> Tragedy of Errors <\/em>Parts I and II. It both praises and criticized the works and is not until late in the review do they note that she is a woman. My favorite part of this section is \u201c\u2026it is not impossible some unborn historian may write, that in certain great perils of American liberty, when the best men could only offer rhetoric, women came forward with demonstration. \u2026that the delicacy of spirit we love to characterize by the dear word \u201cwomanly\u201d is not inconsistent with varied and exact information, independent opinion and the insights of genius.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Friends, if you do look up this review, please remember that it was written in May 1862 and the words and values we hold today may not be reflected in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By 1866, she moved on to publications where her stances on education, slavery, and a healthy dose of Jane Austen come clear. <em>In Fifteen Days, an Extract from Edward Covil\u2019s Journal,<\/em> she writes \u201cMy farm-duties, which restrict my study-time just enough to leave it always the zest of privilege; my books, possessed or on the way\u2026\u201d as the sixth line, establishing early that our narrator values time with their books, a word that appears 33 times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are 17 instances of the word \u201cslavery\u201d, and 97 of the word \u201cslave\u201d. There were 44 in <em>Records of an Obscure Man<\/em>. \u201cSlaveholder\u201d does not appear in <em>Records<\/em> but 11 times in <em>Fifteen Days<\/em>. Whether this is due to the war being over or not, Mary is no longer afraid to address it head-on. She also fixes an eye towards women\u2019s education and independence, writing \u201cThe evening she passes is sewing, a book on the table before her. She catches a line as she draws out her thread, and fixes it in her memory with the setting of the next stitch\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reader in question is a teacher trying to further her own education while still appearing correctly qualified for the job. She is putting one brother through college and caring for the younger two. Another character is asked to offer her a home and position as governess. His response to the idea is, \u201cI will tell her that her cousin wishes to have news of her\u2026 But propose to her a life of dependence? You must get a bolder man to do that errand.\u201d As I was reading this section, in my head, it sounded exactly as <em>Sanditon\u2019s<\/em> Arthur Parker would have said. Friends, I put my cup down and went reading with a whole new eye!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Part of Jane Austen\u2019s ability to wordsmith such compelling pictures was that she drew heavily from her own experiences. Houses she visited, things she saw in her travels, and repetition of names often made their way into Jane\u2019s books. They underwent two resurgences, first in 1833, again in the early 1860s, and Mary would have especially read <em>Mansfield Park<\/em>. Jane stayed consistent in those themes across all her books, and Mary experimented with the same literary concept. In <em>Fifteen Days<\/em>, Harvard, Persia, Hungary, and a young man living abroad choosing his own path for a few years (as did her son) are all present. Most tellingly, though, is this line:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Does Harry intend to take a profession?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe law, I hope. He will study it in any case. This makes part of a plan he formed for himself years ago. He considers the study of law as a branch of the study of history, and a necessary preparation for the writing of history,\u2014his dream at present.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is a forward from <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/object-35-dayton-bible\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"105656\">Chaplain Earnshaw<\/a> in the 1881 Putnam Library Catalog, quoting Dr. Guepin that William\u2019s \u201cdream for the future had not changed, it was still that of serving the interest of his country and humanity, as a historian.\u201d I\u2019ll discuss William and the catalog momentarily, but it is important to know here that at the time of his commissioning, William was studying law at Harvard.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_2553dd-9b.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_2553dd-9b .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:400px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_2553dd-9b.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_2553dd-9b .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_2553dd-9b figure{max-width:400px;}.kb-image114970_2553dd-9b .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_2553dd-9b .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_2553dd-9b .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_2553dd-9b img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_2553dd-9b .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_2553dd-9b img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_2553dd-9b .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_2553dd-9b img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_2553dd-9b .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_2553dd-9b\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Law-school.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"139\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Law-school.jpg?w=924\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Law-school.jpg?w=924\" alt=\"Excerpt from the 1881 Putnam Library Catalog\u2019s forward written by Chaplain Earnshaw where he quotes Dr. Guepin\u2019s remark about William Lowell Putnam. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114979\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27924%27%20height%3D%27139%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20924%20139%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27924%27%20height%3D%27139%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Law-school.jpg?resize=300,45 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Law-school.jpg?resize=600,90 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Law-school.jpg?resize=768,116 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Law-school.jpg 924w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Excerpt from the 1881 Putnam Library Catalog\u2019s forward written by Chaplain Earnshaw where he quotes Dr. Guepin\u2019s remark about William Lowell Putnam. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is only one line, but there are enough pattern similarities both in content and writing style for interesting study, should one choose to. It\u2019s just not what we are doing today. \u201cAll of this is great, but how does this affect thousands of Veterans,\u201d one is surely pondering by now. The goal was to frame Mary as herself, her accomplishments, and the momentum of her life. To not be an appendage of someone else. These are important things because had these things been different, so may have been her choices. Her most enduring decision came after the death of her son, William.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">William was born 9 July 1840. When the Civil War broke out, he commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry \u201cthe Harvard Regiment\u201d on 10 July 1861, the day after he turned 21. 103 days later, on 22 October, 1861, he died from wounds sustained at Ball\u2019s Bluff. Accounts of William frame him as a gentle soul, a lover of literature and education. He was a poet, not a warrior, but his position in society required that he join the Army. His death framed one of the longstanding and impactful activities of Mary\u2019s life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a person of wealth, power, and station, Mary had options. She could have gone to Europe to collect art and interesting people, as her cousin-in-law, the aforementioned Isabella, did after the loss of her own son. She could have shut down and taken to her bed. Both those would have been reasonable, and yet Mary did neither. She mobilized. Education and information were a critical part of Mary\u2019s soul. I\u2019ve not yet found any surviving documentation as to how the idea to donate books and artwork came to her attention, or why the Central Branch of the<a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/featured-stories\/memorial-day-postcards\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"103770\"> National Homes<\/a> (now Dayton VA Medical Center), specifically but my hope is that it survives in the family\u2019s collection. <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_d8e052-97.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_d8e052-97 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:200px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_d8e052-97.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_d8e052-97 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_d8e052-97 figure{max-width:200px;}.kb-image114970_d8e052-97 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_d8e052-97 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_d8e052-97 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_d8e052-97 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_d8e052-97 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_d8e052-97 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_d8e052-97 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_d8e052-97 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_d8e052-97 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_d8e052-97\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1881-catalog.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"844\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1881-catalog.jpg?w=646\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1881-catalog.jpg?w=646\" alt=\"Title page from the 1881 Putnam Library Catalog. Georgina Putnam donated this particular volume to Harvard Library. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114972\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27646%27%20height%3D%27844%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20646%20844%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27646%27%20height%3D%27844%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1881-catalog.jpg?resize=230,300 230w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1881-catalog.jpg?resize=459,600 459w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1881-catalog.jpg 646w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Title page from the 1881 Putnam Library Catalog. Georgina Putnam donated this particular volume to Harvard Library.  (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 8 Oct 1868, Chaplain Earnshaw notified the <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/featured-stories\/054-1870-annual-report\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"115203\">Board of Managers<\/a> that he received an offer of donation from Mary. Interestingly, the 1868 Annual Report refers to her as \u201cMrs. \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Porter, of \u2013 \u201c. There is no mistaking that the name is wrong. The next line states that the donation came from a lady that lost her \u201cnoble and gallant son\u201d which is usually how William is referred to. Gobrecht\u2019s 1875 book <em>History of the National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers<\/em>, also states she had never been to the Home and was not acquainted with anyone there so that wasn\u2019t it.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:500px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 figure{max-width:500px;}.kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_c66f0f-a5\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-1.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"164\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-1.jpg?w=723\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-1.jpg?w=723\" alt=\"Excerpt from Gobrecht\u2019s book regarding Mary\u2019s donation offer. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114977\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27723%27%20height%3D%27164%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20723%20164%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27723%27%20height%3D%27164%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-1.jpg?resize=300,68 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-1.jpg?resize=600,136 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-1.jpg 723w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_047c87-e5.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_047c87-e5 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:500px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_047c87-e5.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_047c87-e5 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_047c87-e5 figure{max-width:500px;}.kb-image114970_047c87-e5 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_047c87-e5 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_047c87-e5 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_047c87-e5 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_047c87-e5 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_047c87-e5 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_047c87-e5 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_047c87-e5 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_047c87-e5 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_047c87-e5\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-2.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"709\" height=\"123\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-2.jpg?w=709\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-2.jpg?w=709\" alt=\"Excerpt from Gobrecht\u2019s book regarding Mary\u2019s donation offer. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114978\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27709%27%20height%3D%27123%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20709%20123%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27709%27%20height%3D%27123%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-2.jpg?resize=300,52 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-2.jpg?resize=600,104 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Gobrecht-2.jpg 709w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Excerpt from Gobrecht\u2019s book regarding Mary\u2019s donation offer. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_cc684f-2e.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_cc684f-2e .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:250px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_cc684f-2e.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_cc684f-2e .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_cc684f-2e figure{max-width:250px;}.kb-image114970_cc684f-2e .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_cc684f-2e .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_cc684f-2e .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_cc684f-2e img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_cc684f-2e .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_cc684f-2e img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_cc684f-2e .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_cc684f-2e img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_cc684f-2e .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_cc684f-2e\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Science-education-snip.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"845\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Science-education-snip.jpg?w=646\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Science-education-snip.jpg?w=646\" alt=\"First page of the Science, Education, and Instruction series of the 1881 Putnam Library Catalog. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114982\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27646%27%20height%3D%27845%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20646%20845%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27646%27%20height%3D%27845%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Science-education-snip.jpg?resize=229,300 229w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Science-education-snip.jpg?resize=459,600 459w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Science-education-snip.jpg 646w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>First page of the Science, Education, and Instruction series of the 1881 Putnam Library Catalog. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By 1881, the Putnam Library Catalog is 111 pages. Each entry is a single line, giving a straightforward look into the quantity and quality of the library\u2019s collection. Topics include history and travels, biographies, general literature (including Mary\u2019s own <em>Fifteen Days <\/em>and<em> Records<\/em>) novels, poetry and drama, and most importantly for this conversation, science, education, and instruction. According to the 1875 Annual Report, it was estimated that while nearly 74% of the residents of the four Homes could read and write, there were gaps in education. As such, a school, taught by one Ms. M.J. Eaton, was established at Central Branch for those wishing to learn, teaching reading, writing, arithmetic, algebra, English, philosophy, and other subjects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This school paved the way for other training programs that prepared Veterans for work as teachers, bookkeepers, telegraph operators and <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/curator-corner\/box-christmas-card\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"114558\">printers<\/a>, among other things. The 1900 census shows Paul Sandridge, a former <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/object-54-recruiting-broadside\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"111148\">U.S. Colored Troops<\/a> member and a resident of the Home, was a teacher. While Paul was formerly enslaved, he could read and write. He furthered his education and received his teaching qualifications at the Home. <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_050a9e-e6.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:300px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_050a9e-e6.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 figure{max-width:300px;}.kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_050a9e-e6 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_050a9e-e6\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CCC015-1875-AR-snip.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1063\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CCC015-1875-AR-snip.jpg?w=300\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CCC015-1875-AR-snip.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Excerpt from the 1875 Annual Report which discusses literacy and education in the Homes, particularly for black Veterans. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114983\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271063%27%20height%3D%27675%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201063%20675%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271063%27%20height%3D%27675%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CCC015-1875-AR-snip.jpg?resize=300,190 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CCC015-1875-AR-snip.jpg?resize=600,381 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CCC015-1875-AR-snip.jpg?resize=768,488 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CCC015-1875-AR-snip.jpg 1063w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1063px) 100vw, 1063px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Excerpt from the 1875 Annual Report which discusses literacy and education in the Homes, particularly for black Veterans. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What started as a few crates turned into decades of shipments of books and artwork picked out specifically for the Home by Mary and then later her daughter Georgiana. How do we know that Mary and Georgiana selected the volumes themselves? Their signed bookplates were on the inside covers of every book they donated. In 1897, the Annual Report states that Mary had donated 283 volumes that year. Between the Putnam and Thomas libraries, the collection contained 20,651 volumes. Were the books used? Yes, according to that same report, there were 46,798 books read. By the 1900 report, Georgiana\u2019s donations were down to 73 volumes, but were 11,041 books in the Putnam Library.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_a871f1-46.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_a871f1-46 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:275px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_a871f1-46.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_a871f1-46 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_a871f1-46 figure{max-width:275px;}.kb-image114970_a871f1-46 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_a871f1-46 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_a871f1-46 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_a871f1-46 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_a871f1-46 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_a871f1-46 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_a871f1-46 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_a871f1-46 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_a871f1-46 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_a871f1-46\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-thumbnail\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Putnam-name-plate.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"789\" height=\"561\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Putnam-name-plate.jpg?w=300\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Putnam-name-plate.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Image of Mary\u2019s signed bookplate. These are in all of her donated books. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114980\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27789%27%20height%3D%27561%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20789%20561%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27789%27%20height%3D%27561%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Putnam-name-plate.jpg?resize=300,213 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Putnam-name-plate.jpg?resize=600,427 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Putnam-name-plate.jpg?resize=768,546 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Putnam-name-plate.jpg 789w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 789px) 100vw, 789px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Image of Mary\u2019s signed bookplate. These are in all of her donated books. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mary died 1 June 1898, but her legacy remains active at the <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/va-history-center\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"113148\">National VA History Center<\/a>. While the Putnam Library building is closed for now, we still have approximately 2000 of the books that she donated. It might be thought, by some, that this is a tragic loss. I think otherwise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reason that we don\u2019t have more of the books left is because they were used, repaired, and used until they were no longer serviceable and had to be discarded. Decades of Veterans engaged with the books Mary provided. That is exactly what she wanted. It is a truth universally acknowledged that education has the power to change lives. Many times, that door must be opened before someone may walk through. For Veterans at the Central Branch of the National Homes, and subsequently the VA, that person was Mary Lowell Putnam.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114970_fe83c3-21.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:500px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_fe83c3-21.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 figure{max-width:500px;}.kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 img.kb-img, .kb-image114970_fe83c3-21 .kb-img img{border-top:1px solid #000000;border-right:1px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114970_fe83c3-21\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1897-AR-snip.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1219\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1897-AR-snip.jpg?w=1219\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1897-AR-snip.jpg?w=1219\" alt=\"Excerpt from the 1897 Annual report documenting the number of books donated and that some have been discarded because they\u2019ve been worn out. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114973\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271219%27%20height%3D%27312%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201219%20312%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271219%27%20height%3D%27312%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1897-AR-snip.jpg?resize=300,77 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1897-AR-snip.jpg?resize=600,154 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1897-AR-snip.jpg?resize=768,197 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-1897-AR-snip.jpg 1219w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1219px) 100vw, 1219px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Excerpt from the 1897 Annual report documenting the number of books donated and that some have been discarded because they\u2019ve been worn out. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mary Lowell Putnam is tied to VA history by her generous donation of a large volume of books to the Central Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. These books, meant to honor her son who died in the Civil War, helped foster  reading advancement for the Veterans who lived there after the war and into the 20th Century. However, her life was more than just a moment in time donating books. It included a life-long study of languages and a very sharp opinion that she shared in writing throughout her life. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":114986,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[27,23,17,33],"class_list":["post-114970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-curator-corner","tag-civil-war","tag-national-home-for-disabled-volunteer-soldiers","tag-national-va-history-center","tag-womens-history-month"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/mary-lowell-putnam\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Reframing Mary Lowell Putnam","url":"http:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/mary-lowell-putnam\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/mary-lowell-putnam\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Feature.png?w=300","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/03\/CC015-Feature.png"},"articleSection":"Curator Corner","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Department of Veterans Affairs (smw)"}],"creator":["Department of Veterans Affairs (smw)"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"VA History","logo":""},"keywords":["civil war","national home for disabled volunteer soldiers","national va history center","women's history month"],"dateCreated":"2024-03-28T01:17:12Z","datePublished":"2024-03-28T01:17:12Z","dateModified":"2025-03-25T19:44:40Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Reframing Mary Lowell Putnam\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/mary-lowell-putnam\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/mary-lowell-putnam\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/10\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/CC015-Feature.png?w=300\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/10\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/CC015-Feature.png\"},\"articleSection\":\"Curator Corner\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Department of Veterans Affairs (smw)\"}],\"creator\":[\"Department of Veterans Affairs (smw)\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"VA History\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"civil war\",\"national home for disabled volunteer soldiers\",\"national va history center\",\"women's history month\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2024-03-28T01:17:12Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-28T01:17:12Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-25T19:44:40Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/department.va.gov\/p.js"},"meta_box":{"external_links":"1","endorsement":"0","subheading":"","featured_image_alt_text":"Reframing Mary Lowell Putnam","byline":"Robyn Rodgers","author_title":"Senior Archivist, National VA History Center","external_source":"","external_source_url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114970"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115428,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114970\/revisions\/115428"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}