General Rufus Putnam House

Story

The General Rufus Putnam House is a National Historic Landmark at 344 Main Street in Rutland, Worcester County, Massachusetts, US.HistoryThe two-story wood-frame house was built between 1760 and 1765 by John Murray, a Scots-Irish immigrant. Murray became a Mandamus Councillor, who enforced the tax laws and was only responsible to the governor and king. On August 24, 1774, an angry mob forced him to flee his home. He escaped to Boston and later to New Brunswick, never to return. Murray's daughter had married Daniel Bliss. They were also Loyalists and lived in the house. During the American Revolutionary War, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts confiscated the property.On May 24, 1781, General Rufus Putnam purchased the property from the government for 993 pounds and lived there until 1788. He left to settle the Northwest Territories as a leader of the Ohio Company of Associates. There he helped found Marietta, Ohio and built a new home, also NRHP listed.