HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY. 
 
in the army in August, 1862, and was mortally 
wounded at the battle of Resaca, surviving but 
two or three days after the fight; Cyrus H. 
,died in 1859, at the age of sixteen years; Sarah 
M. is the wife of W. H. H. Fleck; Homer R. 
died at the age of thirty-one years; Marion H. 
lives in Iowa; Marvin E. is a physician, located 
at Minneapolis, Minn.; Charles J. died at the age 
of six years; Mary L. and Martha L. were 
twins-the former is deceased; their youngest 
child is Annie R. 
Reuben Fleek, of Brodhead, came to the 
town of Decatur with his father in 1846. He 
was really instrumental in having his father re- 
move to this State. He being the oldest son at 
home, the care of the family devolved upon 
him. And his brother, Edmund, having given a 
somewhat glowing account of Green county, 
he advised his father to remove here with his 
family, which he did.  Reuben was born in 
Hampshire Co., Va., May 3], 1822. After com- 
ing to Green county he resided with his father 
for a number of years. His settlement on leav- 
ing his father's was on section 28, which he 
procured of the government and had owned 
since he first came to the county.  He resided 
on this farm for twenty-five years.  He pur- 
chased a home in Brodhead, where he removed 
from the farm in 1876. Reuben Fleek, like his 
brothers, has been successful in accumulating 
property. He is somewhat eccentric, firm and 
decided in his opinions, and upright and honest 
in his business transactions. Mrs. Fleck was a 
daughter of Davis Bowen, who settled in the 
town of Sylvester in 1837.  They have four 
children-Winfield S., William M., Charles M. 
and Lillian Belle. 
H. C. Putnam, of Brodhead, Was born in 
Newark, Ohio, in 1847. He is a son of John J. 
Putnam, and came to Decatur with his parents 
in 1849. He enlisted in 1863, when but sixteen 
years old, in the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, and 
served until July, 1865. He was in active ser- 
vice from the time he enlisted till the close of 
 
portant battles. He was in the Atlanta cam- 
paign and at the battle of Nashville under Gen. 
Thomas; also took part in Wilson's cavalry 
raid through Alabama and Georgia to Macon, 
Ga. After the war he attended school one year 
at Milton College. He then engaged as clerk 
for a time. He represented for several years, 
as a commercial traveler, a tobacco house in 
Milwaukee, and for four years traveled for the 
house of W. &. J. G. Flink, selling teas, spices, 
etc. From September, 1875, till the fall of 
1877, he was engaged in general merchandising 
in the firm name of Orr & Putnam. He was one 
of the founders of the Norwegian Plow Co. He 
is at present dealing in lumber, which business 
he began in 1881, succeeding W. W. Hill, with 
whom he was associated for a short time  Mr. 
Putnam is president of the village for 1884. 
Mrs. Putnam was Frances Sutherland, daughter 
of Avery   Sutherland and granddaughter of 
Justus Sutherland. 
Joseph Warren Stuart, a prominent citizen of 
Brodhead, settled in the town of Decatur, April 
1, 1851, on a farm he had purchased the previ- 
ous 10th of September. This farm is located 
on section 27, and was entered by Anson Shef- 
field. At the time Mr. Stuart bought it there 
was about ten acres improved, and a log cabin 
had been built by the former owner. Mr. Shef- 
field, from whom he made the purchase, was of 
Mormonistic tendency, and removed to Salt 
Lake. Mr. Stuart is a native of Delaware Co., 
N. Y., and was born in 1819. His father, Syl- 
vester Stuart, was formerly from Washington 
Co., N. Y., and his grandfather, Joseph Stuart, 
was a native of Massachusetts. The latter was 
a Revolutionary soldier. His maternal grand- 
father, Ezra Doty, was also a soldier of the Rev- 
olition, and was present at the execution of, 
Major Andre. When thirteen years old Joseph 
went with his parents to Ohio. At the age of 
seventeen he went to Bennington, Vt., and en- 
gaged at work in the cotton factory, where he 
remained two years, then spent six years on the 
 
the war. He participated in a number of imI fa rm, then returned and spent
three years in 
 
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