The Class of 1872

Alexander C. Miller was born in Freeport, Illinois, on August 4, 1858. He was the son of Christian and Dorothy (Oberdieck) Miller. He received his elementary education in public schools and graduated from Freeport High School in 1872.

He subsequently learned telegraphy and in April, 1874, secured the position of night telegraph operator at Morrison, Illinois. He was transferred from one station to another until 1879 when he was promoted to the position of train dispatcher in Chicago where he was located until 1885 when he was transfer to the Santa Fe. He was stationed in New Mexico and Arizona until 1893 when he entered the service of the Rock Island in Indian Territory, remaining until 1899.

He then moved to Fairhaven, Washington, and established the Fairhaven Times. After nearly a year he sold his interest in the paper and secured a position as chief clerk in the U. S. Census department of 1900. He subsequently purchased an interest in the business of J. L. Easton, agent for the California Powder Works and also engaged in the real estate and insurance business, and was associated with him for several years.

He was treasurer of the Fairhaven City Water & Power Co. Member of the K. of P. and A. O. U. W. He got married in 1890 to Miss Christiana Schricker. Residence: 1415 Taylor Ave. Business address: 1200 McKenzie Ave., Bellingham.

From "Sketches of Washingtonians", by Wellington C. Wolfe, 1906.

Charles Flint Putnam was born in Freeport, Illinois, on December 1, 1854. He did not graduate with his class, but had he stayed in Freeport, he would have graduated with the class of 1872.

He entered the Naval Academy in 1868 at the tender age of 14. After graduating from Annapolis in 1873, he served on the USS Kearsarge in the Far East from 1873 to 1875.

Master Putnam was stationed at San Francisco in 1876, and served aboard the USS Jamestown from 1877-1878.

In 1879 Putnam was assigned to the USS Hassler, a Coast Survey steamer.

In 1881 Charles Putnam volunteered for service aboard the USS Rodgers, fitted out to search for the USS Jeanette, which had been lost in the Arctic on an expedition to reach the North Pole.

He volunteered, with a small group of men, to winter at Cape Serdze, taking expeditions from there to hunt for the Jeanette.

When the USS Rodgers burned at St. Lawrence Bay, Siberia, on November 30, 1881, Putnam took supplies to the survivors on dog sleds.

On his return to his depot at Cape Serdze, he missed his way in a blinding snow storm on January 10, 1882, drifted out to sea on an ice-floe and was never heard from again.

Two ships have been named USS Putnam for him.

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