Hometown Heroes
Wilson: Civil War vet, then Putnam postmaster
By Michael Rocchetti
Perry Potter Wilson (1840-1899) was a Union Army soldier and a disabled Civil War veteran who lost his right leg above the knee after being severely wounded in action on June 22, 1864, at the Battle of Culps Farm near Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia.
He enlisted in the Army on June 27, 1861, and mustered in as a Corporal. He was assigned to Company H, 5th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Between 1862 and 1863 he fought in numerous battles in Virginia at Winchester, Hudson’s Corner, Cedar Mountain, Chantilly, Chancellorsville, and at Gettysburg, Penn. In the summer of 1864 his unit was reassigned to the western theater under the Command of General William Tecumseh Sherman. He fought in a series of battles as part of the Atlanta Campaign - until the time he was wounded. 
He moved through the ranks quickly, being promoted to Sergeant on Feb. 20, 1862, 1st Sergeant on April 2, 1863, 2nd Lieutenant on Oct.16, 1863, and to 1st LT on Nov. 17, 1864. After being wounded, he was medically discharged on Dec. 22, 1864.
President Grant appointed him postmaster of Putnam in 1869, and he held the office till 1886. He was employed a number of years in the adjutant general’s office, compiling records of Connecticut volunteers in the various wars. In 1890 he was appointed a United States Storekeeper, Internal Revenue department. He was an ardent Republican and was honored by his party with various offices. He organized the first Grand Army of the Republic Post in Putnam in 1869 and was its first commander. He was also active in the 5th Regiment Veterans organization.
He was born in Thompson, Feb. 22, 1840, the son of Omer Wilson (1810-1897) and Hannah Wilson (1814-1851). He had two brothers. In 1864 he married Mary Emily Paine (1847-1928) of Woodstock. They had 5 children.
He died Sunday morning July 23, 1899 (age 59) of dropsy (edema) and catarrh (build up of mucus) of the stomach. He is buried at the Grove Street Cemetery in Putnam.
Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.

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Legal Notice
Town of Pomfret
Inland Wetlands and 
Watercourses Commission

At the September 3, 2025 meeting of the Inland Wetland and Watercourses Commission, the following application(s) was acted upon:

1. John Tracy for 463 Mashamoquet Road, application for stream remediation.
APPROVED: with conditions.

Dated this 8th day
of September 2025
Town of Pomfret

Lynn L. Krajewski, 
Clerk
Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission

Sept. 10, 2025

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A community’s passion for helping
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Mr. Rogers always advised kids, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
In the Quiet Corner, those kids wouldn’t have to look far. The community’s passion for helping was evident during the recent Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse Food Share.
Organizer Bruce Hay said more than 70 volunteers came to help Sept. 4. “This community is great – they show up and help,” he said.
“There are all kinds of people here to help out.”
Those in need were given boxes of food as they drove through the Food Share at the Farmers Market Pavilion. The line stretched down to the Rawson facility further down Kennedy Drive. 
Officials said the car count was 310, a record.
Hay and his volunteers are hard at work the first week of every month, in preparation, picking up donated boxes and pallets of food and drinks. Trucks arrive from the Connecticut Food Share and Midwest with pallets of food early the day of the Food Share.
Hay said he never knows what will be in the trucks. They are unloaded and then Hay quickly organizes box packing. Last week there were hundreds of boxes going out on one side of the pavilion and chips, drinks, frozen foods, breads, and more going out from the other side. One hairpin turn around the end of the pavilion netted each car quite a bit of food. 
When the trucks were unloaded this time, Hay said there were 17 different types of items to be organized. 
He set up a production line with volunteers filling the boxes, plus.
Fred Ruhlemann, president of the coffeehouse, said Hay is “dedicated and precise.”
Ruhlemann recounted a story about a first-time volunteer who helped load cars. Out of the 200 cars the volunteer helped, at least 80 thanked the volunteer. 
The Food Share started during Covid-19 and is still growing. 
Ruhlemann called the Food Share “good for the soul.”
When the Food Share was finished much of any remaining food seamlessly went to veterans’ organizations, the Putnam Elks, St. Joseph’s in N. Grosvenordale and Brooklyn Cares and more. 
Those who were in need of food went home with food and those who volunteered went home a bit tired but with a warmed heart.

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caption, page 1:
Volunteers
More than 70 volunteers helped distribute food at the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse Food Share last week. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.

captions, page 4:

In a couple hours all these boxes of food were distributed. 

Making it possible: From left Putnam Elks' Jim Eccleston, organizer Bruce Hay, Scott Zahner from Midwest Food Bank and coffeehouse president Fred Ruhlemann. 

Nikki's Dog House always brings food for the volunteers.