Stone Gardens: The man whose vision inspired Veterans of Foreign War is buried in Fayetteville Nationa Cemetery

In the quiet Fayetteville National Cemetery, among simple stone markers and shady trees, sits the grave of James Carrollton Putnam. He was a medic who fixed soldiers' wounds far from home and started a group to help veterans after the war.

James was born in 1868 on a farm in Iowa. He grew up strong and joined the Army as a medic. In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, he went to Cuba and the Philippines. There, in hot, muddy camps, he stopped bleeding from gunshots and treated sickness like malaria. Bullets flew everywhere, but James stayed calm.

He bandaged broken bones, made medicine from plants, and told scared young soldiers it would be okay.When the war ended, James came home to Ohio. He saw his friends struggling without help for their injuries or bad dreams.

On September 29, 1899, in a small tailor shop lit by one lamp, he met with 13 other veterans. "We fought together overseas," he said in his rough voice. "We'll stick together now." They started the American Veterans of Foreign Service. James was the first leader. He wrote rules at night, talked to politicians, and brought groups together to form the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

It grew big and still helps veterans today.

James married Lola around 1900. They had no children but stayed close their whole lives. They moved around the Midwest for his work helping veterans. In the 1930s, they lived in Joplin, Missouri, just a short drive north of Arkansas. By the 1940s, James was in his 70s with breathing problems from the wars.

Lola's health wasn't great either. They needed a place with clean mountain air and good doctors.

That's when they moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas. Friends from the local VFW Post 399 invited them—veterans James knew from his years building the group.

Fayetteville had fresh Ozark air to help their lungs, a hospital nearby, and a strong community of old soldiers. It was close to where they lived before, and the peaceful town felt right for retirement.

Census records show James and Lola settled in Washington County by 1950. He kept going to VFW meetings, sharing stories with younger World War II vets.When World War I started in 1917, James was 49 and too old to fight.

But he helped from home by setting up medical supplies and support for new soldiers heading overseas.Lola died before James. On October 11, 1956, James passed away at age 88 in Fayetteville. Since he lived right there and loved being around other veterans, burying him in the National Cemetery made perfect sense.

It's Section 15, Grave 54, a simple white marker that just says "Veteran, U.S. Army."

The cemetery is free for honored vets like him, run by the government to keep soldiers together forever. Over 11,000 are buried there now, from many wars.James's real mark is the VFW—now with over a million members. Next time you visit his grave, stand by the stone. You can almost hear him say:" We got hurt far away, but together we hea"l.

Fayetteville was his last home, chosen for its clean air, VFW friends, and spot near this cemetery where his story rests with his brothers in arms.\