Daniel Putnam was born on January 8, 1824 in South Lyndeboro, New Hampshire to Israel and Ruth Sargent Putnam. He attended New Hampton Academy and was awarded his A.B. in 1851 and M.A. in 1853 from Dartmouth College. On July 27, 1852, he married Sarah E. Smith of New Hampton.

After teaching for a short time at the New Hampton School and in Vermont, Putnam moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he served as a Professor at Kalamazoo College from 1854-8 and 1865-7. In addition, he organized the public school of Kalamazoo, serving as the superintendent of Kalamazoo county schools for one year. Putnam served as a Professor at Michigan State Normal College from 1868-1906, and from 1881-1883 and 1885-1886 he served as President/acting principal.

During his career in Michigan he served as President of the Michigan State Teachers Association, and President and Treasurer of the Baptist Convention of Michigan. For 25 years he served as the Chaplain of the Asylum for the Insane in Kalamazoo. Putnam was a Republican from the founding of the party, and served as the alderman and Mayor of Ypsilanti.

He received an honorary L.L.D. from the University of Michigan in 1897, and published the following titles during his career: Primary and Secondary Public Education in Michigan; Elementary Psychology; A Text-Book of Psychology; Outlines of the Theory and Art of Teaching; History of the Michigan State Normal School; Twenty-five Years With the Insane; Sunbeams Through the Clouds; A Geography of Michigan; A Manual of Pedagogics; A Sketch of the Michigan State Association.

Putnam died at his home in Ypsilanti on July 29, 1906.