Springfield, MA
Several of my ancestors lived in Springfield, from its founding in 1636 into the revolutionary era. Here I present a genealogical description. My interest is in the extended families of ASHLEY, BODURTHA, DUMBLETON, EXELL, LEONARD, ROGERS, SMITH, TAYLOR, but the scope of this page is more broad. Please contact me if you notice any mistakes or omissions. I'm not a professional, and I don't have anything to sell. haloupek at gmail dot com.
The Connecticut River Valley
The first (by a few years) English settlements in what is now Connecticut were not on the coast, but far inland, on the banks of the Connecticut River, a.k.a. "The Great River".
The Connecticut River flows generally southward, over 400 miles, from its headwaters near the Canadian border, forming most of the boundary between modern VT and NH, flowing through western MA and CT, emptying into Long Island Sound. The river was explored by the Dutch, as early as 1614, but they made no permanent settlements, although they did have a trading post in 1633, at the present location of Hartford. The English settlers in Boston and Cambridge began to consider this area in the early 1630s, first coming to Windsor in 1633, Wethersfield in 1634, Hartford and Springfield in 1636. The Colony of Connecticut was formed in 1636, consisting of these initial settlements. The Saybrook Colony, established in 1635, merged with Connecticut in 1644. The New Haven Colony, established in 1637, merged with Connecticut in 1664. Springfield left Connecticut and became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1640.
The river is 800 to 1500 feet wide as it flows past Springfield (Agawam), and it was routinely crossed by canoe, by Indians and English alike. The journey was perilous, and several were drowned. Downstream, near the present MA/CT boundary, are the Enfield Falls, said to be impassable for seagoing vessels. Goods that were shipped up river, destined for Springfield or above, were warehoused at Enfield Falls, and transported further north by land or by smaller boats.
Indian Tribes
Early explorers and settlers from Europe encountered a complex culture of native tribes and sachems (chiefs) in New England. By the time of the Mayflower's first voyage in 1620, many of the tribes had already been decimated by diseases to which they had no natural immunity, The English came across abandoned villages, and cultivated fields with no crops planted. The remaining local tribes each had their own character.
In the early days of English settlement, places were often referred to by their Indian names, which were often synonymous with names of tribes that had occupied the same place.
AGAWAM was one of the "river tribes" that resided near the Connecticut River, in the area that later became Springfield. (It seems that central Essex County, north of Boston Harbor, was also called Agawam in the early years.)
The Agawam Indians, in their fort on Long hill, were pleased to see the English settling in their immediate vicinity. It gave them a powerful ally against warlike tribes both to the south and the west, and it increased the value and importance of their planting-grounds. The middle meadow adjoining the Agawam meadow was known as Quana. The region at Longmeadow was called Masacksick; Mill river was called Usquajok; Springfield, including the Chicopee plains, was Nayasset; and Westfield was called Woronoco. [MAG, pp. 15-6]
The Springfield area before English settlement. Dotted lines represent Indian paths. Springfield settlers initially came to Agawam, but soon located their village on the east side of the Connecticut River (Quonne-Tuk), in the area called Nyasset. [WDF]
Indian Name English Name Notes
Agawam Agawam Site of the first house built in Springfield. Springfield was first called Agawam, but then contained what is now Springfield, West Springfield, Agawam, Chicopee and Longmeadow.
Chicopee Chicopee Includes or borders Cow Pasture and Three Corner Meadow.
Masacksick Longmeadow Originally was the south part of Springfield.
Nyasset Springfield Northern part of Springfield, including Three Corner Meadow, and borders Chicopee Plains, later Plainfield and Brightwood.
Pecqusic Springfield South side, possibly part of Longmeadow.
Quana West Springfield Meadow on north bank of Agawam River.
Quonne-Tuk (river) Connecticut River The Great River had many names.
Usquajok (river) Mill River
Woronoco Westfield
Woronoco (river) Agawam River, Westfield River
Within two months after arriving in Agawam (Springfield), the "founders" reached an agreement with the Agawam, to purchase land in exchange for wampum (beads used as currency), coats, hatchets, knives and hoes. The deed is of interest because it names several of the Agawam leaders.
Indian Deed
"AGAAM, alias AGAWAM, This fifteenth day of July, 1636.
It is agreed between Commucke and Matanchon, ancient Indians, & in particular for & in ye name of Cattonis, the right owner of Agawam & Quana, & in the Name of his mother, Kewanusk, the Tamaham, or wife of Wenawis, & Niarum, the wife of Coa, to & with William Pynchon, Henry Smith & Jehu Burr, their heirs & associates for ever, to trucke & sel al that ground & mucke of quittas or medow, accomsick, viz: on the other side of Quana; & al the ground & muck of quittas on the side of Agaam. except Cottiwackesh or ground that is now planted, for ten fatham of Wampam. Ten coates. Ten howes. Ten hatchets & Ten knifes: also the said ancient Indians with the Consent of the rest & in particular wth the Consent of Menis & Wrutherna & Napompenam, do trucke & sel to Willam Pynchon, Henry Smith, & Jehu Burr, & their successors for ever, al that ground on the East side of Quinneticut River called Usquasok & Nayasset, reaching about four or five miles in Length, from the north end of Masaksicke up to Chickuppe River, for four fathoms of Wampam, four coates, four howes, four hatchets, four knifes: Also the Said ancient Indians Doe wth the Consent of Machetuhood, Wenepawin, & Mohemoos, trucke & sel the ground & muckeosquittas, & grounds adjoining, called Masaksicke, for four fatham of wampam, four Coates, four hatchets & four knifes.
And the said Pynchon hath in hand paid the said eighteen fatham of wampam, eighteen coates, 18 hatchets, 18 howes, 18 knifes to the said Commucke & Matanchan, & doth further condition wth the said Indians, that they shal have and enjoy al that Cotinackeesh, or ground that is now planted; And have liberty to take Fish & Deer, ground nuts, walnuts, akornes, & sasashiminesh, or kind of peas. And also if any of our Cattle spoile their corne, to pay as it is worth, & that hogs shal not goe on the side of Agawam but in akorne time: Also the said Pynchon, doth give to Wruththena two Coates over and above the Particulars expressed, & In witness hereof the two said Indians, this present 15th day of July, 1636."
This deed was signed by the marks of Menis, Kenix, Wesai alias Nepinam, Winepawin, Cominuk, Macossak, Wenewis, Cuttonis, Wrutherna, Coa, Keckusnek, and ''that they understod al by Ahauton, an Indian of the Massachusetts," who came from the Bay to act as interpreter.
The witnesses to the signing of the deed by the Indians were John Allen, Richard Everet, Thomas Horton, Faithful Thayeler, John Townes, Joseph Parsons, and Ahauton.
[HMB, pp. 17-8]
Springfield
In 1634 William PYNCHON, his son-in-law Henry SMITH, and Jehu BURR, visited the Connecticut River Valley, looking for a good place for a settlement. They chose a meadow on the west side of the river, just south of where the Agawam (or Woronco, later Westfield) River emptied into the Connecticut River from the west. In 1635, John CABLE, a carpenter, and John WOODCOCK, a seaman, were sent to build a house and begin cultivating some land. They also built a shallop, or small boat, probably not seaworthy, but suitable for river travel. [WMH, Vol. I, pp. 2-3]
In the Spring of 1636, William PYNCHON led a group of 12 men, some with their families, from Roxbury to the "house meadow" where the house built by CABLE and WOODCOCK was waiting. Their exact route is not known. They travelled with many of their possessions and livestock, but most household goods were shipped down the coast from Boston, into Long Island Sound, and up the Connecticut, on the ship Blessing of the Bay. the first seaworthy vessel built in New England. [JLH, Vol. I, p. 32-3]
They soon discovered some disadvantages to this location. The local Agawam Indians were growing more insistent on payment of increasingly large sums, the settlers' livestock was causing damage to Indians' crops, and the area was prone to flooding. The settlement moved to higher and safer ground on the east side of the river, probably in the summer or fall of 1636. It was still called Agawam Plantation, and was the northernmost village in the Connecticut Colony.
On 14 May 1636, the settlers created a founding document that spelled out an agreement between them. It was signed by 8 of the first settlers, later known as the "founders", although most of them didn't stay long. (See below.)
The founding document made clear that a priority was the recruitment of a Puritan minister to serve the community. It also stipulated that the settlement was intended to be about 40, and certainly no more than 50 families. The document goes on to specify that every inhabitant shall be granted a plot of land extending over the Springfield area. The map near the bottom of this page makes clear the nature and location of these plots. Each inhabitant had a narrow strip of land, a few hundred feet in width, including a part on the west side of the river, another part on the east side, between the river and Main Street, another part of the Wet Meadow, and on the east, a part of the Wood Lots.
An argument over a purchase of grain from the Indians caused a discord which changed the relationship between the settlers in Springfield and Hartford, with Windsor lying between the two. As a result, Springfield, although physically and ideologically closer to the settlements down river in Connecticut, was politically aligned with and became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with its theocratic headquarters in Boston. The shift from Connecticut to Massachusetts took place from 1638 to 1640. After 1640, the name Springfield was used, although the place was still often referred to as Agawam.
Springfield was thus part of Connecticut Colony from its inception in 1636 to 1640. In Massachusetts it was in Hampshire County, formed in 1662, and was in the southern part of Hampshire, that became Hampden County, MA in 1812. Springfield is about 80 miles west of Boston.
The original property purchased from the Indians was mostly on the east side, but also included some land on the west side, known as West Springfield, which was incorporated as a separate town in 1774. The south part of Springfield, on the east side of the river, was known as Longmeadow, incorporated as a separate town in 1738. Westfield, about 8 miles west of Springfield, was settled in 1660 and incorporated in 1669. Suffield, on the southwest side of Springfield, was settled in 1670, incorporated in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1674, and became part of Connecticut Colony when the boundary was changed in 1749. Enfield, on the southeast side of Springfield, was settled in 1679, incorporated in 1683, and became part of Connecticut in 1749.
1755 map shows the Connecticut River in western MA (red) and CT (tan), from Hartford, CT to Northampton, MA. [source] For scale, Springfield is about 20 miles N of Hartford.
Puritans
Like most of New England, Springfield was dominated by Calvinist Puritans, who were determined to live by Biblical law. Every aspect of their lives was carried out with Biblical teachings in mind. Written records from early Springfield rarely neglect to include some religious reference.
Puritans in New England tended to recoil from any government that imposed laws not directly from the Bible. They felt compelled to move away from the jurisdiction of any such authority. They were unafraid of taking their families into frontier settlements, with risk of starvation, exposure to severe winters, and Indian attacks. They placed their trust in God's will. Whether this was rational or not, it was a significant driver of the westward expansion of English civilization in America.
William PYNCHON (1590 - 1662)
The founder and leader of Springfield was William PYNCHON, a wealthy trader from Springfield, Essex County, England, who came to New England in 1630, in Winthrop's fleet, with a wife and 4 children. William founded the settlement at Roxbury, near Boston. He was an Assistant to the Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1629 to 1630, and was Treasurer in 1632-3.
William's wife died the same year, and he married Frances SANFORD, a widow from Dorchester, near Boston. She had a son, Henry SMITH, from a previous marriage, who married William's daughter, Ann PYNCHON. The family moved to the new settlement at Agawam in 1636, where William was the founder and magistrate, and soon renamed the place after his home town.
William PYNCHON, as a trader and as Magistrate of Springfield, cultivated a friendly relationship with local Indian tribes, even as the Pequot War (Jul 1636-Sep 1638) raged, mainly to the south and east.
1 William PYNCHON b: 27 Dec 1590 in Springfield, Essex, England, d: 29 Oct 1662 in Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire, England
+ Anna ANDREW b: 1593 in Triwell, Northampton, England, m: 1618, d: 30 Aug 1630 in Roxbury, MA
......2 Anne PYNCHON d: Aft. 1682
...... + Henry SMITH b: Abt. 1613 in England, m: abt. 1635, d: 1682 in Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire, England
.........3 Anne SMITH
......... + John ALLYN
.........3 Mary SMITH
......... + Richard LORD
......2 Mary PYNCHON d: 25 Oct 1657 in Springfield, MA
...... + Elizur HOLYOKE b: Abt. 1616, m: 20 Nov 1640 in Springfield, MA, [1st marriage in Springfield] d: 06 Feb 1675/76 in Springfield
......2 Col. John PYNCHON b: Abt. 1625, d: 17 Jan 1702/03 in Springfield, MA
...... + Amy WYLLYS b: Abt. 1625, d: 9 Jan 1698/99 in Springfield, (dau. of George WYLLYS, Governor of Connecticut, 1642-43)
.........3 Joseph PYNCHON b: 26 Jul 1646 in Springfield, MA, d: 30 Dec 1682 ; unmarried
.........3 John PYNCHON b: 15 Oct 1647 in Springfield, MA, d: 25 Apr 1721
......... + Margaret HUBBARD
.........3 Mary PYNCHON b: 02 Oct 1650 in Springfield, MA, d: Abt. 1675
......... + Hon. Joseph WHITING b: 02 Oct 1645 in Hartford, CT, m: 05 Oct 1669 in Springfield, MA, d: 19 Oct 1717 in Hartford, CT
............4 Mary WHITING b: 19 Aug 1672 in Westfield, Hampden, MA, d: 13 Mar 1735 in Westfield
............ + Joseph SHELDON d: Jul 1708
............ + Capt. John ASHLEY b: 27 Jun 1669 in Westfield, m: 20 Jan 1708/09 in Westfield, d: 10 Apr 1759 in Westfield, son of David ASHLEY
.........3 William PYNCHON b: 11 Oct 1653 in Springfield, MA, d: 15 Jun 1654 in Springfield, MA
.........3 Mehitable PYNCHON b: 22 Nov 1661 in Springfield, MA, d: 24 Jul 1663 in Springfield, MA
......2 Margaret PYNCHON d: 03 Jul 1653
...... + Capt. William DAVIS m: 06 Dec 1644, d: 24 May 1676
+ Frances SANFORD d: 10 Oct 1657 in Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire, England
The birthdates of William PYNCHON's children can only be estimated. William and Anna were married about 1618 [DLJ, p. 724] so the children were probably born after that. Anne was married about 1635, so she must have been born before 1620. Mary was married in 1640, so she could have been born as late as 1625. John was 26 when his father returned to England, in 1652, so he was born about 1625-6. Margaret was married in 1644, so she was probably the youngest, born in the late 1620s. So they were all under 13 when they immigrated in 1630, and perhaps teenagers when they came to Springfield in 1636.
William PYNCHON (1590 - 1662) [source]
Pynchon Opposing Capt. Mason's Demands [MAG, p. 27]
Early Settlers, by Arrival Date
1636
In 1636 William PYNCHON led a group of 12 men, some with families, about 80 miles overland, from Roxbury to Springfield, and established a settlement. Within 2 months they had an agreement with the local Indians, to purchase land on both sides of the river, for "eighteen fathoms of wampum. 18 coats, 18 hatchets, 18 hoes, and 18 knives." [HMB, Vol. I, p. 17]
Of the company of 12, there were 8 signers of an agreement on 14 Mar 1636, which became a founding document, spelling out the structure of the settlement. Most of these 8 "founders" did not stay more than a few months, and the last 2 left in 1652-3. Specifically, these 8 men were: [HMB, Vol. I, p. 40]
William PYNCHON. Brought his family. Returned to England in 1652. His son John remained in Springfield.
Matthew MITCHEL/MITCHELL. Removed after a few months. He was granted 50 acres in the original agreement of 14 May 1636. [HMB, Vol. I, p. 157]
Henry SMITH. Brought his family. Returned to England in 1653. He was the Recorder from 1636 to 1653, and most records from that period are in his handwriting. A Selectman from 1644 to 1648 and 1650. Represented Springfield in the General Court, 1651. Son-in-law of William PYNCHON. Not the same as Rev. Henry SMITH of Wethersfield.
Jehu BURR. Removed to Fairfield, CT in 1642. Ancestor of Aaron BURR. Came to New England in WINTHROP's Fleet, along with William PYNCHON, and settled in Roxbury.
William BLAKE. Removed to Dorchester.
Edmund WOOD. Removed after a few months.
Thomas UFFORD. Removed after a few months.
John CABLE, carpenter. Brought his family. Removed to Fairfield, Conn. in 1641. Son John Jr born here 12 Jan 1640.
Most of those who came here within the first ten or fifteen years after the arrival of Pynchon from Roxbury, were young unmarried men. Of these, and a few who were married, several were from Wales, or were of Welsh descent, including Thomas Merrick, Alexander Edwards, Roger Prichard and perhaps others, but the great majority were English in birth and training, and all possessed that element in character which triumphs over obstacles. [HMB, Vol. I, p. 19]
The Pequot War erupted in Jul 1636, and Connecticut Colony took on a demeanor of uncertainty and danger. Travel became perilous, and even men working in the fields kept a wary eye out for trouble. Several new settlers arrived at Springfield in 1636:
Thomas WOODFORD. Removed in 1639. Granted land 16 May 1636.
Samuel BUTTERFIELD. Granted land 16 May 1636.
Jonas WOOD. Granted land 16 May 1636.
John READER. Granted land 16 May 1636. Still present after Oct 1638.
Richard EVERETT. Witnessed Indian deed. Removed to Dedham about 1645. In 1643 he married Mary FINCH, who had come to New England in 1638 with the STEBBINS family, and also accompanied them to Springfield in 1639.
Joseph PARSONS. Witnessed the Indian deed to Pynchon. Appears here next in 1645. Removed to Northampton; afterwards returned and died here in 1683.
John ALLEN. Witnessed Indian deed to PYNCHON. No further record.
Thomas HORTON. Witnessed Indian deed, and died here, 1641. Came with wife and son; another son was born in Springfield. His widow married Robert ASHLEY, in Springfield.
Faithful THAYLER. Witnessed Indian deed. Did not remain. No further record.
John TOWNES. Witnessed Indian deed. Did not remain. No further record.
So by the end of 1636 there were 18 men who had come to Springfield, and a few were here to stay, but most moved on, even those who had been granted land. Many probably joined the war effort, and never returned to Springfield. Among the 18 men, a few had brought their families.
1637
Growth of the settlement stagnated for a couple of years, probably due to the Pequot War, with only one new family coming in 1637. However, it was an important one!
Rev. George MOXON came in 1637. Brought his family. Returned to England 1652. He played a key role in the community, as pastor, and supporter of William PYNCHON.
It was not until over a year had passed that the first article of the original town compact was carried out, and a minister secured. Rev. George Moxon, of Boston, arrived at Agawam in the autumn of 1637. He was a short, stout man of five and thirty, and was a personal friend of Mr. Pynchon. His arrival was an occasion of great felicitation, for the allotments of land and the clearing of the forests were merely the preliminaries. The great work of the settlers was to establish and spread the kingdom of God in the New World. [MAG, p. 16]
1638
Rev. George MOXON was granted a plot of land near the center of town, on the condition that he remain in Springfield. His lot, next to Henry SMITH, was 14 rods (231 feet) wide, extending from the river, through the wet meadow and the wood lots, and also had a part on the west side of the river. In the spring of 1638, it was decided that a house should be constructed on this lot, at a cost of £59. The list of townsmen, and how much each paid, is interesting. [MAG, pp. 45-6]
Contributions for Rev. MOXON's house.
John SEARLE £1
Thomas HORTON
Thomas MIRACK £1
John LEONARD 12s
Robart ASHLY £1
John WOODCOCK 12s
Richard EVERIT £1 10s
John ALLINE £1
John BURT 10s
Henry SMITH £5
Jehu BURR £7
William PYNCHON £21
John CABLE £1 12s
Total collected £41 16s
John CABLE paid WOODCOCK’s subscription.
Henry SMITH paid ALLEN’s.
William PYNCHON paid BURT’s.
These 13 men, along with Rev. MOXON and Henry GREGORY, probably make up all the men who were committed to staying in Springfield. William PYNCHON's sons may not have been adults in 1638, or perhaps William's large contribution included their shares. Along with the PYNCHON family, and the families of John CABLE and Rev. MOXON, the town probably numbered about 25.
Only 2 new settlers came in 1638:
John SEARLE. Died here, 1641. He married Sarah BALDWIN, 19 Mar 1639, and came here about the same time. Had one son born here, John Jr, 3 May 1641. His widow married Alexander EDWARDS and they went to Northampton.
Thomas MERRICK, from Wales. Died here in 1704, age 84. He arrived here single, and married (1) Sarah, daughter of Rowland and Sarah STEBBINS, 1639, had 5 children. He married (2) Elizabeth TILLEY, 1653, had 8 more children. His son Thomas Jr married Hannah, daughter of John DUMBLETON, 1690.
William PYNCHON's policy of fairness and peaceful trade with the Indians did not set well with the rest of Connecticut, especially Capt. John MASON, with whom PYNCHON had heated and public disagreements. Springfield was not as affected by the Pequot War as Hartford and Saybrook, as the local tribes were friendly, and considered the English their allies against more warlike tribes. On the other hand, it was an uneasy peace, on the outskirts of a bloody war, and the Indian chiefs were unpredictable. The end of the war in Sep 1638 was a great relief to the English, and great sorrow for the Pequot tribe, which was utterly demolished, and the survivors scattered among other tribes. Capt. MASON was a hero of the war, with a reputation for brutality, after the Mystic Massacre of 26 May 1637.
The feud between MASON and the Hartford settlers, and PYNCHON and the Springfield settlers, culminated in a lawsuit in the Connecticut Court, in which PYNCHON was convicted in Mar 1638, of breaking his oath to supply Hartford with grain. He issued an apology/defense, which only caused more controversy. From 1638 to 1640, Springfield gradually separated itself culturally, financially and legally from Connecticut, and joined with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The whole thing is like a soap opera, with bad feelings on both sides. When I read about someone moving from Springfield to Hartford, or vice versa, during this period, I wonder if it was due to political sentiments. [MAG, pp. 20-38]
1639
William WARRINER. He married Joanna SEARLE, sister of John SEARLE, 31 Jul 1639. She died 12 Sep 1660, and William married the widow of Luke HITCHCOCK. He died here 2 Jun 1676, and his widow married Joseph BALDWIN. William was on nearly all the important committees concerning town affairs. He was chosen Constable in 1656 and Selectman in 1658. Had 3 children here, by 1st wife.
Rowland STEBBINS. Brought his family, at least 2 sons. Removed in 1656 to Northampton, where he died in 1671.
Thomas STEBBINS, son of Rowland. Married here in Nov 1645 to Hannah WRIGHT, daughter of Dea. Samuel WRIGHT. They had 9 children here. She died 16 Oct 1660, and he married widow Abigail (BURT) (Munn) (BALL), 14 Dec 1676. She was the widow of Francis BALL, and the daughter of Henry BURT. Thomas died 5 Sep 1683, and Abigail died 2 Jun 1707.
John STEBBINS, son of Rowland. Removed to Northampton in 1656; died there in 1679.
John LEONARD. Came here single. Killed by the Indians in 1676, during King Philip's War. Married Sarah HEALD on 12 Nov 1640. No idea where she came from. They had 15 children, in Springfield.
Robert ASHLEY. Came here single. Died here in 1682. He married Mary (EDDY) HORTON, the widow of Thomas HORTON, who had died in the summer of 1640, in Springfield. The marriage was announced on 7 Aug 1641, and Mary signed over all of her property, valued at £47, to Robert. The property consisted of household goods, valued at £17, hogs valued at £18, and the house and lot, at £12. They had 6 children in Springfield, in addition to Mary's 2 children from her previous marriage.
John WOODCOCK, seaman. Went to Connecticut. Died 1642. He and John CABLE built the first house in Springfield in 1635, but WOODCOCK seems to have stayed in the settlement only a brief time.
John ALLEN.
John BURT. Rated, but never came here.
Henry GREGORY. Went to Connecticut in 1642. His son, Judah, married Sarah BURT, daughter of Henry and Eulalia BURT, in 1643.
Samuel HUBBARD. Brought his family. Went to Newport in 1648.
Samuel WRIGHT. Brought his family. Went to Northampton in 1656 and died there in 1665. Had 9 children, some born here.
In October, 1638, the town voted that "noe trees shall be cut downe or taken away by any man in ye compass of grownd from ye mill river upward to John Readers Lott, wch parsell of ground is appoynted for howse Lotts." No inhabitant was permitted to sell his canoe to outside parties. An infringement of this order on the part of Henry Gregory, John Leonard, and Robert Ashley brought down upon them a reprimand, but they were finally given five months to "redeem and bringe ym into the Plantation agayne." [MAG, p. 47]
1640
At the start of 1640 the community consisted of: William PYNCHON and his family, including his son John PYNCHON and son-in-law Henry SMITH; possibly Jehu BURR; John CABLE and his family; Joseph PARSONS; Thomas HORTON with wife and 2 children; Rev. George MOXON; John SEARLE; Thomas MERRICK and his new bride; William WARRINER; Rowland STEBBINS and family, including sons Thomas and John; John LEONARD; Robert ASHLEY; Henry GREGORY; Samuel HUBBARD and family; Samuel WRIGHT and family, including sons Benjamin, Samuel Jr and James. Several others possible. The total must have been about 40.
On 16 Apr 1640, the name of Agawam was formally changed to Springfield, after William PYNCHON's home town in Essex County, England. It had separated from Connecticut Colony, and was now part of Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The year 1640 saw more newcomers in Springfield, including the family of Henry BURT:
Henry BURT. Died here in 1662. Brought a wife and 7 children (2 more had died) from Harberton, Devon, England, in 1638 or 9. Settled first in Roxbury. Had 4 more children in Springfield. Daughter Sarah married on 20 Jun 1643 to Judah GREGORY, son of Henry GREGORY. Daughter Abigail married on 3 Oct 1644 to Francis BALL, in Springfield. [DLJ, pp. 486-91] Henry and Eulalia had 11 children, most of whom had large families, with many intermarriages with other Springfield families. Among their descendants: President Grover CLEVELAND, Ethan ALLEN, Oliver Wendell HOLMES. [HMB, Vol. II, p. 537]
Jonathan BURT, son of Henry. Died here in 1715. Served as Deacon, Selectman, Town Clerk, and many other offices. Had 2 wives and 6 children in Springfield. Jonathan's son, Jonathan BURT Jr, married Lydia DUMBLETON, daughter of John DUMBLETON.
David BURT, son of Henry. Removed to Northampton in 1655 and died there in 1690.
Nathaniel BURT, son of Henry. Died here in 1720. Married on 15 Jan 1662 in Springfield, to Rebecca SIKES, daughter of Richard and Phebe SIKES.
Elizur HOLYOKE. Died here in 1675. Married Mary PYNCHON, daughter of William PYNCHON. They had 8 children, in Springfield.
John DIBBLE. Died here in 1646.
This period was full of the smaller complications of pioneer life, and was, upon the whole, anything but propitious. It is recorded in February, 1640, that Goody Gregory, the wife of Henry Gregory, who had only been connected with the settlement about a year, was accused by John Woodcock of "swearing before God I could break thy head." She did not attempt any defence, and was fined 12d., in default of which she was to sit three hours ill the stocks. The fine was much below the amount prescribed in the colonial laws for this offence. One of the new arrivals, Samuel Hubbard, was licensed to keep an ordinary, the vote being passed in town meeting. He was also commissioned to "lay out all lotts" in the plantation. John Leonard (March, 1640) was appointed surveyor to "See ye high wayes cleered and kept in repayer of all stubbs sawpitts or tymber." [MAG, p. 65]
1641
Only 1 new settler is known to have come to Springfield in 1641, and he died within the year:
John NOBLE. Died here in 1641.
1642
Deacon Samuel CHAPIN. Died here in 1675. Brought his wife Cicely and 6 children, with 1 more born here. They were in Roxbury, 1638. Their 7 children:
Henry CHAPIN, born 1630, married Bethia COOLEY, he died here in 1718.
Josiah CHAPIN, died at Braintree, 1683.
David CHAPIN, married Lydia CRUMP and went to Boston.
Catherine CHAPIN, married (1) Nathaniel BLISS, (2) Thomas GILBERT, (3) Samuel MARSHFIELD.
Sarah CHAPIN, married Rowland THOMAS.
Japhet CHAPIN, born at Roxbury, 15 Oct 1643, married Abelenah COOLEY, he died here in 1712.
Hannah CHAPIN, born in Springfield, 2 Dec 1644, married John HITCHCOCK.
Richard SIKES. Brought his wife Phebe, and their 1st child, born in Roxbury. They had 5 more children here. He died here in Mar 1676, and she on 2 Jan 1687. Their 6 children:
Rebecca SIKES, born 1640 at Roxbury, married Nathaniel, son of Henry BURT.
Experience SIKES, born here 1642, died 7 Jun 1648, age 5 or 6.
Increase SIKES, born here 6 Aug 1644, married Abigail FOWLER.
Nathaniel SIKES, born here 30 Oct 1646, married Hannah, daughter of John BAGG.
Victory SIKES, born here 3 Mar 1649, married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry BURT.
James SIKES, born here 11 Jun 1651, died 24 Mar 1712.
1643
Alexander EDWARDS. Came here single. Married Sarah, widow of John SEARLE, 28 Apr 1642. Had 7 children here. Went to Northampton in 1656 and died there in 1690.
John DOVER.
Morgan JONES. Died here in 1643.
Francis BALL. Drowned in Connecticut River, 1648, leaving 2 sons. Married Abigail BURT, daughter of Henry BURT. Abigail later married (2) Benjamin MUNN and (3) Thomas STEBBINS.
Thomas COOPER. Came here already married to Sarah. Killed by the Indians when they burned Springfield on 5 Oct 1675. Immigrated to Boston in 1835, then Windsor 1641. He built the 1st meeting-house here in 1645. Had 9 children here.
James BRIDGMAN. Went to Northampton in 1655 and died there in 1676. Brought his family. First lived in Hartford, where 1 child was born. Had 4 children in Springfield, and then 3 in Northampton.
Roger PRITCHARD. Brought his family. His wife Frances died here 9 Mar 1651. He went to Milford, Conn. Died at New Haven in 1671.
Judah GREGORY. Died in Connecticut. Son of Henry GREGORY, who came in 1639. Judah married Sarah BURT, daughter of Henry and Eulalia BURT, in 1643.
William BRANCH. Married Joanna FARNAM at Windsor, September 7, 1643. She died October 12, 1675. He married 12 Feb 1677, Katherine, widow of Arthur WILLIAMS and Joshua CARTER. She died 8 Aug 1683, and he died here 16 Sep 1683. He had no children by either wife.
John MATTHEWS. Died here in 1684. Came from Rehoboth, married Pentecost BOND, 24 Feb 1643. His wife was killed in burning of Springfield 5 Oct 1675. He married Mary, widow of Joseph CROWFOOT, 11 May 1680. Had 2 children by 1st wife and 1 by 2nd wife, all died in childhood.
John HARMON. Died here in 1661. Came with wife and 2 sons. Had 6 more children here.
1644
Benjamin COOLEY. Died here in 1684. Had 8 children here with his wife Sarah. He was very active in town affairs, served on all important committees.
Miles MORGAN. Died here in 1699.
Abraham MUNDEN. Drowned at Enfield Falls (on the river, between Springfield and Hartford) in 1645.
1645
William VAUGHAN.
William JESS. Drowned at Enfield Falls in 1645. Had a daughter, Abigail, born 1645, married James, son of Dea. Samuel WRIGHT.
Francis PEPPER. Died here in 1685.
John BURRHALL.
Griffith JONES. Died here in 1676. Came with wife, Sarah. Had 11 children here.
James OSBORN. Died at Hartford in 1676.
1646
George COLTON. Died here in 1699. "Quartermaster George" married (1) Deborah GARDNER of Hartford, 1664, and (2) widow Lydia LAMB, 1692. Had 9 children.
John CLARK. Died here in 1684. Married Elizabeth, daughter of Rowland STEBBINS, 1647. Had 4 children.
Thomas REEVE. Died here in 1650.
Richard EXELL. Died here in 1714. He married Hannah, the widow of Thomas REEVES, in 1651. Had 4 children.
Margaret BLISS, widow of Thomas BLISS, who died in Hartford, 1640. She died here in 1684. Had 11 children: the first 6 in England, 2 in Braintree, MA and 2 or 3 in Hartford. Their children:
Ann BLISS, born in England, married on 20 April 1642 to Robert CHAPMAN, and never came here.
Mary BLISS, born in England, married on 26 Nov 1646, to Joseph PARSONS of Springfield.
Thomas BLISS, born in England, went to Norwich, died 15 Apr 1688.
Nathaniel BLISS, born in England, married Catherine CHAPIN, 20 Nov 1646. He died here in 1654.
Lawrence BLISS, born in England, married Lydia WRIGHT, 25 Oct 1654, He died here in 1676.
Samuel BLISS, born about 1624 in England, married Mary LEONARD, 10 Nov 1665. He died 23 Mar 1720.
Sarah BLISS, born 1635-6 at Braintree, MA, married at Springfield, 20 Jul 1659, John SCOTT.
Elizabeth BLISS, born 1637 at Braintree, m. 15 Feb 1670, Miles MORGAN (2nd wife) and had 1 child.
Hannah BLISS, born in Hartford, 1639, died single, 25 Jan 1660.
John BLISS, born in Hartford, 1640, died here, 10 Sep 1702.
Hester BLISS, birth unknown, married Edward FOSTER.
Edmund HAYNES. Died here in 1646. Had a daughter Ruth, born 1646. His widow married George LANCTON.
Thomas THOMSON. Removed.
Reice BEDORTHA or BODURTHA. Drowned in the Connecticut River, 18 Mar 1683, along with his son, John, and Lydia, wife of his son, Joseph. They were returning from a church service. Also an infant daughter of his son, Samuel, may have drowned. Accounts vary. Reice married Blanche LEWIS is 1646, possible before coming to Springfield. They had 5 sons.
Hugh PARSONS. Tried in Boston for witchcraft and found not guilty. Went to Watertown and died there in 1675.
John LOMBARD. Died here in 1672. Married Joan PRITCHARD in 1647. Had 3 sons.
George LANCKTON. Went to Northampton and died there in 1676.
Early land ownership in Springfield, MA. [HMB]
Sources
[DLJ] Hale, House and Related Families, Mainly of the Connecticut River Valley (1952) by Donald Lines Jacobus and Edgar Francis Waterman (This has chapters on several Springfield families: Burt pp. 486-91; Dumbleton pp. 521-4; Ely pp. 535-43; Keep pp. 651-2; Kilbourn pp. 652-68; Leonard pp. 678-91; Scott pp. 728-30; Smith pp. 730-3; Stoddard pp. 734-46)
[HMB] The first century of the history of Springfield; the official records from 1636 to 1736, with an historical review and biographical mention of the founders (1898) by Henry Martyn Burt, Vol I Vol II
[JHL] Westfield and its historic influences, 1669-1919; the life of an early town, with a survey of events in New England and bordering regions to which it was related in colonial and revolutionary times (1922) by John Hoyt Lockwood Vol I Vol II
[MAG] Springfield, 1636-1886 : history of town and city, including an account of the quarter-millennial celebration at Springfield, Mass., May 25 and 26, 1886 by Mason Arnold Green
[WDF] Early maps of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts (1911) by Wright and DeForest
[WMH] Western Massachusetts a History (1926) Vol I Vol II Vol III Vol IV
Updated 29 Jul 2021 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.