Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

204 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886.
With all these business and public activities ]Major Pynchon did not
neglect his growing family. Joseph and John, his sons, were in
Harvard College at the same time, as appears by a Harvard College
monitor's bill, probably for the year 1664. Joseph graduated in 1664,
but his brother John remained but two years. The monitor's bill is
not very flattering to the Pynchon l)oys, so far as attendance is con-
cerned. Out of fifteen days Joseph was absent from three morning
and three evening prayers. John was tardy four times and absent
twice ; but both young men were present on the Sabbath. Joseph
settled at Boston, and in 1678 his father deeded him one thousand
acres of laud on the west side of the Connecticut, in Springfield, Hat-
field, and Deerfield, as well as all of his real estate in Wraisbury,
England. The revocation of the colony charter, in 1684, was a seri-
ous matter for Harvard College, but we find that Major Pynchon
attended the meeting of July, 1686, M'hen Joseph Dudley and the
council appointed Increase Mather rector. The major was in those
days accompanied to the General Court by Joseph, who was elected
town deputy from time to time. As the major grew old and infirm,
some special provision was made as to his safety in journeying to
Boston, as appears from this vote, passed in the spring of 1693:
''The worshipful Major Pynchon Esqr being chosen the Towns
Representative for the general Courte, for this year, It was voted to
leave it with the Selectmen to se that he have a man to accompany
him to Boston according as there shal be necessity."
Pynchon continued each year to take the oath of office as judge.
Here is a specimen of the record: " Court at Springfield Sept. 29,
1691 Coll" Jno. Pynchon Esqr being by y^ Gen" Courte May 20 '91
invested with majestraticall power toke y'^ Oath in Courte."
But the fulness of time had come, and the worshipful Major John
Pynchon was gathered to his fathers. He died at daybreak, after a
lingering illness, January 7, 1703, at the age, it would seem, of eighty-
two years. There was an imposing funeral. A company of troopers
were employed by the Pynchon family to do escort duty. Several