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

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1S86. 287
Sikes, Dr. Edward Cliapin, Daniel Harris, and William Pynchou, Jr.
The committee of safety consisted of Ephraim C'hapin, Ensign Pliineas
Chapin, Moses Field, Daniel Burt, 3d, Moses Church, Capt. Thomas
Stebbins, Joseph Stebbins, Thomas Stebbins, Jr., John Pynchou, and
Joseph Ferre.
The town-meetings in those trying days were held in the court-
house. The names prominent in the doings at that time were not the
best-known Springfield names, unless we except the Pynchons. This
latter name came well to the front in the hour of peril. Take the year
1777. We find ICdAvard Pynchou moderator; Maj. William Pynchou
was chosen representative that year; William Pynchon, Jr., was town
clerk ; Edward
Pynchon was treasurer ; William Pynchon, Jr., was on
the select board; A\^illiam P3aichon, Jr., was an assessor; and John
Pynchon a constable, as well as a member of the committee of safety.
Here are seven prominent positions held b}' four Pynchons.
In February, 1777, town committees of safety met at Northamp-
ton, Robert Breck, clerk. Arrangements were made for sending
supplies to the army. The convention (Northampton, 1777) called
attention to the "conduct of inimicable persons" of the county
who were "daily increasing," and declaring that the selectmen of
the various towns " dare as well be damned as to draught them for
the army, and that if they were draughted, they would rather fight
against our own men than against our enemies."
The town had also not forgotten the general concerns of the coun-
try, and at the close of the year 1777 Dea. Nathaniel Brewer headed
the committee on the proposed articles of confederation among the
States. A committee dealing with such a weighty matter of states-
manship, headetl by a deacon, with a captain and a physician, making
a quorum, felt a becoming embarrassment as long as two of the best
lawyers of the State were in Springfield. It is, therefore, not sur-
prising that they were applicants for some legal assistance. The
town added the names of Worthington and Bliss to the committee,
but both immediately declined to serve, and so another deacon was