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

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886. 495
The American Institute of Instruetiou held its annual session for
1856 at Springfield in the latter part of August, presided over by
John Kingsbury, of Providence, R.I. William B. Calhoun was its
first president. The American Association for the Advancement of
Science met in the City Hall the first week in August, 1850, Prof.
Stephen Alexander, of Princeton, president. Mayor Calhoun wel-
comed the learned l)ody in an address, and some of the most promi-
nent scientists of the country took part in the deliberations.
Rev. Mark Trafton left the Pynchon-street Methodist Church in
1859. He had been a candidate for Congress on the American
ticket.
The militia of the five western counties of Massachusetts encamped
at Hampden park in September, 1858, some one thousand three hun-
dred strong. Among the Springfield officers may be noticed Col.
Horace C. Lee, of the Tw^elfth Regiment ; Aid-de-camp William L.
Smith, Lieut. -Col. Charles L. Shaw, Adj. A. S. Haven, Quarter-
master A. P. Galpin, Paymaster S. D. Bowers, Surgeon W. Cr.
Breck, Surgeon (mate) George O. Otis, Sergt.-Maj. P. A. Rockwell,
Capt. John Taylor (Co. B), and Capt. C. A. Baxter (Home Guards).
A national horse exhibition was held in Springfield October, 1853.
The first proposition came from George W. Atwater to the Hampden
County Agricultural Societ}', and a committee headed by William
Pynchon took the matter in hand. George Bliss was finally made
president of the board of managers, and Chester W. Chapin headed
the general committee. Through the influence of Marshall P. Wilder,
President of the United States Agricultural Society, that organiza-
tion was enlisted in the enterprise. Colonel Ripley gave the use of
the ground east of the armory. A tight board fence, ten feet high,
enclosed the entire grounds at that time. A grand stand with four
thousand seats was built on the west side, while a banquet-tent and
booths and lunch-stalls added to the impressiveness of the occa-
sion. October I'J, 20, and 21 were red-letter days in these parts.
Over half-a-dozen governors and five times as manv distinguished