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

576 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1S86.
were capital. She was acquitted of the charge of witchcraft, but convicted of
the murder by her own confession, and sentenced to death.
The connection of his family with this case made it disagreeable to Mr. Moxon
to remain here, and concurring Avith the troubles of his friend, Mr. Pynchon,
induced him to accompany Pynchon to England, from which he never returned
to America.
The loss of these three so prominent men was a serious blow to the young
town of Springfield. In his century sermon, delivered here October 16, 1775,
Mr. Breck, speaking of it, says : "It
was a day of darkness Math this town," that
he "remembered to have formerly heard some of the aged people, M'ho had it
from their forefathers, say that it went near to break vip the settlement."
The (lei)arture of William Pynchon l)rought at once into j^rominence his son,
John Pynchon, then about twenty-six years of age, who had come to Springfield
with his father at its first settlement, and was familiar with its history and all its
interests. He had received a training under his father that prepared him at once
to enter upon the management of all affairs, both private and public, that had
previously been conducted by his father. John Pynchon became immediately the
leading man of Springfield in every respect.
His private business was very extensive. He was the merchant who carried
on a large trade, buying of his townsmen M'hatever products of their farms they
liad for sale. He liad a storeiiouse at Warehouse Point, from wliich his goods,
received from Hartford, were transported to Springfield and sold to his neighbors
here. He was a large dealer in furs, particularly of the beaver, which abounded
in tlie Connecticut and Woronoco (or AVestfield) rivers. The collection of these
furs gave employment to many men, as well Indians as white men. He was part
owner of a vessel that transported beaver skins and other goods from Hartford
to Boston for transshipment to England. He was the proprietor, with his brother-
in-law, Holyoke, of a corn-mill and a saw-mill, at which the grain of the inhabi-
tants was ground, and their lumber sawed. He had in his employ boats on the
river, and teams on the land. All this work required the services of his fellow-
townsmen of different trades and occupations, and brought to Springfield many
persons who became useful citizens. Many of them had experience and skill
in some i)articular kind of business. But whatever that may have been, they
could readily turn their hands to almost any kind of work. In general, they
appear to have been industrious and honest men, who feared God and were just
to tlieir neighbors.
The public stations filled by John Pynchon, and the public duties performed
by him, exceeded in number and equalled in importance those of his father.
Wlien the captaincy of the military company here was vacated by the departure