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

40 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1S86.
Masou not ouly was privileged to pass up the river aud trade, with a
troop of armed men at his bacl^ to coerce
the Indians, and to visit Agawam ten times
a year and drill the training-band, it is not
to be wondered at that secession was the
imauimous voice of the plantation.
But a formal withdrawal from
Connecticut was a serious matter.
""^^^
Mr. Pynchon was now a member of
neither General Court ;
the town was the
most remote outpost, with numerous In-
dian tribes in the great back countrv.
Connecticut might refuse to allow Mr.
Pynchon to retain the trading-houses
which he had built somewhere about
Enfield Falls. There is an ancient map
placing these houses on the eastern bank
of the Connecticut, opposite King's
island, which can be seen up the river
from the car windows in crossing the
bridge at Windsor Locks. The name
given on this map is '• Versche Riviere,"
or Fresh River, which was first so called
b}'^ Adrian Block, the Dutch voyager who
coasted along the sound in 1G14. Pynchon
not only shipped freight in his own sail-
boats, but often sent goods to and from
the valle}' in other vessels. It was out of
the question to send beaver overland to
the Bay. There was no mone\' in it.
No meeting-house had yet been built
at Agawam. The middle Ferry laue (Elm
street) Avas not yet opened. Tree stumps
n Pin5e?P5 „.
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