city that william pynchon built hcc 30 jul 2016
TRANSCRIPT
SPRINGFIELDFrontier plantation to the core of a 698,000 population METROPOLITAN AREA ---
THE CITY THAT WILLIAM PYNCHON BUILTDave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England Sponsored by Pioneer Valley History Network30 July 2016 – History Camp Pioneer Valley
William Pynchon 1590 - 1662 England to New England to England Born in 1590 near Springfield, Chelmsford,
England Wealthy landowner in England Investor in Massachusetts Bay Company (£25) Civic leader and land speculator Diplomat Politician Fur trader Author of “The Meritorious Price of Our
Salvation” Sold all his holdings to his son John “Returned” to England Died in 1662 in Wraysbury, Buckingham, England
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
The Agawam Deed
Signed by the Native Americans and 3 colonists: William Pynchon Henry Smith, Pynchon’s Step-Son Jehu Burr, planter
Included land east and west of the “Great River”
John Pynchon expanded the family’s holdings
Northernmost settlement of the Connecticut ColonyCopyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
Notable Landowners
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William Pynchon Henry Smith (William’s step-
son/Ann Pynchon) Elizur Holyoke (Mary Pynchon) Henry Chapin (Bethiah Cooley) George Moxon, Minister Deacon Samuel Chapin
Notable Landowners
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
Robert Ashley Thomas Merrick Henry Burt Nathaniel Bliss Benjamin Cooley Hugh Parsons
Notable Landmarks
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Round Hill Hampden Park – Pynchon Park – Pride
Gas “Great River” Wood Lots Road to the Bay (Boston) now State
Street Training Field and Burying Ground Way to the lower wharf – Became York
Street
Current Street Names
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Bancroft Street Carew Street Main Street Liberty Street - Just north of Wet
Meadow Road to the Bay (Boston) now State
Street Central Street Broad Street Locust Street
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
1669 - 1894Towns Created by Date of Separation
Westfield 1669
Suffield CT (as Southfield) 1682 Enfield CT (as Freshwater) 1683 Stafford CT
1719 Somers CT (from Enfield) 1734 Wilbraham
1763 East Windsor CT (northern)1768 West Springfield
1774 Ludlow
1774
Southwick 1775 (from
Westfield) Montgomery 1780 (from
Westfield) Longmeadow 1783 Russell 1792
(from Westfield) Chicopee 1848 Holyoke (southern) 1850 (from W
Springfield) Agawam 1855
(from W Springfield) Hampden 1878 (from
Wilbraham) East Longmeadow 1894 (from
Longmeadow)
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
1636 to 1736Slow growth to the Revolutionary War Pynchon’s conflict with Connecticut Colony escalates
over price of goods, the cost of minor wars in Connecticut, taxes – Aligns with Massachusetts Bay Colony
King Phillip’s War devastated Springfield – About 75% of the village was burned to the ground
George Washington and Henry Knox picked the town for the site of a National Armory stimulated new growth
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
17th Century Highlights 1636 – 1650
8 men and their families settle “Agawam Deed” signed William Pynchon appointed by the Connecticut
General Court to buy grain Name changed from Agawam to Springfield (April
1640) Boundaries of Springfield set The Causeway (State Street) was laid out First Selectmen: Henry Smith, Thomas Cooper,
Samuel Chapin, Henry Burt and Richard Sikes
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
17th Century Highlights 1636 – 1650
First meeting house 40’ X 25” 24 landholders were settled by 1645 – 42 by 1647 Order to build a shop for the blacksmith Robert Ashley ordered to keep the ordinary Springfield officially listed as a town on
Massachusetts Bay lists in 1647 Town spreads out through the Long Meadow Pynchon’s “The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption”
was published in England then banned and burned in Boston
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
17th Century Highlights 1651 – 1700
The first witchcraft accusations occurred in Springfield
William Pynchon returned to England with his son-in-law/step-son Henry Smith
John Pynchon, Samuel Chapin and Elizur Holyoke took their oaths as Magistrates – Laid out Northampton, Westfield and Northfield
The jail was constructed in 1661 on Main and Bliss Streets – A 22 X 17 schoolhouse built on Ferry Street
Hampshire County formed in 1662
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King Philip’s Waror Metacom’s War
1675 Massasoit is succeeded first by his sons Wamsutta then
Metacom Uneasy truces from 1661 to 1675 when armed conflict
broke out Springfield felt safe when Major Pynchon and 45 men set
out for Hadley – The next day, 75% of the settlement burned to the ground
Residents were saved by seeking shelter in Miles Morgan’s fortified
The war ended with the Native Americans being subdued and the beheading of King Philip
The settlement recovers and slowly rebuilds over the next 100 years
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
18th Century Highlights 1700 – 1799
17 January 1703 – Death of John Pynchon Establishment of Connecticut – Massachusetts line 1769 – 1779 Wilbraham Road from Goose Pond to Plumtree, Carew
Street and St James Avenue laid out 1775 – 1785
Population 1,974 with 175 houses Washington arrives and selects a site for an arsenal on General Knox’s
recommendation Headquarters for 43 divisions of “6 months men” Bridge built across the Chicopee River
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
18th Century Highlights 1785 – 1799
333 cases of debt heard in sessions of the court Enforcement of tax collections and judgements for debt resulted
in Shays’ Rebellion 1786 – 1787 led by Daniel Shays of Brookfield Massachusetts
600 militia summoned to maintain order and keep the court running
Shays’ forces marched on Northampton and prevented the county court from sitting but were unsuccessful in overtaking the arsenal at Springfield
Tri-weekly stage from Boston to New York via Springfield opened in 1788
President George Washington visits in October of 1789, the first year of his presidency (30 April 1789 – 4 March 1797)
Courts transferred to Northampton First muskets were made at the arsenal in 1795 Springfield Library established in 1796 with 320 volumes
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
19h Century Highlights Population in 1800 – 2,312 1805 – Bridge is built across the Connecticut River; collapsed and
razed in 1814; replaced in 1815 at a cost of $22,000 1812 – Hampden County formed out of Hampshire County John Ames invents a cylinder machine revolutionizing the paper
industry Thomas Blanchard (1788 – 1864) Pioneered the assembly line,
interchangeable parts, built a steam powered “horseless carriage” and developed a lathe
1825 – Samuel Bowles publishes the Springfield Republican Population in 1826 – 5,764 more than double the population 26
years prior 1836 – 200th anniversary of the formation of Springfield with a
population by 1837 of 9,234 quadruple the population in only 36 years
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
19h Century Highlights Population in 1840 – 10,985 1841 – Springfield Cemetery a/k/a Peabody Cemetery
opens 1842 – Cheney Bigelow begins manufacture of sieves and
wire cloth 1845 – Wason Car Works – Brightwood 1846 – Agawam Bank becomes State Bank with Chester
Chapin as president 1846 – 1849 John Brown, wool merchant, lived on Franklin
Street 1848 – Removal of burials from the Old Burying Ground
included the oldest identifiable grave 1848 – Chicopee Incorporated as a town
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
19h Century Highlights Population in 1850 – 11,766 1851 – Massachusetts Mutual Insurance founded 1851 – Jenny Lind held a concert at First Church but also watched the 4th of
July parade from this balcony at Jerry Warriner’s home at 43 Howard Street then sang to the school children
1852 – Springfield chartered as a city with a population of 12,498 1852 – Hampden Savings Bank organized, the YMCA and Smith & Wesson
were founded 1854 – New City Hall Built with 1854 – Eliphalet Trask of the Know Nothing Party elected Mayor 1854 – Springfield 5¢ Savings Bank organized (Then SIS, then TD Banknorth) 1854 – Connecticut River floods on May 1st
1854 –Smith & Wesson patents the metal cartridge
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
1856 – Attempt by families on the Hill and Indian Orchard to secede
1857 – Smith & Wesson manufactures pistols with metal cartridges
1857 – Financial panic – Railroads and Wason let people go 1860 –
Stephen Bemis is Mayor St Michaels Cathedral completed and consecrated Florence Methodist and 2nd Avenue Churches organized Home building boom with over 150 built
19h Century Highlights
19h Century Highlights Springfield During the Civil War
A total of 2,625 went off to fight in the Civil War – About 17% of the population
Local manufacturer’s payrolls skyrocketed Armory production rose from 80 muskets per day to
100 Harper’s Ferry fell leaving the Springfield Armory
the only arsenal in production Primus Mason (1817 – 1892) though not formally
educated became a highly successful businessman mostly through real estate and one of the wealthiest men in Springfield at the time.
Women participated including nurses, spies, soldiers, civil rights advocates, fundraising to help supply the troops with food, clothing, medical supplies
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Frances ClalinHeavy Artillery
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19h Century Highlights Springfield and the Civil War
1863 – St Matthews Church in Indian Orchard organized
1863 – Western Massachusetts loses 215 at Gettysburg
1864 – Attempt to blow up the Main Arsenal discovered
1864 – Part of the milling department at the Armory burned
1864 – Main Street paved with macadam 1864 – Springfield Armory producing 26,000 rifles
per month 1864 – Third National Bank formed 1864 – Barney and Berry begin manufacturing skates 1864 – Haynes Music Hall burns – Rebuilt in 1865
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
19h Century HighlightsAfter the War
1865 – Springfield population 22,035 1865 – A. D. Briggs Mayor 1865 – Casualties in Springfield 167 Grant and Sherman visit after the war 1865 – Springfield Home for Friendless Women &
Children founded 1866 – Barney & Berry patent screw clamp skate 1867 – Wilcox Post of the G.A.R organized 1869 – Springfield Street Railway founded 1869 – St Paul’s Universalist on Chestnut Street built
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
1870 – 1899 1870 – Population 26,703 1870 – YWCA becomes a separate organization 1871 – Library building completed 1871 – Forest Park opens 1874 – Use of fire hydrant system 1874 – Chapman Valve moves to Springfield 1875 – Population 31,053 1875 – Fire destroys 50 buildings and 30 homes on
Worthington and Vernon Streets 1875 – 250 manufacturing establishments with over 400
occupations
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1870 – 1899
1876 – Connecticut Valley Historical Society 1876 – Soldiers monuments in Springfield Cemetery
dedicated 1878 – Springfield Sunday Republican started 1882 – George Hendee’s 15 year reign as bicycle
champion started 1885 – Population 37,577 1888 – Historic blizzard dumps 8 feet of snow 1890 – Everett Barney adds 109 acres to Forest Park 1890 – First electric trolley car runs from Bliss Street to
Forest Park
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
1870 – 1899 1892 – Mercy Warren Chapter of the DAR opens 1892 – James Naismith invents basketball 1892 – J Frank & Charles Duryea built the 1st gas powered
automobile 1894 – George Washington Chapter of SAR formed 1895 – Duryea builds and sells 13 cars and wins the first
automobile race which took place in Chicago 1897 – Springfield Home for Aged Men opens with gift from
Primus Mason 1898 – Knox Automobile Company formed 1899 – Museum of Natural History opens
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1900 - 1920 1900 – Population 62,059 up from 2,312 in 1800 1901 – George Hendee builds first gas powered motorcycle 1904 – Fiberloid Corporation moves to Indian Orchard 1905 – Old City Hall destroyed by fire 1906 – Highland Baptist Church destroyed by fire 1907 – Carrie Nation visits Springfield 1910 – Population 88,926 at the start of the “Great Migration”
of African-Americans from the post Civil War South with 16,000 heading to Springfield
1912 – New Library complete at a cost of $355,000 1913 – New Springfield Municipal Group dedicated 1913 – President Howard Taft is guest of honor
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
1900 - 1920 1915 – Samuel Bowles 3rd dies and Richard Hooker becomes
president and publisher of the Springfield Republican 1915 – The Colony Club is established 1915 – New England Westinghouse establishes a plant 1916 – Record year for building: State Armory on Howard Street, Third
National Bank at Main and Harrison, High School of Commerce, Central Branch of the YMCA on Chestnut and Hillman
1917 – 8,000 from Springfield served in WW I with 165 killed 1918 – Assessed valuation at $201,899,829 1918 – Coal shortage in February causes Springfield schools to close for
several weeks 1919 – Rolls Royce begins production
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1920 - 1929
1920 – Population 129,338 1920 – The Republican & Daily News in a new plant at Cypress and
Boylston Streets 1921 – WBZ/WBZA goes on the air from the Hotel Kimball 1922 – $3,000,000 Hampden County Memorial Bridge dedicated and
Vernon Street (Boland Way) approach is widened 1922 – Springfield Airport opens in Liberty Street 1927 – Flood waters reach 22.5 feet above average low water at
Memorial Bridge 1927 – William Pynchon Building constructed 1929 – Paramount Theater opens on the site of the Massasoit House
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1930 - 1939 1930 – Population 149,900 1930 – 19 people killed in automobile accidents 1930 – Stevens-Duryea builds their last car 1932 – City employees contribute 19% of their pay to offset
financial crisis in the city 1935 – Blizzard called “Worst since ‘88” 1936 – “The Big Flood” 28.6 feet above low water mark 15,000
persons forced to leave their homes 1936 – Springfield celebrates tri-centennial 1938 – Hurricane & flood paralyzed the northeast
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1940 - 1969
1940 – Population 148,989 1941 – World War II called 22,000 men and women of whom 535 were
killed 1947 – Total wages reaches $82 million in post-war economy 1948 – 1993 stores with retail sales of $200 million and wholesale total
$275 million 1949 – Trolley tracks pulled up 1952 – Springfield ranked 61st in population of American cities 1953 – New South End bridge dedicated “Julia Buxton Bridge” 1960 – Route 91 opens from Hartford to Springfield then to Holyoke in
1963 cutting off Springfield from the Connecticut River stifling any business growth downtown
1968 – Springfield Armory closes
Copyright © 2016 Dave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy of New England
1970 – 1979Decades of Decline
1970 – Construction begins on the Civic Center 1971 – 850 industrial jobs lost in one year 1971 – Baystate West (now Tower Square) opens 1973 – Union Station closes – discussions to rehabilitate stall for over
40 years 1973 – Gas shortage 1973 – Construction of Hall of Justice $15 million 1974 – Vietnam War comes to an end 1975 – Elvis Presley plays Springfield 1975 – Springfield Indians win the Calder Cup – without helmets! 1979 – Holyoke Mall opens signaling more trouble for downtown
revival
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2000 – 2016Creation of the
Knowledge Corridor
120 mile interstate running from New Haven Connecticut north through Springfield to Amherst
41 Universities and Colleges Nearly 2.8 million population Work force of over 1.3 million 64,000 businesses Median household income of $58,000
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Springfield Today&Tomorrow
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City on the Rise!City on the Rise!The Right Direction
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ThanksDave Robison
Old Bones Genealogy of New England