• Originally from Springfield, Essex, England, came to America in April 1630 with John Winthrop, future Governor of Massachusetts; 400 Puritans sailed from Southampton, England and reached Salem, Essex, MA. 2 months later.

• William Pynchon, wife Anna, son John, daughter Ann, Margaret and Mary, 2 maids servants and several men servants made the trip.

• Interestingly, William did not become a Freeman until August 1642 … which is something unusual considering he was acting like one since his arrival to the colonies. It is suspected that this oversight caught up to him after he was elected Massachusetts Bay Colony assistant in May 1642.

• Founded Roxbury, MA in 1630 and the first member of the Roxbury church in 1632.

• He served as Assistant of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630-1636), Treasure of the Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1632 to 1634.

• In 1636, he obtained permission from the General Court at Boston to establish a settlement. In April 1637 the Pynchons and other families sailed from Boston, around the Long Island Sound, up the Connecticut River and founded Springfield, Hampden, MA (then called Agawam). Elizur HOLYOKE joined the settlement in 1639.

• William was governor of Springfield for about 16 years.

• In 1652, he was deposed and was being prosecuted for a book he wrote on Christ’s Atonement, a subject considered heretical by the then ruling theology and by the Legislature of the State. The book was publically burned by the sheriff in Boston. Under bond to appear in an upcoming General Court, William digusted and fearful, returned to England. * Currently there are only three copies of the book known to exist.

• As a man who gathered two Congregational churches in New England, he returned to the Church of England and is buried in one of the ancient rural churchyard of Old England.17

• Also known as “Agnes”

• Widow, Mrs. Sanford (aka Samford) was a grave matron of the church at Dorchester.