John Pynchon was one of the pioneers that shaped the early settlements of New England in the second half of the 17th century. In 1670 he founded Suffield. He purchased the entire land area of Suffield from Native People, and he petitioned the Massachusetts government for permission to form a new town. With a small committee that he selected, he created plans for the town including streets, house lots, common areas, and designated lots for a minister, a meeting house, and a school. The committee screened future settlers and sold them land. The committee also created rules and regulations for Suffield and acted as its governing body for the first few years of Suffield’s existence. Not only has Pynchon left his mark on Suffield but also the other growing communities up and down the Connecticut River near Springfield. Pynchon was a far-sighted businessman and landowner. His wise investments and commercial ventures, including trading with Native People, were the driving force in the transformation of the local area from a vast wilderness into a thriving hub of trade and commerce.
John Pynchon was born in England about 1626. His family emigrated to America and settled in Roxbury Massachusetts when he was four years old. A few years later, in 1636, the family moved to Western Massachusetts where his father led the small group of families who founded Springfield. There were no schools available, so John continued his education through self-study and practical experience. There were few other English children at that time in Springfield and he became friends with the Native Americans from various tribes living in the area. He learned their language and culture. He explored the wilderness with his new friends. He became one of the very few people who understood the Native People and could interact successfully with them. John Pynchon also worked alongside the farmers and merchants moving into the area. He obtained knowledge of the nuances of farming, building, and trading.
John Pynchon married Ann Wyllys, daughter of the former governor of Connecticut, on November 6, 1645. They had five children. He was a devoted family man. His early career involved working in his family business where his primarily task was trading with the Native People, exchanging English goods for animal furs.
In 1652 his father returned to England and John took over and expanded the family business. He started what was a prosperous career that touched all aspects of colonial life. He was a businessman, a developer, a trader, a government official, a court judge, and a leading military officer. Because of his earlier experiences with Native People, he helped maintain the peace with regular visits to Native Villages. He sold local corn, lumber, and fish throughout New England. As the owner of cider, turpentine, flour, corn, and lumber mills as well as an iron foundry, he employed much of the area’s population. He built two grist mills and a sawmill in Suffield on Stony Brook. His trading activities extended up and down the Connecticut River, to England, and even to the Caribbean. His storage facility at Warehouse Point had the largest stock of goods from England in the area.
Pynchon was a trusted community leader where he served in various official government capacities. He became a Springfield selectman and treasurer. He represented Springfield in the Massachusetts General Court for many years. From 1692 to 1702 he was Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Hampshire County. For John Pynchon’s entire adult life, he was an officer in the militia. He eventually commanded all military forces in the region. His final rank was Colonel.
John Pynchon was extremely active in selecting locations for and building new towns in the Connecticut River Valley. Pynchon would team with a few others and using his own funds purchase large tracts of land from Native People. He would be paid back by the settlers at a later date as they came into the region looking for land to build their homes. The towns of Northampton, Hadley, Deerfield, Enfield, and Suffield were founded in this way.
John Pynchon died on September 17, 1703. He helped shape the destiny of the Connecticut Valley. He left an enduring mark on Suffield. There are no statues or any actual portraits of John Pynchon. The accompanying image was created by contemporary artist Pamela Patrick White at whitehistoricart.com.