THE CHAPEL ON ARMORY HILL          The vigorous, scholarly Puritan, William Pynchon, was once a warden of All Saints' Church, Springfield, Essexshire Hamlet, England. "Hoary and tree-embowered, the old church stands as tile embodiment of the faith of the ages," serving as a model in this century for All Saints' Church on Oakland Street, whose cornerstone was laid in 1908. "The warden of that little church of Springfield was a true Englishman; he loved his church, the Prayer Book, and its Services," but finding ritualism under Bishop Laud "like an iron collar clasped upon the neck of the church," he sought improved conditions in the New World.          He lived for a while at Roxbury, Massachusetts, but becoming dissatisfied, in the early part of May, 1636, he, and a brave hand of followers, pushed their way through the wilderness and for "11 fathoms of wampum, 18 Coates, 18 howes, 18 hatchets, 18 knives" purchased from the friendly Indians a tract of land twenty-five miles square on the banks of the beautiful "Quinetticut" River, where deep water yielded a seemingly inexhaustible supply of fish, fertile lands brought forth abundant harvests, while on every hand roamed a wealth of fur-hearing animals. Here they founded a settlement later called Springfield in honor of William Pynchon's English home.          This settlement's first leader in all matters pertaining to religion was the Rev. George Moxon. Very little is known about this good man's early life save that be had received Episcopal ordination in England. At the dawn of their history came now and then indomitable Methodist circuit riders, but aside from their visits, Old First Church which Mr. Moxon established here filled all the town's religious needs for nearby two hundred years. From that church, whose active existence enriches and 12 Previous Page | Index - Contents | Next Page | Springfield Page | Hampden County History & Genealogy | | Western Mass History & Genealogy |