From NEHGR Vol. 5 - Exerps from the Memoir of the Stibbins Family:
starting on page 71
On the early Town Records of' Northampton, the name is variously, written by the Recorders at different times, as Stebing Stebbin-. and Stebbins, as now written in America.
Rowland Stebbing and family came to Springfield with, or soon after the first settlers under William Pynchon, the leader of that colony, in 1636. Mr. Pynchon was a gentleman of superior attainments. He returned to England in 1662, and there died, leaving, his son, John, to succeed him, a gentleman of like accomplishments, a military character, and distinguished as a Civilian. His father had purchased the territory of Springfield, a tract equal to about twenty-five miles square. The Colony adopted a code of articles by which to be governed, and assigned lands to each settler or family, and the year following settled the Rev'd George Moxon as their spiritual teacher; between whose residence and that of Rowland Stebbing, the "Great Drum" was used to assemble the people on the Sabbath ; for which service, the, drummer was paid annually, by each family, one peck of Indian Corn or four-pence worth of Wampum.
Although Springfield was in extent, equal to about 25 miles square, yet the inhabitants, to avoid being crowded, adjudged that the whole territory would not accommodate more than 40 or 50 families. Sarah, the wife of Rowland Stebbing died in Springfield, and there his two daughters married and died.
Thomas was the eldest son of Rowland Stebbing. He (died in Springfield, Sept. 25th, 1683, aged 63. To the Indian Deed of Northampton, dated 1653, he was a witness. The year after, Northampton began to be settled.
The purchase was made by Col. John Pynchon, consisting of a tract equal to about nine miles square, which was in consideration of one hundred fathom of Wampum, ten Coats, the plowing of sixteen acres of corn land, and a few presents to the principal Sachems, one of' which was a woman.
Rowland Stebbing and his son, John, were among the early settlers of Springfield, and afterwards of Northampton. The father having received his settlement land in Springfield, his son John received his settlement, land in Northampton. A home lot, in that part of the town now known as Hawley street, also his proportion of meadow also in the inner and outer commons.
The Indian Deed of Northampton bears date Sept. 24th, 1653, - a curiosity of olden time, as is also the last Will and Testament of Rowland Stebbing, who died in Northampton, Dec. 14, 1671, aged 77, where also his son, John, died 1678, aged 60.
John Stebbins married Abigail Bartlett. Their descendants were numerous, as appears by the records of births, marriages and deaths, in Northampton. Yet not one of the descendants of John are now living in Northampton. He had nine children. Several of his sons went to Deerfield in the early settlement of that town, and some of their decendants now reside there. One of John's sons was captured by the Indians, at Deerfield with his wife, but he made his escape before reaching Canada, and is supposed to have afterwards settled in Belchertown. Rowland Stebbing may be considered as the ancestor of all of the name now in America, however they may vary the spelling, as Stiben, Stibben, Steeben, Stubbing, Stebbing, or as now generally written, Stebbins. Thomas, the eldest son of Rowland Stebbing, remained in Springfield and married a daughter of Deacon Samuel Wright, who removed to Northampton and there died in his chair suddenly. His descendants now own a beautiful knoll, adjoining the cemetery, called Stebbin's Hill, which is in possession of the heirs of the late Noah Wright.