Joseph Smith Wing (my great-great grandfather)
Writes to the OWL (Wing Family Organization)


The following was sent to me by Dale Wing who extracted this information from OWL and WING Annals on MicroFiche. He sent it to me and I have copied it as he sent it.
Thank you Dale.

Extracted as printed in the:
The Owl, Kewaunee, Wisconsin, March, 1903. Vol. 4, No.3, pgs 141 & 142

Dr. Joseph Smith Wing, of Fairview, Utah, son of Joseph and grandson of Giles, wrote us under date of January 23, 1896:

"When I communicated with Dr. Conway P. Wing and gave him what information I did my mother's letter, written by my brother (Stephen Wing) was misplaced and I only recollected a part of the information it contained, but subsequently I found it and gave it's contents. They are reliable."

"My father, Joseph Wing, was born at or near Danby, Rutland County, Vermont, at the foot, or near the foot of the Green Mountains, where, in the spring of the year, they made much maple sugar. I have heard them tell an incident of a bear carrying off a chum of sugar some distance from camp. My mother, Amy Pettis, was born within some two miles of Hartford, Connecticut, as I have heard her say. After their marriage, they lived for awhile in the town of Alburg, New York, but moved from there during "the cold season". If I remember right, Alburg laid between the lake and Canada, and they moved from there in the winter, crossing the lake on the ice. They next settled in the town of Locke, some fifteen mile from Cayuga Bridge. This I remember from Mother's talk. They next removed to Mecca, Trumbull County, Ohio, where I was born, September 18, 1830."

"I have heard Mother tell of step-grandmother Beulah and of her children, but I do not remember hearing anything of a third wife. My father's sister, Abigail, married Jonathan Moshier, I have heard my Mother say, my grandfather's sister married a Mr. Salisbury. I am satisfied that my ancestors must have lived in Vermont at the time of the Revolutionary War, because of the great pride our folks took in the name applied to Vermonters - "Green Mountain Boys" - and I have a vague memory of hearing of some of my ancestry taking part in the Revolution. "Old Ethan Allen", as they called him, was quite a character to them, and his exploits, especially at Ticonderoga, were recounted to me by my mother in my very early childhood."

"A cousin, Giles N. Wing, son of my Uncle Matthew, told me much of my grandfather, Giles Wing. My grandfather seems to have been a very strong man and was very seldom "outlifted" at logging-bees. He lived to be 103 years of age, and at that advanced age took great delight in breaking the hand-spikes left over at a logging bee, as it seems was the custom in those times."

"My father was the next youngest son of Giles by Mary Cornell; Matthew being the youngest. There is not the least doubt that the genealogy I gave of myself is entirely correct, and that my grandfather, Giles, was the son of Matthew, and I am quite sure they lived for a good number of years in Rutland County, Vermont. I have heard my father talk familiarly about the "Mohawk Flats" in New York, and of their being very sandy, and how they sowed plaster in them, and in planting corn the often placed a small fish in each hill as a fertilizer.  I have no knowledge when my grandfather died, or of his brother, Matthew. My own father died at or near the age of 62, when I was twelve years old, and I am now passed 65".
(page 41)

Article continues on page 142:

"It will be readily seen from the foregoing letters that Matthew Wing, (5), son of Joseph and Catherine of Dartmouth, settled at (page 141) Danby, Rutland County, Vermont, and had at least two sons named Matthew and giles, and perhaps, a daughter, Abigail. The "History of Danby" states that one William Wing was admitted a citizen of the town in 1789."

"Giles Wing is said to have lived for a time in Clinton County, New York. In a late number of the Plattsburgh Republican under the headlines, "Plattsburg's Original Settlers," is an account of 3,000 acres of land set apart & sold for the "Encouragement of Settlers," in 100 acre lots. This was August 23, 1785. Of these thirty lots, Peter Roberts, Timothy Baker, Samuel Beem, Amos Waters and Jiles Wing appear among the purchasers. It is about 25 miles from Plattsburgh to Alburg, on Grand Ilse in Lake Champlain, where Dr. Joseph Smith Wing states his father once lived."