The identity of Benjamin & Joseph Wing

The fall 1987 Owl, page 4698 [by Lawrence H. Palletti at that time the Genealogist of the Wing Family of America] tentatively placed two additional children into the family of Stephen Wing and his second wife, Sarah Briggs. These children were Joseph, b. 2m 20 1677 and Benjamin, b 7m 1 1678. It was noted that Joseph and Benjamin were recorded as sons of Stephen in "John Wing of Sandwich, Massachusetts and his Descendants" by Conway Phelps Wing (2d edition; New York: The De Vinne Press, 1888).

While this Owl article noted that no other evidence has been found to link Joseph and Benjamin to Stephen, it was felt that Conway Wing did not simply create these entries. "Reader comments are invited," was placed at the end of the article.

The present writer (Raymond T. Wing) has been trying to document the full posterity (including all female lines.) of Rev. John and Deborah (Bachiler) Wing through approximately 1800. Through this research, new material has emerged, such as the maiden name and parents of Hannah, wife of A(n)nanais Wing. An early draft of this document (which included only information so far collected on the family in England) was distributed at the WFA Reunion in San Antonio.

Raymond T. Wing, while researching records found in the "New England Historical and Genealogical Register", a record was found of "Births, Marriages and Deaths in Dartmouth." [vol. 20, p. 337]. This article attributed the birth of Benjamin, son of Matthew Wing, as taking place on Feb. 1, 1698. It was noted that this birth date conflicted with information found in the published "Dartmouth Vital Records" (vol. 1, p. 305) as well as in the "Mayflower Descendant "(vol. 3, p. 217) which provided a complete transcript of the Dartmouth VRs. His [Mathew Wing's] son, Benjamin, was born the first day of July in the year 1698.

It appears that the transcriber for the Register article [James B. Congdon, Esq., of New Bedford] inadvertently set the month of Benjamin's birth as February instead of July. It is likely that this error was created by transposing some of the birth record of Matthew's daughter, Abigail on Feb. 1, 1701/02 to Benjamin. It suddenly became apparent that Conway Wing's Joseph and Benjamin Wing were created by a similar error.

Joseph and Benjamin Wing, sons of Matthew Wing, were accidentally placed as children of Matthew's father, Stephen Wing. The dates of birth for Joseph and Benjamin, reputed sons of Stephen, are exactly 20 years earlier than the births of Joseph and Benjamin, sons of Matthew. Instead of being born 2m 20 1677, Joseph was born the 21 day of February in the yeare 1697/6. As mentioned above, Benjamin Wing was born the first day of July in the year 1698 and not 7m 1, 1678 as attributed by Conway Wing (and repeated by the Owl on p. 4698).