Israel Wing (1761 - 1847)

Born 8 Aug 1761 in Harwich, Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Jellison) Wing — married 15 Jul 1782 in Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine, United States

Husband of Lydia (Jackson) Wing — married 24 Nov 1787 in Winthrop, Kennebec, Maine, United States

Descendants

Died 22 Aug 1847 at age 86 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Israel Wing has Welsh ancestors.

Historical records indicate that Israel Wing was born in 1761, though some records state that he may have been born in 1748. See details below. He died in Boston, Mass. on 22 Aug 1847.

The New York Evening Post on 25 August 1847 printed an obituary that stated, in part: "Israel Wing in his 100y born Aug 8, 1747. At the commencement of the Rev, War he entered the army at that time stationed in Cambridge and was on Dorchester Heights when British evacuated Boston. He was afterwards stationed at West Point where he served 3 mos in Washington's Life Guard. At the close of the War he was discharged and without a cent of money returned to his home. Within a few years past he has drawn a pension amounting to $95.00 a year".

The Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts identify Israel Wing as ["one of Gen. Washington's life guards in the Revolution" at Boston], and provides a date of death of 22 Aug 1847, aged 99 years and 19 days. ^[1] Accordingly his date of birth would have been 8 Aug 1748, as stated in the above mentioned New York Evening Post obituary. A 1748 birth date is plausible as it places a veteran soldier in his late 20's as a personal bodyguard to General Washington, however this timeline places the birth of his first child Hannah Wing when he was age 40. Not impossible, but very unusual for the times.

Genealogical records establish that his parents Elnathan Wing and Experience (Atwood) Wing were born in 1738 and 1739 respectively. They were married 6 Nov 1760, and Israel, their first child, was born nine months later on 8 Aug 1761 ^[2], casting grave doubt on the suggested 1747 date of birth.

The definitive Wing genealogy A Historical and Genealogical Register of John Wing, of Sandwich, Mass. and his Descendants provides a date of birth of 8 Aug 1761^[2]. This chronology places the birth of Israel's first child when he was a more likely age of 26, but conversely, places a 14 year old Israel Wing as an active participant at the British evacuation of Boston that occurred on 17 Mar 1776^[3] and, improbably, as a youth between the ages of 15 to 18 as a personal bodyguard to one of the most important persons in the colonies at the time.

Israel is not a common name in the Wing family. There is no other Israel Wing identified in The Historical and Genealogical Register of John Wing, so it is very unlikely that two different men are being confused. According to Raymond T. Wing, Genealogist:

"Israel Wing, Son of Elnathan Jnr & Experience his wife born August 8th 1761" ^[2]

His birth was recorded in the Harwich Vital Records as was his baptism on Aug. 9, 1761.

Israel, son of Elnathan Wing & Experiance, was born on 8 August 1761 in Harwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay.^[4]

Israel married Hannah Jellison on 15 July 1782 in Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine, United States.^[5]

The children of Israel Wing and Hannah (Jellison) Wing

1. Hannah Wing, b. 16 Nov 1787 in Fayette, Kennebec, Maine. d. 4 Jul 1805, prob. at Fayette, Kennebec, Maine

The children of Israel Wing and Lydia (Jackson) Wing:

1. Lydia Wing, b. 29 Aug 1788 in Fayette, Kennebec, Maine
2. Olive Wing, b. 8 Feb 1791 in Fayette, Kennebec, Maine
3. John Wing, b. 5 Jul 1793 in Fayette, Kennebec, Maine. d. 27 Jun 1806, prob at Fayette, Kennebec, Maine
4. Martha Wing, b. 29 Jan 1796 in Fayette, Kennebec, Maine

Israel was buried at the Western Burial Ground, Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States with a death date of 22 August 1847.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (The Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., 1905-) Vol. 2 P. 617
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Wing, Conway Phelps A Historical and Genealogical Register of John Wing, of Sandwich, Mass. and his Descendants (New York,1888), P. 84
3. ↑ https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-evacuate-boston
4. ↑ Birth: "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, citing Digital film/folder number: 00000000; FHL microfilm: 161975, FamilySearch Record: VQ6G-ZVQ (accessed 2 March 2024).
5. ↑ Marriage: "Maine Marriages, 1771-1907", database, citing Digital film/folder number: 007600035; FHL microfilm: 223931, FamilySearch Record: F4N7-88X (accessed 2 March 2024).
6. ↑ Memorial: "Find a Grave", database with images, Find A Grave: Memorial #60187699 (accessed 2 March 2024), Memorial page for Israel Wing (8 Aug 1761-22 Aug 1847), citing Western Burial Ground, Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by V. Nareen Lake (contributor 46613568).

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mewingnut&id=I6269
• Vital records of Lynn, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Publisher: Salem Mass., The Essex Institute; Publication date: 1905
• New York, Death Newspaper Extracts, 1801-1890 (Barber Collection); citing the New York Evening Post 25 August 1847
• FamilySearch Person: KZ7M-PF5