(12) “Natty” Wing house in Pocasset [called Willowdale in 1979] (Owl DEC 1907, p. 640 photo & article; MAR 1909, pp. 783-5; SEP 1915, p. 1474 [photo & article]; 1979 pp. 4369-71)

 

     It has proved most difficult to secure at this late date authentic information, or any information whatever, in regard to the earliest Wings of [Pocasset]. The fact that the old records of Barnstable County were destroyed by fire adds to the difficulty of locating with certainty the homes of the early generations. (Owl MAR 1909, p. 783)

 

 It is a low, one-story structure, with dormer windows in the roof, and in the centre a very large chimney, which includes an enormous fireplace in the dining room as well as smaller ones in the two adjoining rooms. The ceilings are very low, with rafters built across them. The walls paneled and painted white…

Recessed window corners, cupboards, an exceedingly narrow and steep staircase… are features of the place rivaling in interest many pretentious, historical museums. (Owl DEC 1907, p. 640)

 

Nathaniel Wing (b1695 – 1722)

     The first Nathaniel Wing was the son of Stephen, who came with his mother, Deborah (Bachiler) Wing, from England to America in 1632, and his first wife, Oseah Dillingham, and was born about 1643. Nathaniel was married about 1680 to Sarah, daughter of Jonathan and Sarah (Rowley) Hatch. Undoubtedly his first home, probably his only home, after marriage was at Pocasset. The fact that he married into a family resident at Falmouth leads to the supposition that he located in that vicinity before his marriage, but there is no proof that he did. (Owl FEB 1909, p. 783)

 

Recently discovered evidence that Nathaniel Wing’s house must certainly have been built by 1695 comes from some early records found in the Sandwich archives. In Original Book 2, page 17 of Sandwich Town Records, we find the following: “At the Town Meeting of May 19, 1696, the Town, by their act, granted unto Elisha Bourne and Timothy Bourne all their rights and lands in Monnyment Neck and the place lying near Waquausett, called Misacepmonkat, provided that they have or shall purchase the Indian right and not to extend higher into the woods than the cartway that leads from said Elisha Bourne’s house running near to Nathaniel Wing’s unto his fresh meadows and so on a straight line from that way unto a boiling spring near Waquausett.” (Owl 1979, p. 4371)

 

?Ebenezer Wing (1722 – 17??)

   Among some copies of ancient papers coming to us from one of the old families of Sandwich is the following contract to build a house in Sandwich made by {sic} Ebenezer Wing and Edward Dillingham with Bartholomew Parson and James Jarvis in 1716... The contract is most interesting from several standpoints.  It reads: "Artickles of a Greement made this Eleventh day of June in year 1716 Between Bartholomew Parson and James Jarvis late of newbury in the County of York now of Sandwich in the County of Barnstable in New England Carpenters on the one part and Ebenezer Wing and Edward dillingham Both of Sandwich afforsd on the other part, that is to say that the Bartholomew Parson and James Jarvis viz doth hereby bind and oblige themselves to build a house for the said Ebenezer Wing and Edward Dillingham that is to say to begin and finish said house demenchons as follwoeth, thirty four feet long sixteen feet wide -- six feet and eight inches (a few words not intelligible) Said house to be boarded in the wall, Claboarded with out boards planed, six windows suitable for such a house one paer of stares three doors said Carpenters to find and provide dyat for themselves and to sett up said house near the now dwelling house of John Barlow of Sandwich and to be done finished and completed by the middle of September next.  the said Ebenezer Wing and Edward Dillingham to find and provide all boards nails and stringers for said house and to cart all the Timbor to the place where it is to stand, and in consideration of which labour and siniew the said Ebenezer Wing and Edward Dillingham Doth hereby a like bind and oblige themselves their hears Executors and administrators to yeald and pay unto them the said Bartholomew Parson and James Jarvis fourteen pound in publick bills of credit of this Province as soon as said house shall be finished.  the parties concerned hafve hereunto sett their hands this day above written  Signed and delivered in presence of us witness Samuel Wing Edward Dillingham, jr. BARTHOLOMEW X PARSON  JAMES JARVIS  EBENEZER WING  EDW DILLINGHAM (Owl JUN 1907, p. 597)

 

Simeon Wing (17?? – 1787)

   Story is told how 2 houses were connected and how Simeon prob. was the owner. It is possible that Simeon took the home of his father, Ebenezer, and connected it to his grandfather’s home.

   There exists a list, copied from the oldest precinct records, of the houses between Falmouth and Sandwich in 1790. On this list, No. 20 was given “Simeon Wing’s house, perhaps the Lemuel Wing.” There seems to be no room for doubt that the house so numbered and referred to is that known as the “Natty Wing place.” (Owl MAR 1909, p. 784)

 

Simeon sold this property to:

 

Lemuel Wing [son of Simeon’s brother, Nathaniel] (1787-1824)

April 2, 1792, Simeon Wing, yeoman, "of a place called New Sandwich, County of Lincoln, Commonwealth of Massachusetts," conveyed to Lemuel Wing, yeoman, for £2, 8s., a piece of land bounded on the northerly end by "Maganset Road and the land of Moses Barlow; on the northwesterly side by the land of John Handy; on the southwesterly side by the land of Lemuel Wing; on the southeasterly side by the land of Obed Wing (deceased) and the land of the Parlows till it comes to Maganset Road, being about ten acres." (Owl MAR 1909, p. 788)

 

Alvin Wing (1824 – 1862)

[William H. Wing] was born and brought up at the old family homestead near Wing's Neck in Pocasset. This beautiful neck of land heavily wooded was at one time wholly owned by Mr. Wing's grandfather, Alvin Wing. It extends for miles out into the middle of the waters of Buzzard Bay. The peninsula was gradually bought up of the heirs of Nathaniel Wing, the last tract having been sold by William H. Wing and his brothers to a syndicate which now owns the entire Neck, it being their purpose to make it a summer resort.  The Beverly Yacht Club now have their boat house on the Neck.

 

Nathaniel Wing (1862 – 1893)

 

Alvin Wing (1893 – 1907)

The farm upon which Mr. Wing lived has been in the possession of the family for a great many years and it is located not far from the home of his grandfather, who at one time owned the Neck.  He is suceeded in the possession of this old homestead by his son Nathaniel.  There has probably been no time in 225 years when there has not been a Nathaniel Wing living in Pocasset.

 

Nathaniel Norton Wing (1907 – 19__)

The National {sic, Nathaniel} Wing Homestead on the state road, Pocasset was destroyed by fire in November [1926].

   It was built over two hundred years ago, by Nathaniel Wing, when he settled in this vicinity. Made of hewn timber and hand wrought nails, it has withstood the ravages of time. What is almost as remarkable, the original plan had never been changed.

   The Wing home was a land mark on Cape Cod. The house was always a great attraction for tourists, and will be missed. (Owl DEC 1926, p. 2608)

???

 

[alternately from Simeon to]  Nathaniel Wing [son to Simeon’s brother, Nathaniel] (1787 – 1842)

 

Nathaniel Wing (1842 – 1864)

 

Nathaniel Wing (1864 – 1882)

 

J. J. E. Rothery (c1903 – 1905)

 

Harry B. Russell (1905 -1917)

  A New Bedford paper of a few weeks ago contained the following: “The ‘Old Wing Estate,’ Pocasset, Buzzards Bay, consisting of the old homestead and tract of several acres, has been sold. The building was erected in 1695 by the original members of the Wing family, who went to Pocasset from Plymouth and founded a settlement, with which the name of Wing has been always very prominent. The property remained in the family up to two years ago, when it was bought and partially restored by the present owner, J. J. E. Rothery of Boston, who sold the estate to the purchaser, a direct descendant of the Mayflower Wing. He will enlarge the structure, keeping it entirely in the old style, and will lay out the grounds in harmony with the tout ensemble. This has been a landmark on Cape Cod for years.” (Owl DEC 1905, p. 434)

 

The house was purchased in 1905 by architect Harry B. Russell of Brockton who restored and refurbished the house, adding the dormers, rebuilding the original stone chimney top in brick, and attaching the porches and wings to the side and rear of the house as well as giving it its first coat of paint.

 The house was renamed “Willowdale” by the architect, and was published in two contemporary books on remodeling: Distinctive Homes of Moderate Cost by Henry H. Saylor, (New York, McBride, Nast & Co., 1913), and Remodelled Farmhouses by Mary H. Northend, (Boston, Little Brown & Co., 1915). In Distinctive Homes, in an article entitled “Willowdale – An Old-Fashioned House,” Mary Northend said the architect’s goal “was to keep the house old-fashioned and not to destroy any of the old-time feeling by the addition of wings, which were necessary to make it habitable and convenient,” (p. 133). Harry B. Russell succeeded well in this endeavor, leaving the original house relatively untouched by relegating modern plumbing, bathroom and kitchen appliances, etc., to the new additions. Russell retained all of the later 18^th century parlor and bedroom paneling and, in general, preserved the early features of the house v ery well, also doing necessary structural work such as replacing sills. The main house had only minor alterations to its early fabric as previously mentioned, primarily consisting of paper and paint, and new exterior doors added to the two wings and the porch. Before the remodeling, according to Mary Northend in Remodelled Farmhouses, “like other houses of this period, it was guiltless of paint,” however, during these repairs, “the exterior was then painted dark red with a white trim, following the style of the first painted houses,” (p. 161). Mary Northend is correct in stating that “when the house was first built, there were two rooms at the front and at the rear a kitchen, kitchen-bedroom, and a dairy.” The single board partition between one of these rooms and the old central kitchen has disappeared, but evidence indicating its original location has survived. (Owl 1979, pp. 4370-1)

 

Charles Donagh Maginnis (1917 - )

  My father, Charles Donagh Maginnis, was a well-known ecclesiastical architect, President of the American Institute of Archetects, and received the Gold Medal of the Institute in 1948. He rented the house from Harry B. Russell of Brockton for several years. I feel sure that it was because my father and Mr. Russell shared architectural tastes and interests that he offered it to my father for sale in 1917. (Owl 1979, p. 4370)

 

Alice Maginnis Walsh (owned it in 1979)