John Wing


  (submitted by Raymond T Wing)  

 

    John Wing was the second child, and oldest son of Rev. John Winge and Deborah Bachiler. He was baptized at Strood, Kent, England on 1 SEP 1611. He had reached his age of majority shortly after the family arrived at Saugus in 1632. It is believed that the family lived with their maternal grandfather, Rev. Stephen Bachiler while at Saugus. When Rev. Stephen moved away from Saugus, he apparently gave the property to John. This is deduced from the fact that John Wing was the grantor who sold the property to William Tilton after the family moved to Sandwich.

 

    In 1637, ten influential citizens from Saugus had petitioned the General Court of Plymouth Colony to found a new settlement on Cape Cod. Whether their decision to settle in that area was influenced by Rev. Stephen Bachiler's attempt to found a settlement at Mattacheese (now Yarmouth) is not known. It is known that The Wings were among the "three score" [about 60] families who moved to the new settlement shortly after it was granted. Even at this early date, Massachusetts Bay Colony was fast outstripping the older Plymouth Colony, both in population and political clout. The Bay colony could well afford to lose some colonist to its neighbor, and the relationship between the two colonies were always amicable. It is unknown how it was decided to name the new settlement Sandwich. It was clearly named after the city of Sandwich in Kent County, England as it bears some physical resemblance to the old Cinque Port city. The Wings were the only family in the new town who are known to have lived in its namesake town in England.

 

    John was originally the head of the household for the whole Wing family. It is believed by many that the house they lived in was called The Orchard House. In JUN 1640 his brother Daniel purchased the homestead of Andrew Hallett and moved there. His brother Stephen was granted (or purchased) the "Fort House" on Spring Hill circa 1645. At about the same time (circa 1645) John finally married. It is said that his wife was Elizabeth Dillingham, daughter of Edward Dillingham, another early settler of Sandwich. The Dillingham 2000 project (comparable to the Wing Family of America, Inc., at one time on-line, but not found at the present time) has accepted this lineage for the John's wife. It is believed the marriage took place in Sandwich, before the family moved.

 

   Around 1647 John moved further down the Cape to the town of Yarmouth. It is believed that his mother, Deborah (Bachiler) Wing, and possibly his brother, Matthew, moved with him. In 1659 He removed further east to what was originally called Sautucket. This territory was originally within the bounds of Yarmouth, but in 1694 was incorporated as the town of Harwich and in 1803 became the town of Brewster. John was the first settler of this area and was originally taken to court in March 1659 as it was thought that the land was not within the limits of the grant of Yarmouth. It was proven that his land was indeed within the grant of the township, so he was allowed to continue his settlement there.

 

    It is not known if John embraced the Quaker faith, like his brothers Daniel and Stephen. It is known that most of his descendants belonged to the established First Parish Church of Harwich [later Brewster.] Living several miles from the nearest church, John may not have been a regular attendant of any church. It is known that he was instrumental in assisting his brother Daniel saving his possessions during the Quaker persecution by arranging to have Daniel's estate probated during his lifetime. John was also mentioned in the Quaker men's meeting of Sandwich on 4 3mo [MAY] 1683 and on 2 11 mo [JAN] 1684[/5].

 

    John's wife, Elizabeth was the "Old Goody Wing" who died at Yarmouth on 31 JAN 1692/3. John later married Miriam Deane, born at Plymouth about 1632. John wrote his will between 13 APR - 2 MAY 1696 and had added a codicil to it dated 6 FEB 1698/9. This will was proved 10 AUG 1699, so he died sometime between the last two dates. His widow's will was dated 24 MAY 1701 and was probated in JAN 1702/3. John and both of his wives probably were buried in the Dillingham Cemetery at Sautucket (now Brewster).

 

The children of John Wing and his first wife, Elizabeth Dillingham were: [Yarmouth per Plymouth Colony VRs]

 

a son who "Drowned in the snow about the eleventh of December" 1648.

Ephraim b. 13 MAY 1648, buried "last of December" 1649. [possibly identical to the son above]

Joseph b. about 2 SEP 1650, buried 3 MAY 1679.

An(n)anais b. about 1652

Oseth b. about 1654

John b. about 1655

Susanna b. about 1657