Sunday, February 27, 2011

Stephen Wing, Eighth Great Grandfather of Reba Logue McMillan

STEPHEN WING, born in England in 1621, brother of Daniel and son of JOHN WING(E), had, by wife Oziah (Oseah) Dillingham, besides NATHANIEL WING (1647), Deborah, born 10 Oct. 1648 and Mercy, 13 Nov. 1650. His wife died 29 April 1654, and he married the 7th January following Sarah Briggs.  Other children:  Stephen, 2 Sept. 1656; Sarah, 5 Feb. 1658; John, 22 or 25 Sept. 1661; Abigail, 1 May 1664; Elisha, 2 Feb. 1669; Ebenezer, 11 July 1671; and Matthew, 1 Mar. 1674. His 2nd wife died 26 March 1689, and he died 24 Apr. 1710.

Wing Fort House
(Stephen Wing. This home is one of the oldest houses in New England and the oldest which continuously has remained in the possession of members of the same family through successive generations. The house has been restored and is currently used as a historical Memorial Museum. The Fort House was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1976 and is open from mid-June to mid-September for visitors.)


 (submitted by Raymond T Wing) 

   Stephen Wing was born, probably at Flushing, Zeeland (now the Netherlands) circa 1621. He was called three years of age on 22 JUN 1624 when his mother, sister (Deborah) and Stephen received a license to travel from England to Zeeland to return home. The ages listed for both mother and daughter were slightly off (both being a couple years older than officially recorded) so it is possible that Stephen was born a couple years earlier than 1621.

    Stephen spent his early life in the cities of Flushing and The Hague in what is now the Netherlands. It is likely that the Dutch society had a major influence in his life and lifestyle. One reason why English colonists moved to the New World from their previous abodes on the European continent was due to the fear that continental life was having a negative influence on the children's beliefs. There was fear that they were losing their English identity.

    Stephen lost his father and emigrated to New England shortly before he became a teenager. It is likely that in New England he was educated by his grandfather, Rev. Stephen Bachiler. Stephen was about 16 year old when the family moved to Sandwich. When it became time for Stephen to leave the home nest, and find a place of his own, he was either granted, or purchased, property on Spring Hill, East Sandwich.

    This residence, the Wing "Fort House", has the distinction of being the oldest house in America continuously owned by the same (surnamed) family. It passed down the line, from generation to generation, until 1942 when the Wing Family of America, Inc. [WFA] purchased the homestead from Cora Wing.  Since that time, the "Fort House" has been converted into a museum and serves as the official headquarters of the WFA.

    It is believed that at one time the "Fort House" had served as a Fort for protection from the indians. An archealogical dig during the annual reunion in 2006 discovered remains of a large post, which possibly was part of a palisade fence. Some historians believe the fort was built when the town was settled in 1637. It was soon discovered that the indians living on the Cape were friendly, and the fort was not needed, so it was granted to/purchased by Stephen.  Other historians believe it was used as a Fort during King Philip's War (1675-1676). Still others feel it was never used as a fort.

    Stephen married Osheah [Oseth] Dillingham in the fall of 1646. The time of his marriage has been determined by the fact he and his wife appeared in court in March 1646/7 and fined for having a child (Nathaniel) born "at an unseasonable time after their marriage." While Osheah had other children, only Nathaniel lived to reach maturity and Osheah herself died on 29 APR 1654. A little more than ten months later, Stephen was married to Sarah Briggs, the orphan daughter of John and Katherine Briggs of Sandwich.

    Stephen, with his brother Daniel, embraced the new Quaker faith around 1658. He was repeatedly fined for his beliefs, but not to the same level that his brother faced. After the Quaker percecution ended Stephen became the Town Clerk for Sandwich. Stephen was probably the last surviving original settler of Sandwich. He died on 24 APR 1710. He almost certainly lies in an unmarked grave at the original Friends' Cemetery at Sandwich.

Stephen Wing and his first wife, Osheah Dillingham, had the following children:
Nathaniel, born before MAR 1646/7.
Ephraim, born 2 APR 1649, buried 10 DEC 1649.
Mercy, born 13 NOV 1650, presumably died young.

Stephen Wing and his second wife, Sarah Briggs, had the following children:
Stephen, born 2 SEP 1656, killed during King Philips War on 26 MAR 1676.
Sarah, born 5 FEB 1658/9
John, born 25 FEB 1661
Abigail, born 1 MAY 1664, never married.
Elisha, born 2 FEB 1668/9
Ebenezer, born 11 JUL 1671
Matthew, born 1 MAR 1673/4

Stephen Wing would marry twice like his two older brothers. He had possibly four children by Oseah Dillingham and seven children by Sarah Briggs.

1. Nathaniel Wing my 7th ggrandfather, was the only child of Stephen Wing and Oseth Dillingham to survive to adulthood. Because of Nathaniel, Oseth Dillingham's blood line would flourish through many descendants. Nathaniel, born before March 2, 1646/47, at Sandwich, Massachusetts, his birth betrayed the fact that Stephen Wing and Oseth Dillingham had recklessly enjoyed each other before marriage.  Speaking for myself, it seems to make Stephen and Oseth more human. Nathaniel married Sarah Hatch. Nathaniel moved to Falmouth, Plymouth Co., MA, about sixteen miles from Sandwich (as the crow flies)

2. Ephraim Wing, born April 2, 1649 at the Wing Fort House in Sandwich, Massachusetts. (From the Sandwich Register of Births).  Ephraim was buried December 10, 1649 according to the Sandwich Register of Marriages and Burials.

3. Mercy Wing, born November 13, 1650 at the Wing Fort House in Sandwich, Massachusetts. (From the Sandwich Register of Births,  1650). There is no further record of Mercy, therefore it is believed that she died in infancy.

4. Deborah Wing, born about 1653 at the Wing Fort House in Sandwich, Massachusetts. (not proven)

5.  Stephen Wing, the oldest child of Stephen Wing and Sarah Briggs, born September 2, 1656. Of Sandwich, Barnstable Co., MA...died in the King Philip War. Stephen Wing was born September 2, 1656 in Sandwich, Plymouth Colony to Stephen Wing and Sarah Briggs.  Stephen was certainly born in the Old Fort House...the homestead of Stephen Wing and his family.
Stephen, the oldest child born to this union, would be the first Wing to lose his life in this country, in a battle that was  described fierce and horrible...The King Phillips War of 1675. Stephen would go to his death unmarried and without issue. It seems natural to assume that his death is what caused his brother Nathaniel Wing to enlist in the war himself, joining Captain John Gorham's company (the same company Ananias Wing joined). We shall leave Stephen here, the young man who died prematurely in a war that he probably thought was so right...but like most wars, it only served to offer up our youngest and finest and it really didn't solve anything. Nonetheless, Stephen, we honor you here,  for your sacrifice and for your belief
that you were fighting to protect those you loved.

6. Sarah Wing, born February 5, 1657/58 at Sandwich, Massachusetts. Sarah Wing married Robert Gifford;Lived and died at Dartmouth, Bristol Co., Massachusetts, about twenty-eight miles from Sandwich (as the crow flies)

7. John Wing, born September 25, 1661 at Sandwich. John Wing was married three times; (1) Mary Perry, (2) Mary Banister, (3) Mary Mowry Coggeshall. Of Dartmouth, Bristol Co., MA, about twenty-eight miles from Sandwich (as the crow flies)

8. Abigail Wing, born May 1, 1664 at Sandwich, Massachusetts. Not much is known about Abigail. She never married and it is believed that she kept house for her father after her mother, Sarah Briggs died in 1689. Abigail is mentioned in her father's will of September 2, 1700, where he left her twenty shillings. There is no known record of Abigail Wing's death.

9. Elisha Wing, born December 2, 1668. Elisha married Mehitable Butler. Of Rochester, Plymouth Co., MA, seventeen  miles from Sandwich (as the crow flies)

10. Ebenezer Wing, born November 5, 1671, Ebenezer married Elizabeth Backus on February 23, 1698/99 at Sandwich. Of Sandwich, Barnstable Co., MA, died at the Wing Fort House

11. Matthew Wing, born January 1, 1673/74, born twenty-seven years after his oldest half-brother, Nathaniel Wing. Matthew married Elizabeth Mott Ricketson on September 4, 1696.

Taken from the Hamblin Family History;

"This sanguinary Indian battle, the hardships and casualties of which have few parallels, was fought December 10, 1675, Old Style; the place was in South Kington, R. I., on an island of about five acres in a swamp called Pattyswamscott, where the Indians had a fortified town. The white forces actually mustered 1,127 men, composed of six companies from Massachusetts Bay, two from Plymouth and five from Connecticut Colonies.

The previous day had been extremely cold; the snow fell fast and deep; the soldiers had marched the preceding night through tangled, pathless woods, wading through snow until nearly noon; four hundred of the men were so badly frozen as to be completely unfit for duty.

The Indians had formed a wooden fortress, the entrance to which was narrow and reached by crossing on a fallen tree. The fight lasted six hours; six of the captains of the companies were killed; of the company of Capt. Gorham, thirty were killed and forty-one wounded; but the victory was complete, and the power of the Narragansetts forever broken.

It is estimated that 700 Indian warriors were slain, besides 300 that afterwards died of wounds; not more than 300 escaped; the town was burned and the aged men and women and children were killed, perished in the flames, or starved from cold and hunger. After the battle the army waded through the snow eighteen miles before their wounds could be dressed, or refreshments obtained."

Five men from Sandwich joined Captain Michael Pearse's Plymouth County Company to engage in the defense of the colonies during the King Philip War. They were Benjamin Nye, John Gibb, Stephen Wing, Daniel Bessey, and Caleb Blake.

March 26, 1676, Captain Pearse's company was ambushed by the Narragansett Indians under Canonchet at Seekonk, and the day after the battle, the Rev. Noah Newman of Rehoboth wrote giving the names of forty-six of the unfortunate men who fell in the ambush. Among the names were those of Stephen Wing and Benjamin Nye.

The facts are told in Bodge's Soldier's of the Colonial wars, pages 331-2. The story of young Stephen, the first member of the Wing family to perish in New England in defense of his home and country, is well worth preserving.

The five recruits from Sandwich joined Captain Pearse's company, consisting of 50 whites and 20 friendly Indians all from Cape Cod. Captain Pearse was ordered to pursue the enemy who were under the personal leadership of the famous Narragansett Chief Cnoenchet. He came up with them at Seekonk and immediately made an attack. The fighting on the first day resulted in no loss to the whites, who rested that night in the village. The next day, Captain Pearse prepared for the second engagement. At a short distance from the town four or five Indians were discovered limping along as if wounded. Suspecting no treachery, the whites eagerly followed them and soon found themselves in the presence of an overwhelming force. To escape was impossible; to retreat was desperate. A furious attack ensued, and a fresh body of Indians appearing the gallant band like the Spartans at Thermoplae, were completely surrounded, and after a brave resistance of two hours, in which Captain Pearse and his men fought in a double ring, the company was annihilated, and of 50 white, 46 were slain. Thus perished young Stephen Wing in his twentieth year of age. Stephen Wing, born Sept. 2, 1656 was the first Wing to give his life for his country. Stephen was the oldest son of Stephen Wing & Sarah Briggs and one can only imagine the grief they must have felt. Ananias Wing was sent from Yarmouth to fight along the side of his cousin, Stephen Wing. Ananias, four years older than Stephen survived. It is comforting to think that perhaps Ananias stayed by Stephen while he died, perhaps he was even able to gather the body of Stephen and return it to Sandwich, to his father and mother, Stephen Wing and Sarah Briggs.

King Phillip's War was so named for the Wampanoag Chief Metacom, who was known to his European contemporaries as "King Phillip". The Wampanoag had been under constant pressure from the Plymouth Colony to surrender land and conform to English dictates. The Puritans had even imposed a tax on the tribe. No doubt blood ran hot on both sides.

When Chief Metacom (King Phillip) decided to attack, the attack was fierce and without mercy. The spring of 1675 brought to a sudden and violent end a half-century of generally cordial relations between the English settlers and the Algonquian tribes of southern New England. Mary White Rowlandson was among the captives that a contingent of Narragansetts took after they struck Lancaster, Massachusetts, a frontier community of perhaps fifty familes.

The attack occured in February of 1676.  Her experiences which were so emotionally and physically painful are expressed wonderfully in the book "PURITANS AMONG THE INDIANS". I picked the book up at my local library and found it very interesting. And while the Indian warriors could find horrible ways to punish and kill their enemy, I have to tell you that the English could be equally cruel. In August of 1676, Metacom himself was captured and executed, and his family was forced to observe his head displayed on a pole in Plymouth. Later, after much debate it was decided that the widow and son should not be executed but they were sold as slaves to the West Indies, along with hundreds of other rebels systematically hunted down and captured after Metacom's death.

Date  2Mar1647
Location  Plymouth Co., MA
Description:  He, Stephen Wing, was taken to court, because his wife, had a child, in an unseasonable amount of time, after they were married.(Pre-marital sex, was strictly forbiden.)


 The drawing of the Wing Family Fort House was made by Dave Wheelock, the caretaker of the Wing Family Fort House, which is located in Sandwich, Massachusetts. This is probably the way it looked about 1650...before the death of Stephen's first wife, Oseah Dillingham Wing. 

Nathaniel was the only surviving child of Stephen and Oseah (Dillingham) Wing to enter matrimony. He was born about 1646-7 at Sandwich. When scarcely seven years of age his mother died, leaving his father with three infant children, himself the oldest. Within a few weeks, doubtless because of the urgency of the household situation, his father brought a new wife into the home. We find no mention of Nathaniel again until October 29, 1669, when he was about twenty-two years of age, when the following appears upon the court records at Plymouth: "In reference to a shirt stolen by an Indian from Christopher Blake and sold unto Nathaniel Winge, which shirt is now in the custody of the constable of Sandwich, the Court have ordered that said Constable shall return the said shirt to Christopher Blake & to inquire the said Wings to pay 5 shillings to the said Blake in satisfaction for his trouble and charges about it, and 2 shillings & 6 pence to the said Wings be required to look up the said Indian and to bring him or cause him to be brought before some of the magistrates of this jurisdiction to answer for his said act."

The action on the part of the Court was taken as a warning and preventive to the whites from purchasing articles of predatory and wandering Indians. In order that we may fully comprehend the circumstances of Nathaniel's early life at Sandwich, it may be well to call attention that he was the grandson of Mr. Edward Dillingham, prominent in Sandwich affairs, and that his uncle was Liut. John Dillingham, who had moved to Harwich with another of Nathaniel's uncles, John Wing about 1656-7.(7401)


Nathaniel WING was born 1646 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts. He died 1722 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts. Nathaniel married Sarah HATCH on 1682 in Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts.
Sarah HATCH, daughter of Jonathan Hatch and Sarah Rowley, was born 21 Mar 1664 in Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts. She died 8 Jul 1731 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts.

From Wing Family on Rootsweb:
Nathaniel's Birth: BEF 02 MAR 1646/47 in Fort House, Sandwich, P
Death: ABT NOV 1722 in Sandwich (Pocasset, now Bourne), Barnstable, Massachusetts

Father: Stephen WING(E) b: 1621 in prob. Flushing, Zeeland, Netherlands
Mother: Ose(i)th-Os(h)ea(h) DILLINGHAM c: 10 FEB 1621/22 in Cotesbach, St. Mary, Leicester, England

Marriage 1 Sarah HATCH b: 21 MAR 1664/65 in Saconecet (now Falmouth), (now Barnstable), PC
    * Married: ABT 1685 in Suckonesset, PC

Children
   1. Keziah WING b: ABT 1686 in Sandwich, Barnstable, PC
   2. Nathaniel WING (II) b: ABT 1688 in Natty Wing House, Sandwich (Pocasset, now Bourne), Barnstable, PC
   3. Sarah WING b: ABT 1690 in Natty Wing House, Sandwich [Pocasset, now Bourne], Barnstable, PC
   4. Ebenezer WING b: 1694 in Natty Wing House, Sandwich (Pocasset, now Bourne), Barnstable, Massachusetts
   5. Hozea-Hozeth WING b: ABT 1702 in Natty Wing House, Sandwich [Pocasset, now Bourne], Barnstable, Massachusetts
   6. Mary WING b: ABT 1705 in Natty Wing House, Sandwich (Pocasset, now Bourne), Barnstable, Massachusetts
   7. Joseph WING b: 30 MAR 1709 in Natty Wing House, Sandwich (Pocasset, now Bourne), Barnstable, Massachusetts



“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 (b 1695 - 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)


(The town of Sandwich is situated at the eastern entrance of the Cape Cod Canal, with about 8 miles of beautiful coastline on Cape Cod Bay. Like Bourne, Sandwich is cut into two pieces by the canal, with a small piece of land on the canal's north side.  Sandwich is the oldest town on Cape Cod, and one of the most charming and quaint. Once famous for its glass-making, it is now a mostly residential town with beautiful white sandy beaches and plenty of open space. Sandwich has two harbors on Cape Cod Bay, and is the site of both Shawme-Crowell State Forest with its miles of hiking and horseback riding trails, and Scusset Beach State Reservation - a popular spot for swimming, fishing, and boat-watching.)
 

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)

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 18th 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)

 

3 comments:

Eric Wing said...

Found your blog very interesting.Stephen Wing is my 9th or 10th great grandfarther

Anonymous said...

Any relations to Stephen Wing of South Yarmouth, Cape Cod, who left for the California Gold Rush in 1855? "Daily Journal 1852-1860 of Stephen Wing" edited by Phyllis Gernes (lib. of Con. No:82-082716 and writings are at the Bancroft library in Berkeley.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for posting this. Stephen Wing and Oseah Dillingham were my 10th great grandparents. It is always nice to find cousins. Many blessings to you! - Nick