PROGRAMME

Tuesday, August 16, 1927

important part of the session was the annual report of the president which I

11 A. M.-Preliminary Business Meeting. Reports, announcements, appointment of committees. 1:45 P. M.-Meeting in Spring Hill Meeting House, visit to cemetery where many early Wings lie buried. 2:30 P. M.-Visit to Old Wing Homes in Sandwich, The Old Fort House owned by Alvin P. Wing, and others. 3:30 P. M.-Visit to the home of Asa S. Wing near Lake Shawme. 7:30 P. M.-Programme in Federated Church. Social greetings, impromptu reception, address by the President of the Family, singing of family songs, illustrated lecture by William H. Tripp of New Bedford on "Whaling Past and Present."

Wednesday, August 17, 1927 8:45 A. M.-Leave by automobile for Fairhaven.

11:00 A. M.-Visit Rogers Memorial Buildings and Fort Phoenix. Swimming.

12:00 Noon-Clambake at Whitefield's pavilion, Fort Phoenix.

1:30 P. M.-Motor to Round Hills to see the "Morgan", a whaling bark. 3:00 P. M.-Motor to the home of Herbert Wing at Seathrift Farm, informal reception by the President and his family.

4:30 P. M.-Leave for Sandwich. 7:45 P. M.-Young Peoples' Programme in Sandwich Town Hall, followed by dancing.

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Thursday, August 18, 1927 9:00 A. M.-Directors' Meeting Federated Church. 10:00 A. M.-Business meeting and election of officers, in Federated

Church.

1:30 P. M. Various excursions to places of interest in neighboring towns. 2:30 P. M.-Genealogical Meetings in Federated Church.

7:00 P. M.-Banquet and closing exercises in parlors of Federated Church. We were busy greeting the cousins of former reunions, as well as those who were with us for the first time, until eleven A. M. when the meeting was called to order by the president, Herbert Wing, Jr., of Carlisle, Penn. The most

businesslike and carries with it many valuable suggestions.

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Address of the President of the Wing Family of America, Incorporated Fellow-Members of the Wing Family: Twenty-five years have now passed since the first of the Wing reunions in Sandwich. Although many changes have come with the passing years, there has been steady holding to the ideals of the first reunion, to stimulate interes! in family history and to do honor to the memory of those who in earlier days strove that we might benefit. We have been fortunate in being able to return repeatedly to a town so pleasant as Sandwich and to meet with friends of other names that are so hospitable. We want to repeat what has been said on many an earlier reunion that we are glad again to meet in the old Cape town where our ancestors labored beside our townsmen to secure liberty of conscience and to perform the duties of American citizens.

What has kept the family organization alive for a quarter century has been not only the supposed ties of often distant relationship and descent from common ancestors three hundred years back but the spirit of common interest in the past and the recognition of the need of sturdy service on the part of each member to accomplish the ends to which we set ourselves. During the past year I have personally experienced the loyalty of the officers and others in trying to maintain the Wing Family as a centre of genealogical interest. Time would fail if I were to mention the names of my associates who have contributed to the accomplishment of this task. I must however mention Mrs. Parker, our secretary, who has been toiling at a double task, her own, and that of editor of the Owl. And if now she asks to be relieved of the latter, I feel we should thank her for her services so freely given.

The publication of the Owl has been continued, despite the disorganization that followed the sudden death of the late editor and the difficulty of dealing with a printing firm fifteen hundred

miles away.

The general character of the contents has been maintained, but it has been impossible to resume the writing of the genealogy. Much of the material has been collected from various places and is now on file in Sandwich. What is ready for publication I do not know; but I understand that there is a considerable amount of relevant matter still left in Kewaunee. To the continuance of the Owl and the genealogy we should bend our next efforts.

The financial support of the Owl has been uncertain owing to the large number of subscribers who have not kept up their payments, either of subscription or membership dues. As we are gradually getting the lists into order we hope to reduce this number of unpaid subscriptions; but for this we need the assistance of all members of the family. Particularly do we need help in interesting new people to take the places of those who discontinue their Owls. The details of the situation will be given you in a few minutes by the editor.

The format of the magazine has suggested the possibility of reducing expenses by changing the size to conform to the more usual types of paper and print and by adding advertising matter. I do not doubt that many of the members of the family would gladly assist in this latter way to assure the magazine of its stability and enlarge the circle of people acquainted with the articles they wish to advertise. The question of the place to publish the magazine depends naturally on the location of the new editor. It seems logical to select a place not too remote from the editorial headquarters.

For a year a committee has been working on the selection of an editor. That committee will be given an opportunity to report in a few minutes. Meanwhile I wish to state that the secretary of the Family has in addition to her other duties been carrying the burdens of editorship and done well. She asks that she be relieved at this time, and a permanent editor chosen. May I add that the lateness in the publication of the June Owl was not due to her, but partly to the need of securing information from the directors regarding the reunion and the consequent delay in delay in preparing matter for publication, and

partly to the standing arrangement we have had with the printing company whereby they work in the Owl matter when they have slackness of other work. A change in our arrangements seems to me to be necessary.

Another phase of the activities of the past year is the revival of a system in use in the early years of our family history, the institution of state deputies. Something like twenty-eight states have been organized with local officers appointed to create interest in the National organization and to transmit to the National Secretary information of importance and common interest. If this newly established group of officers justifies the hopes of those who instituted them, there is every ground for thinking that new recruits will constantly be added to the Wing standard.

The practice of the organization has for years been out of accord with the by-laws. This is due largely to the interruption of our meetings from 1914 to 1921. I suggest that some attention be paid to amending the rules or conforming to them.

When the family was incorporated, a purpose suggested in the charter was the erection of a memorial building to house Wing relics of historical interest and to commemorate the settlement of the Wings in Sandwich. A considerable sum was raised in the early years of the organization, but for nearly a score of years no additions have been made to the Building Fund while the costs of building have mounted steadily. Various proposals have been made but none has won general acceptance. This Building Fund ought to be either used for its original purpose or if some other plan seems wiser and legal, we should decide on that.

Last year the decision as to the time and place of holding the reunion was left to the decision of the officers and directors with the suggestion that there should be a reunion in 1927 and in the third week of August. The larger number of those who had formed opinions favored Sandwich. Hence our meeting here in the old Cape town today.

I believe we should return to the older custom of holding reunions in alternate years and determine in the general business meeting the place, leaving perhaps

to the board of directors and the officers the power of changing if it seemed wise. Places that have been suggested are Maine, Lynn, Providence, Springfield, and New Bedford and Sandwich. There are doubtless many other regions that have not been the scene of reunions which might be worth considering. There are groups of Wings living in the vicinity of Minneapolis, of Philadelphia, of Washington, not to mention the places in the far West. The experience those of us who attended the reunion in 1912 in Chicago points to the value of holding a reunion in a large city and of arousing interest in a new group of kins

men.

Though the time is still remote, I think we might do well to begin to form our plans for the celebration of the tercentenary of the landing of Mother Deborah Wing and her sons in Boston June 5, 1632. It does not fall to the lot of all American families to observe such a length of citizenship.

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The future of our organization lies in the hands of the younger members of our group. Special effort ought to be devoted to securing their interest and participation in the affairs of the family. Some one has suggested that might wisely develop such interest by establishing prizes for essays on Wing Family History and encourage our children to learn of the worthy men and women who have preceded them.

Among those who in the past twentyfive years have contributed to the success of our family organization there are two whose efforts to edit the Owl are of supreme value. There is probably no one here who does not understand that I refer to Colonel George W. Wing of Kewaunee and to Mary Gertrude Wing of Wareham. Since it has been my particular privilege to be associated with them both during most of the last fifteen years, I want to say a word about them now.

Colonel Wing was one of the group who helped to formulate plans for the first reunion, he was elected President of the family when the articles of incorporation had been taken and the second reunion was held and continued to act as President until his death in 1924: he performed the invaluable service of publishing for twenty odd years years the

family magazine, and he created order out of confusion by beginning in 1913, the publication of the "History and Genealogy of the Wing Family" and continuing the account until at his death it included the names of 6640 persons and the record of many of those now living. He marked out the lines which our organization has followed. We owe to him a great debt of gratitude.

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From his early years as President he was assisted by many a member of the family, John Mansir Wing of Chicago, Mitchell Wing of Boston, Albert Thomas Wing of Palmer, Uncle Abram of the Oblong, George Wing Sisson of Potsdam, to mention only a few who deceased; but his work was most directly taken up by Mary Gertrude Wing of Wareham. This dear kinswoman served in many posts, but was especially active as secretary, then as vice-president. and then as continuator of the Owl. Although she died just before the reunion last year, we all felt her unseen presence at the meeting. She worked faithfully and efficiently. Her personal influence was strong and devoted. We miss her greatly. Those of us who are left behind can do best by trying to continue her work as she would wish us to do. Thus I feel that on this first opportunity I have had to speak as the official head of the Wing Family of America I should ask you to seek inspiration from the lives of our pioneers.

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As the assembled members left the Federated Church in which all our meetings were held a photographer "took” the crowd at large, also the two from Seattle, Washington, with an exclusive background-the Wing coat of arms.

After dinner we went on our pilgrimage to old Wing shrines. Enroute, we passed "Christopher's Hollow," a natural amphitheater in the woods where our fore-fathers met for worship according to the dictates of their own conscience. Here we paused and paid a tribute to the memory of all those whose worship there in years gone by had been an influence for good to their children's children even unto us. Also to pay tribute to those who since our last reunion have gone on before.

G. Myron Allen read from an old

"Owl" the story of Christopher Holder who was zealous in the Friends' faith in those early days of intolerance and who labored here so earnestly. He gave a concise and forceful statement of Friends' belief showing wherein that faith, three hundred years ago, so unusual to all other beliefs is now permeating the religious thought of today.

Our next stop of great interest, the "Old Fort House", found Cousin Alvin and daughter, Cora, with ready hospitality to welcome us.

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Next, the old Stephen Wing housethe home of Asa Wing-was literally opened to us from cellar to attic-the latter being the delight of all, as the time spent there by most of the company attested. The whole place is veritable treasure house of old time curios, the intimate sight and touch of which is a cherished privilege. Here the Wings partook of refreshments-Mr. and Mrs. Wing distributing with a generous hand. From here, some went up the green hillside to view the tablet tablet marking the site of Daniel's early home, only a short distance from brother Stephen's. The evening followed with impromptu reception. social greetings and the President's address, singing of family songs and a very interesting illustrated lecture on: "Whaling, Past and Present" by William H. Tripp of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

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By-Paths of Wing Genealogy by

Herbert Wing, Jr.

The study of genealogy impresses the novitiate much as work in the artillery corps did Bill Streeter of "You Know Me, Mabel" fame. He was told you remember that the big guns are aimed at an object which none of the gunners can see. He commented that he had seen that sort of shooting done in the circuses but he thought that it would be a little better to begin practice with plain shooting before going in for this fancy stuff! So with the beginner in genealogy, the ways of the worker seem to be along by-paths exclusively and that there is no straight away travelling on main roads. There is much truth in that point of view because the genealogist has to be a kind of pioneer. His work is accomplished before the line of

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descent is made smooth and clear. thought that some of you this evening would be interested in the work of these pioneers in the history of the Wing Family.

The first systematic work in this field, apart from incomplete studies in Freeman's History of Cape Cod, and local or county histories, was done by the Reverend Conway P. Wing of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He published in 1881 "A Historical and Genealogical Register of John Wing of Sandwich, Mass., and his Descendants. 1662-1881". This contained seven hundred seventyfive notices. This book was published in an enlarged and revised form in 1888, and forms the starting point of all later investigations. Dr. Wing established the main lines of descent and gathered a good deal of information that was used in the work published in the Owl. Being a pioneer, Dr. Wing fell into several errors, including two of major importance. He confused John Wing of Yarmouth with his father the Reverend John Wing. This led him to the conclusion that the husband of Deborah Wing accompanied her in that long voyage across the Atlantic in 1632 and that the allusions to John Wing in Sandwich records of 1637 and following were to him. Colonel George W. Wing of Kewaunee, Wisconsin, began in 1913 to publish in the Owl a systematic account of the Wing Family. His investigations led him to the conclusion that Deborah Bachiler who came to Boston in 1632 with her father the Reverend Stephen Bachiler was in fact the widow of the Reverend John Wing of Flushing, an English clergyman of considerable note at the time. He established this fact neatly in the following manner. You will notice the varied kinds of material he had to use. He found an entry in the Public Records Office, London, giving permission to pass beyond the seas to "Deborah Wynge-wife of Mr. John Wynge, preacher, resident in Vlishing,with her two children-" This was dated 1624. This same paper mentioned a daughter Deborah and son Stephen who accompanied their mother across the channel, and it gave their ages. The will of the Reverend John Wing mentions the same mother and daughter, and gives corroborative evidence. Since