ExhibitA1

This page is dedicated to Jane Bonny. Jane wrote me three or four years ago to tell me that she had found 3 letters at the Pike County Courthouse in Pittsfield, Illinois that were written by Joseph Smith Wing to his wife, Rebecca Davis Wing.

As far as we can tell, all 3 of the letters were written around the same time, although we don't know in what sequence. The divorce papers that also remain at the Pike County Courthouse labeled the letters as Exhibits A, B & C. From that we can only assume that Rebecca told the court in what sequence the letters arrived. What you see here is the one that was labeled Exhibit A.

The letter reads;

PAGE ONE

Well Rebecca I now take my pen in hand to address you a few lines which makes my heart shudder but to ease my conscience must do it so prepare yourself for news for the most horable kind which I must relate. I tell you I am a reck of the most damnable kind and when I think of my career and then of my children it allmost runs me destracted but fate decreas otherwise but Oh heaven forgive the past so I must commence my narrative. Last summer I done well and gained a respectable name but wasn't satisfied and I commit a crime that banished me from all my former acquaintances but Oh God, protect my babes for I feel as tonge nor pen can express. I married a girl the fifth of of September and lived with her some three months when we disagreed and parted. I shall never see her again. If you want to know farther particulars, write to Frances E. Jarrad, Bradford, Chokasaw, Iowa.

PAGE TWO

I then went to Brighton and from thence god only knows Take good care of adelia and byron I shal send you some money in the spring. Keep your cow by all meanes Tell Charley he must help you, tell him * and mother that to help take care of adelia and byron and I will pay for the charge if I live and if I die if there is a god he will pay the reward for God allmighty and the childrens sake don't let them go to the Davises never let them to a ball for they had better go to their grave. Live a Christian life and bring up the children free from vice kind words and praise will do more than the rod deal gently with the children. The next news you have from me I shall bring myselfe
Farewell
Rebecca.

*...sometime his handwriting is hard to read. And the part where it says "tell him and mother," could also be "tell Ben and mother."

An almost constant theme in the letters to Rebecca is that she deal gently with her children which only makes you wonder if she did take things out on her children...if so I cannot imagine what Joseph Smith Wing would think she might do when she got this letter.

We do not know at this time why Joseph Smith Wing was so opposed to his wife taking their children around the Davis family. My goodness, Rebecca was a Davis family member herself. Hopefully, someday, we will find out.

The "Charley," that Joseph Smith Wing refers to would have to be his brother, Charles Wing who was born January 29, 1829, which made him about 20 months older than Joseph Smith Wing. Charles was married to Helen Foreman on April 3, 1845, so they were married when this letter was written. They may have lived at Pike County with Amy Pettis Wing who was the mother of Joseph Smith Wing & Charles Wing.

The more I look at the letter, the more I think that Joseph Smith Wing is writing "Ben," instead of "him," where he says "tell ___ and mother." If he did write "Ben," that would be his younger brother, Benjamin Franklin Wing, who was born August 16, 1833. Ben would have been about 21 years old when this letter was written.