JSW was 24 years old when he married Signa Lunden. So far, in his 24 years he has one legal marriage & one divorce, one bigamous marriage & two children, Adelia & Byron under his belt. All evidence indicates that Signa was unaware of JSW's history. The most significant evidence of Signa's complete and utter naïveté is the fact that JSW changed his name to Joseph Wing Smith around the time he met her. In fact, reread Letter # 2...it is in that letter in the spring of 1854 that he directs Rebecca to write to him at Black River Falls and address the envelope to Dr. J. W. Smith.

Main Street, Black River Falls, Wisconsin, circa late 1800's
Jackson County Historical Society

The History of the Smith (Wing) family in Wisconsin

Newspaper Article....FIRST NORWEGIAN SETTLERS IN TREMPEALEAU COUNTY

Signa Lunden would change her name to Sarah and the family would change the family name of Lunden to Anderson. It seemed the easiest and quickest way to assimilate to the American way of life was to change your foreign sounding names to something more American. Joseph Smith Wing on the other hand, changed his name for other reasons and he now became Joseph Wing Smith. All the evidence indicates that JSW had found the perfect wife in gentle Signa who was a young, innocent, Norwegian girl, just happy to have married such a fine man who seemed to be very successful.

In the meantime things were not going so well back in Pike County, Illinois. Rebecca Davis Wing has reclaimed Adelia from the indenture that was agreed upon by Stephen Wing. For whatever reason, Rebecca does not reclaim her son, Byron.

Stephen relinquished custody of Adelia to Rebecca on February 17, 1856.

June 8, 1856, Rebecca Pierce Davis Wing marries Jacob T. Cheek at Pike County, Illinois. June 8th seems to have been a marrying day for Rebecca. That is the same date she married JSW in 1848. I sincerely believe that Rebecca chose this date to remarry for a reason...and that reason was probably to spite JSW.

August 5, 1856, Rebecca gives up custody of her daughter, Adelia Wing and Adelia is made a ward of the state of Illinois.

Amy Wing, grandmother to Adelia takes custody.

We may never know what was going on with Rebecca for her to seemingly be so casual about her daughter's well being. It may be that Rebecca mental state was precarious, hopefully more research will enlighten us.

In the meantime Joseph & Signa returned to Trempealeau Valley in the summer of 1856. This is where Signa's family had settled and what is often described as a "Garden of Eden." So, while JSW's daughter, Adelia is being tossed here and there and his young son is living with his Uncle, Stephen Wing, JSW is looking to claim his own piece of heaven with his 3rd wife, seemingly unconcerned about events at Pike County, Illinois.

Unfortunately for Signa, other events are transpiring that will change her life forever. For now I want to leave her at Trempealeau Valley, pregnant with her first son, happily engaged in setting up a home with her new husband.