1. Full name of husband |
Samuel Joseph Wing |
2. Name of the father of said husband |
Matthias Wing |
3. Name of the mother of said husband |
Elizabeth Wing |
4. Occupation of said husband |
Law student |
5. Residence of husband |
Alma, Jackson Co., Wisconsin |
6. Birthplace of husband |
Detroit, Pike Co., Illinois |
7. Full name of the wife previous to marriage |
Elizabeth Jane Wright |
8. Name of the father of said wife |
Phineas Wright |
9. Name of the mother of said wife |
Amanda Wright |
10. The time when the marriage was consumated |
June 24, 1860 |
11. The place, town or township, and county, where the marriage was consumated |
Alma, Jackson Co., Wisconsin |
12. The color |
White |
13. By what ceremony consumated |
Gales short form |
14. Name of the person pronouncing marriage |
B. F. Johnson |
15. Residence of person last name |
Alma, Jackson Co., Wisconsin |
16. Name of person signing the certificate |
B. F. Johnson |
17. Date of certificate |
June 24, 1860 |
18. Date of registration |
July 24, 1860 |
Samuel Joseph Wing
13 August 1842 - 23 January 1918 Samuel Joseph Wing was born August 13th, 1842, in Detroit, Pike County, Illinois. He was the second of four sons born to Matthias and Elizabeth Chenoweth Wing. His father, Matthias Wing, was the son of Joseph and Amy Pettis Wing. He was born in Lucerne, New York on November 28th, 1813. His parents removed first to Pennsylvania and then in 1826 to Trumbull County, Ohio. Ten years later in 1836 they settled in Pike County, Illinois. Matthias married Elizabeth Chenoweth, daughter of Samuel Chenoweth of Virginia, on December 24th, 1837. Together they had four sons, all born in Pike County, Illinois. After her death on September 11th, 1848, Matthias married Levina Fletcher. There were no children by this second marriage. Matthias Wing was known as a man with strict morals, an honest man in all his dealings, devout in worship and beloved by all who knew him. He was proud of the fact that he knew, and split rails with, Abraham Lincoln in the state of Illinois. He was a farmer by occupation. Elizabeth Chenoweth Wing, mother of Samuel Joseph, was of French descent. She was a small woman in stature with beautiful dark eyes and jet black, curly hair. She died when her fourth son, Norman Allan Wing, was 10 days old. This left Matthias a widower with a large farm and four small children to raise. He hired a Negro man and his wife to help run the farm and care for his children. Samuel well remembered his Negro "mammy" who would often bribe him with a large slice of bread with molasses on it to rock the baby in the cradle while she tended to her daily chores. Samuel's early education was at White Hall College in Green County, Illinois. In about 1859 at the age of seventeen, he went up into the lumber camps of Wisconsin to keep books for a Mr. Phineas Wright, a wealthy sawmill operator. His intentions were to earn enough money to attend medical school and receive his degree as a Medical Doctor. When the winter snows closed the sawmill, he accepted a position as school teacher in the local school at Hardscrabble, Wisconsin. Elizabeth Jane Wright, daughter of his former employer, Phineas Wright, was also teaching in the same school. They became interested in each another and were married at the end of the school year June 24th, 1860. Through the efforts of LDS missionaries, Samuel accepted the gospel and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was baptized on March 2nd, 1862, by Elder Moses Cora, and confirmed March 24th, 1862, by Elder Jonathan Griffith. His father-in-law, Phineas Wright had been a convert to the church some years before, but following the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, he aligned himself with the Strangite sect. He was a devoted follower of James J. Strang who claimed that Joseph Smith had appointed him his successor nine days before his death. Strang and his followers were rejected by the main body of the LDS church who later settled in the Salt Lake Valley. The Strangites gathered in Voree, Wisconsin and later at Beaver Island in the northern part of Lake Michigan. When Strang was assassinated by two of his former followers in 1856, many of the sects members, including Phineas, returned to their former homes in Wisconsin. It appears that Phineas still held kind feelings toward the LDS missionaries as he allowed them to preach and hold meetings in his home. It was in his father-in-law's home that Samuel Joseph Wing was taught and accepted the gospel. And shortly after his baptism in 1862, began to make arrangements to join the saints in the Rocky Mountains. They joined an ox train led by Captain Lewis Brunson. Traveling with them was his uncle, Joseph Smith Wing (named after the doctor who delivered him and not the Mormon Prophet), his wife Sarah Wright (sister of Samuel's wife Elizabeth) and their two children, James Strang Wing and Adelia Wing. Like his nephew, Joseph Smith Wing was a recent convert to the LDS church. Also in this company was Samuel's sixteen-year-old brother, and recent convert, John William Wing. Family tradition says that John William had hidden himself away in the immigrant wagon train and kept hid until he had walked his shoes off his feet and they were too far out on the Iowa plains to send him back. They arrived in Salt Lake City on August 29th, 1862. By this time, cities and towns were being established throughout the territory, and the leaders were calling for able teachers to go to these new settlements to teach science, philosophy, religion and music. Brigham Young called Samuel to go to Draper, a small settlement 17 miles south of Salt Lake City, to assist John R. Parks, who was at that time principal of the school. A fast friendship developed between these two teachers which lasted throughout their lives. In June 1867, Samuel was called to go to Sanpete County to help quell the Indian uprising under Chief Black Hawk. This was just a few weeks before his daughter Amanda was born and since his wife's health was so poor he was unable to go. But having a nice team of horses, he sent one with his neighbor who was going on foot. During one of the skirmishes with the Indians however, the animal was shot from under its rider and killed. In 1868, John R. Parks was called to be president of the University of Utah, and Samuel was called to establish a school at Fort Harriman. Here it was that he was recommended by Bishop Ensign I. Stocking as one worthy to live the law of plural marriage. This proved to be a trial of his and Elizabeth's faith. Both found the doctrine difficult to accept, but through faith, fasting and prayer, the truth of this principle and God's purpose in instituting it, were revealed to them and they consented to live it. On January 22nd, 1872, he took as his second wife, Harriet Amanda Stocking. She died May 29th, 1875, of consumption and "child bed fever" shortly after giving birth to their second child, Joseph John Wing. Their infant son followed his mother in death on August 5th, 1875, of the same disease. In September 1875, just a few months after the death of his second wife, Samuel received a call from Brigham Young to move his family to Heber City and open a school for the benefit of the young people whose parents were settling the Upper Provo River Valley. He was also instructed to teach the people music and take charge of the music in all their public meetings. This appointment was made by recommendation from his old friend John R. Parks. Accordingly, he purchased a farm about four miles from Heber and moved his first wife and family there. Samuel was a talented musician. He played the violin and the flute and taught vocal music as well as sight reading. His music classes were held in the evening and all were invited to attend, especially the young people, who responded gratefully and seemed to enjoy "singing class" immensely. All of his music classes, both instrumental and vocal, were free of charge. His day school was located in the one central building. Besides being used as a school it was also the meeting house for religious services, city hall, ballroom and theater. He had enrolled about forty students the first winter and each was required to pay $3.00 per month. Widows' children attended free. This tuition was payable in advance and in lieu of money, items such as wheat, potatoes, flour, molasses, butter, meat and firewood were taken. It has been said that the school teacher's salary of those days, instead of being drawn on the bank, was drawn on a wheelbarrow! He was called to be the superintendent of Sunday Schools in Heber City, first serving under bishop Abram Hatch. When the Wasatch Stake was organized in 1877, he was appointed stake superintendent, where he served for many years. In the Fall of 1876, Samuel was called to fulfill a mission for the Church and was sent to his native state of Illinois. He was a successful missionary, and his labors were rewarded in many and varied ways. One of his converts was his own father, Matthias, who was baptized on July 15th, 1877. Matthias was at this time a widower, his second wife Levina having died a year earlier. When Samuel was issued a release from his mission in 1877, he persuaded his father to return with him to Utah. Now that his father was with him, Samuel felt he could get a larger farm and with the two of them he could continue to teach school in the winter and farm in the summer. He took up a tract of 160 acres on Daniels' Creek and on November 9th, 1877, he moved his family on it. Ten days later his wife Elizabeth died, leaving him with six children. The oldest was twelve years old, the youngest, fifteen months. He did not remain a widower for long, for on December 19th, 1878, he married Jennett Brown Aird in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. She was twenty-one years old and of Scottish descent. Four years after their marriage, she died, leaving two little girls; Jennie, age three, and Rosabell, age six weeks. A third daughter, Rose Mary, was born to this marriage on March 12th, 1881, but died a few weeks later on April 5th, 1881. By 1884, Samuel had sold the farm and moved his family back to Heber City. He began to grow tired of the school room and saw a good opportunity in the livestock industry. With his son Samuel, they started out in the sheep business by leasing a herd of sheep belonging to a widow, Mrs. Slater of Tooele. The agreement was to care for her sheep, receiving eight lambs out of every hundred, and one pound of wool out of every hundred for their pay. They ran this herd for three years, at the end of which, he had a nice herd of his own. They then took John Murdock's herd for two or three years more. By this time, he had enough to start out on his own and before long, Samuel was prospering in the sheep business. On November 6th, 1885, in the Logan temple, he married Mrs. Martha Allison, a widow with five children. This marriage too was of short duration, for three years later, Martha died leaving him a widower once again. Almost a year later, on October 2nd, 1889, he married Sarah Gold Duke, a widow with seven children. The following year he sold the farm in Heber and moved to American Fork. He lived there for six months and then moved to Lehi where he lived about eight years. During his time in Lehi, his father Mathias died on August 22nd, 1896, and was buried in the Lehi cemetery. By about 1898, adversity struck with an economic depression. It was a difficult time for the sheep men when nearly all who were engaged in the sheep business failed. Samuel lost nearly all his earthly possessions except for a small home in American Fork. He was forced to go to work at the new mining camp at Mercur, Utah, where for a few years he worked for day wages to earn enough to support himself, his wife and two stepdaughters, Geneva Mabelle and Golda Ina. In the year 1901 when the Latter-day Saints were colonizing Canada, he again went forth as a pioneer of a new country, hoping to acquire something for his old age. He first settled in Raymond, Alberta, later moving to Taber. There he took up a farm and established himself in church and civic affairs. After a few years, his two youngest daughters were married and on February 9th, 1911, he buried his fifth wife. Age and adverse circumstances were against him and after 13 years in Canada, he returned to the United States to live with his daughter, Janet Wing Rooker, in Albion, Idaho. During the fall of 1915 he secured a job as weigh master at the weighing station for sugar beets at Brigham City, Utah, residing at the home of his stepson, Moroni Duke. After some time, he went to live with his daughter, Sarah Alice Wing Jacobs, at Sugar City, Idaho. He had lived there about a year when he suffered a paralytic stroke and passed away a few weeks later on January 23rd, 1918. At the time of his death, he had five living children from his first marriage, three surviving children from his other marriages, 51 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. His body was taken to Heber City, Utah, for burial. The funeral service was held in the Stake Tabernacle which was filled with friends and relatives. Six years before his death he was asked to write something of himself to be published in the "Owl," the Wing family publication, he wrote: "I am a teacher, shepherd and farmer. Am still active in the Sabbath School and MIA and other organizations among the young people. I have spent my life pioneering. Have made no great noise in the world, but have kept busy doing all the good and as little harm as circumstances and ability would permit." The family of Samuel Joseph Wing Samuel Joseph WING born: 13 Aug. 1842, Detroit, Pike, Illinois died: 23 Jan 1918, Sugar City, Idaho spouse: Elizabeth Jane WRIGHT born: 3 Mar 1842, Hardscrabble, Grant, Wisconsin marr: 24 Jun. 1860, Black River Falls, Jackson, Wisconsin died: 19 Nov. 1877, Heber, Wasatch, Utah children: Elvira Mellissa WING (b. 21 Aug. 1865, d. 14 Dec. 1954) Amy Elizabeth WING (b. 22 Aug. 1865, d. 13 Sep. 1942) Amanda WING (b. 9 Aug. 1867, d. 15 May 1956) Samuel Mathias WING (b. 15 Aug. 1870, d. 10 Dec. 1920) Phineas John WING (b. 2 Dec. 1872, d. 5 Dec. 1872) Sarah Alice WING (b. 18 May 1874, d. 5 Jan 1950) Elizabeth Jane WING (b. 26 Jul. 1876, d. 13 Aug. 1893) spouse: Harriet Amanda STOCKING born: 14 Dec. 1857, Herriman, Salt Lake, Utah marr: 22 Jan. 1872, Herriman, Salt Lake, Utah died: 29 May 1875, Herriman, Salt Lake, Utah children: Mariah Adaline WING (b. 22 Oct. 1872, d. 9 Feb 1901) Joseph John WING (b. May 1875, d. 5 Aug. 1875) spouse: Janet Brown AIRD born: 1 Oct. 1857, Salt Lake City, Utah marr: 19 Dec. 1878, Salt Lake City, Utah died: 22 Mar 1882, Heber, Wasatch, Utah children: Janet Elizabeth WING (b. 18 Sep. 1879, d. 29 Jun. 1969) Rose Mary WING (b. 12 Mar 1881, d. 5 Apr. 1881) Rosabell WING (b. 24 Feb. 1882, d. 17 Aug. 1883) spouse: Martha Howarth Allison born: 15 Jul. 1852, West Houton, Lancaster, England marr: 6 Nov. 1885, Logan, Cache, Utah died: 8 Feb 1888, Heber, Wasatch, Utah step-children: Lorenzo Howarth Allison (b. 23 Aug. 1871, d. 16 Jun. 1955) John William Allison (b. 9 Jan. 1873, d. 20 Oct. 1952) Mathilda Allison (b. 11 Oct. 1875, d. 13 May 1962) Alexander Allison (b. 5 Aug. 1877, d. 23 Feb. 1943) Orson Allison (b. 10 Dec. 1879, d. 24 Apr. 1924) spouse: Sarah Gold Montgomery Shelton Duke born: 10 Jun 1849, Irvine, Ayr, Scotland marr: 2 Oct. 1889, Heber, Wasatch, Utah died: 7 Feb. 1911, Taber, Alberta, Canada step-children/children: Moroni Duke (b. 15 Aug. 1867, d. 13 Aug. 1868) Mary Jane Duke (b. 11 Sep. 1868, d. 5 Oct. 1885) John Turner Duke (b. 8 Nov. 1870, d. 6 Apr. 1926) Moroni Jonathan Duke (b. 7 Jul. 1872, d. 31 Dec. 1929) Sarah Phenia Duke (b. 19 Nov. 1874, d. 12 Jan. 1958) James Washington Duke (b. 1 Jul. 1876, d. 2 Jul. 1934) Sebert Murray Shelton (b. 5 Feb. 1885, d. unknown) Elizabeth Shelton (b. before 1889, d. unknown) Geneva Mabel Wing (b. 27 Apr 1891, d. unknown) Golda Ina Wing (b. 19 Nov 1892, d. unknown) Sources: Biographical Sketch of Samuel Joseph Wing, Pioneer to Utah, by his granddaughter, Bertha Nicholes Sager. Given to the American Fork Camp of The Daughters of Utah Pioneers, May 10, 1940. How Beautiful Upon the Mountains, Heber Biographies, pp 500, 501. Obituary Notice of Samuel Joseph Wing, Salt Lake Tribune, February 1918. LDS Church records of Lehi, Utah ward; 1851-1903; FHL #889413. LDS Church records of Taber, Alberta ward; 1904-1947; FHL #105389. |