Joseph Wing, son of John Wing and Wife Unknown married Jerusha Mayhew on April 12, 1672 either at Sandwich, Plymouth Colony or Martha's Vineyard. The records of Yarmouth have their marriage recorded as April 12, 1676, then altered to read "1672". Following this is a record of the birth of John Wing, son of Joseph, born 6th of June, 1676. The date of the year is again erased and the following words added, "7 yrs old next Jany, '90." These records were probably entered after the family moved from either Sandwich or Martha's Vineyard to Yarmouth, Plymouth Colony.
I don't know what to make of the altered court records. Family historians tend to agree that even after all of the evident mistakes made in the records, that the overworked Town Clerk must have written "90" when he meant the year "80"...or adversely, I guess the clerk could have meant to write "17 next Jany" instead of "7". Either way, it appears as though whoever was relating these dates had a horrible memory or the Town Clerk was a horrible transcriber. Either way, Wing family historians have agreed that Joseph & Jerusha were married in 1672 and that their oldest son Joseph was born in 1672/73...January 6th.
Jerusha was born in Edgartown (now Dukes Co.), Martha's Vineyard (now in Massachusetts) about 1654. She was the daughter of Rev. Thomas Mayhew Jr. and Jane Paine. After Joseph Wing's death in 1679, Jerusha remained a widow for 4 years...when she married for the 2nd time to Thomas Eaton of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Jerusha and her children by Joseph Wing, moved to Shrewsbury, New Jersey with Thomas Eaton. Jerusha Mayhew Wing Eaton died after October, 1717 in Shrewsbury, New Jersey.
Rev. Thomas Mayhew Jr. ,Jerusha's father, was the son of Governor Thomas Mayhew. His sister, Jerusha's aunt, Martha Mayhew married Thomas Tupper, son of Captain Thomas Tupper and they lived in Sandwich. Jerusha's brother, Thomas Mayhew, married Sarah Skiff, the daughter of James Skiff of Sandwich.
There is some evidence that Joseph and Jerusha Wing lived at Sandwich, Plymouth Colony for a short time around the year 1675. There is an entry in the records of the town of Sandwich in 1675 when the town voted to record the names "of all those who can make appear their just right to the privileges of the town." Fifty-two names were entered and among them were Daniel Wing, Joseph Wing, Thomas Wing and Stephen Wing. There is no other known Joseph Wing at the time, other than Joseph Wing, the son of John Wing of Yarmouth.
There have been no probate records found for Joseph Wing. Joseph and Jerusha had 3 known children during their short marriage which was ended tragically by Joseph's death:
1. John Wing (Joseph Wing, John Wing, Rev. John Wing, Matthew Wing) was born January 6, 1673, place of birth is uncertain. Some family historians claim that John was born in Yarmouth, and some claim that he was born in Sautucket (now Harwich-Brewster). John was born January 6, 1672/73. "John Wing the son of Joseph wing borne the 6th of January (1676 erased) 7 yr old Next Janry 90". (Yarmouth, Plymouth Colony records).
I can almost see some busy town clerk, taking down information given to him by Joseph Wing, who like most men had no concept of dates...when the town clerk asks Joseph his date of marriage, Joseph says, "1676, no, not 1676, 1672."...and then the next question would be..."When was your son John born?" Once again, like most men, John can't remember...and we see another erasure and the words added "7 yr old Next Janry 90".
There is no further mention of John Wing...it is assumed by family historians
that he died young. John is not mentioned in his step-father's will which
was written November 11, 1689. John's brother, Joseph, is mentioned in the
will.