Austin Eli Wing (1792 - 1849)

Born 3 Feb 1792 in Conway, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 27 Aug 1849 at age 57 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Diane Godlewski [send private message]

Biography

Biography from Find-a-Grave Memorial for Austin Eli Wing, Memorial 21377737

US Congressman. His family moved to Marietta, Ohio when he was a boy. He attended Ohio's Athens College and in 1814 graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts. Wing then relocated to Michigan Territory and settled in Detroit.

He served as private secretary to Territorial Governor Lewis Cass and studied law with future Governor and US Senator William Woodbridge. He was then admitted to the bar and became one of early Michigan's most prominent attorneys while also serving as Wayne County Sheriff.

In 1824 he was elected as Michigan's non-voting Delegate in the US House of Representatives and served two terms, 1825 to 1829. Wing then moved to Monroe, Michigan, and in 1830 was elected again as Michigan's Delegate to the US House, serving one term, 1831 to 1833.

He was a founder of the Whig Party in the mid 1830s. In 1842 he served in the Michigan House of Representatives, and in 1845 he became a member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents.

In 1846 he was appointed as Michigan's US Marshal, with his jurisdiction covering Illinois and Wisconsin. In 1849 he was taken ill and sought treatment at a sanitarium in Cleveland, where he died

(Bio by: Bill McKern, MEMBER FOR 17 years · 8 months · 2 days, FIND A GRAVE ID 46817687)

Research and Other Notes

Reason for Attachment of Alice Benson Knaggs Obituary

Alice Elizabeth (Benson) Knaggs (1808-1895) who married Medard Couture (1791-) died in 1895, and a long, detailed obituary was written by an person not named on it.

It provides a detailed explanation of how Alice's brother Peter was "Impressed by the glowing pictures of Michigan as an earthly paradise," which he heard from A. E. Wing, then on a visit to Watertown, New York, the neighboring city (to where Peter Benson lived in NY), Peter, in 1824 came to Monroe. Peter "was so favorably impressed with the outlook that the ensuing spring his father also came on with the family, including Alice, then 17 years of age."

Since, A. E. Wing is mentioned in the obituary, I have attached it, as it provides a colorful bit of history for the area of Monroe, Michigan at the time Austin Wing lived there.

From this obituary, I reviewed the 1830 US Census that was attached to Medard Couture, Alice's husband, and located A. E. Wing on it, on image 109 of 493.

I then found a Wikipedia Article about the historical "Wing–Allore House" house, in Monroe, Michigan. (It is now a funeral home). That appears to be the article used by Bill McKern (Find-a-Grave Contributor) for the bio I've attached above.

Research and Other Notes added by Diane Bernard Godlewski, Relationship is to Harriet Skinner (abt.1791-1836), Austin's wife: 4th cousin 6 times removed.

Sources

• Family Search profile ID: K2MM-2XQ; https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/K2MM-2XQ
• 4 Mar 1792 Christening record, "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZSG-421 : 5 January 2021), Austin Wing, 1792., https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZSG-421
• 13 Jul 1814 Record of Marriage to Harriet Skinner, "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V89D-THX : 19 February 2021), Austin Wing and Harriet Skinner, 1814., https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V89D-THX
• "United States Census, 1830", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5X-69Y : Fri Jul 21 00:19:20 UTC 2023), Entry for A E Wing, 1830., https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5X-69Y
• 27 Aug 1849 Death of Austin Wing, Burial at Woodland Cemetery, Monroe, Monroe, Michigan, Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21377737/austin-eli-wing: accessed 27 August 2023), memorial page for Austin Eli Wing (3 Feb 1792–27 Aug 1849), Find a Grave Memorial ID 21377737, citing Woodland Cemetery, Monroe, Monroe County, Michigan, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave., https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21377737/austin-eli-wing
• 2 August 1895, A E Wing mentioned in obituary of family friend, Alice Benson Knaggs, "Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL3S-RKH7 : 1 April 2020), A E Wing in entry for Alice Benson Knaggs, 02 Aug 1895; citing , Obituary, Grand Rapids Public Library, Michigan; FHL microfilm 626,445., https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL3S-RKH7
• 28 Jan 1906 Obituary of daughter Eliza Noble Whittier, "Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL33-GTY4 : 1 April 2020), Austin Eli Wing in entry for Eliza Noble Whittier, 28 Jan 1906; citing , Obituary, Grand Rapids Public Library, Michigan; FHL microfilm 626,446., https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL33-GTY4
• Article on "The Wing–Allore House" house, from which the bio above written by Bill McKern was excerpted; "The Wing-Allore House."; Wikipedia contributors. "Wing–Allore House." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 May. 2022. Web. 27 Aug. 2023., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing%E2%80%93Allore_House
• Source for image of Austin Eli Wing, Monroe: The Early Years By Craig E. Hutchison and Kimberly A. Hutchison, E-book online at: https://www.scribd.com/book/262165358/Monroe-The-Early-Years, In the public domain
• Source for photo of The "Wing-Allore House"; Wikipedia contributors. (2022, May 30). Wing–Allore House. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:39, August 27, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wing%E2%80%93Allore_House&oldid=1090687598