The OWL
(Written in 1905)
The official Family Journal of the Wing Family of America incorporated,
now in its seventh year, is published quarterly at Kewaunee, Wisconsin.
It is liberally illustrated with pictures and portraits of prominent members
of the family and each number contains from 30 to 40 pages of historical and
genealogical matter relating to the descendants of Deborah Wing of Sandwich,
from whom it is supposed all bearing the name of Wing of English descent in
America are descended.
Every number contains a great amount of genealogical data pertaining to
the family, coming from all parts of the country.
The Owl circulates in every State and Territory in the Union and it goes
into hundreds of Wing homes all over the land, keeping the family in touch and
sympathy.
It gives official announcements of all Association affairs, reunions, etc.
It is printed upon the finest book paper and is calculated for binding.
It not only publishes ancient family records and documents but it prints
the history of the family as we go along.
The demand has been so great for its earlier numbers that it is impossible
now to obtain them. The publication is not carried in stock and only a sufficient
edition is printed to supply its actual subscribers.
If you are a Wing by descent or birth you cannot afford to be without it.
The subscription price is $1.00 per annum.
Address all communications to
GEORGE DIKEMAN WING
Kewaunee, Wisconsin
HOW THE OWL GOT ITS NAME
(1904 Owl written by Col. George W. Wing)
A personal explanation is due to the readers of THE OWL and we take
this opportunity of placing ourselves right with our subscribers and
correspondents. Some six years ago while my son, George Dikeman, was a lad of
twelve-years of age, at his solicitation, I purchased him a small printing outfit
and fitted him up a minimum a miniature printing office in the attic of our home,
The Owlery. I had been a printer in my early years, and my idea at the time was
to give the lad the rudiments of a useful trade without breaking in upon his
school studies. He with my help began the publication of a small four-page
monthly, called the OWL—a conceit suggested by the surroundings of its office
in the attic. The first two or three numbers contained the little local happenings
of our home and concerned only our immediate family and circle of friends and
were circulated only among our most intimate acquaintances. Less than (100)
copies of these earlier editions were printed and, strange as it may seem to us,
the National Library at Washington and other great Eastern libraries have lately
putting forth strenuous efforts to secure copies of these numbers their files. This
little paper went from hand to hand, and the twelve-year-old suddenly found
himself at the head of a publication going into nearly every and territory in the
Union, and with a New England circulation larger, probably, than any Wisconsin
periodical. A business proposition confronted us, where we had only anticipated
the part-time of an idle hour, and it became necessary for an older head to
assume control.
For obvious reasons, I have not seen fit to take down the boy’s name from
the head of its columns, although for two or three years his school studies have
engrossed his entire time.
We offer this explanation in reply to numerous personal inquiries.
(From page #3995, April 1964 Owl, it first appeared in the 1904 issue)
History of the Owl & Annals
A genealogical magazine, the Owl or the Annals has been published containing
historical and biographical information about people of Wing descent almost
without exception since the Wing Family of America, Inc was formed.
The history of these publications can be conveniently divided into four phases:
Phase 1 – The Owl 1898 – 1909
Phase 2 – The Owl 1910 – 1934
Phase 3 – The Annals 1936 – 1954
Phase 4 – The Owl 1955 – Present
Phase 1:
The first Owl was published beginning in 1898 in Kewuanee, Wisconsin
before the Wing Family of America was established.
Col. George W. Wing, a lawyer and former judge, began to publish a pamphlet
on the affairs of his immediate family. As the correspondence expanded he
changed the character of the Owl from a form of journalism that would give his
young son, George Dikeman Wing an opportunity to get business and writing
experience to a genealogical quarterly. The Owl had been a monthly publication
until November 1901. In this issue Col. George W. Wing wrote, “from this date
forward, the Owl will be issued quarterly instead of monthly.”
Col. George W. Wing privately published the Owl until 1910 in the interest of
getting family history into print.
Phase 2:
Beginning in 1910, the Wing Family of America, Inc. realizing the Owls
usefulness in communications within the Association as well as the historical
importance, took responsibility for publishing.
Col. George W. Wing, President of the Wing Family of America also served as
the genealogist and editor of the Owl. In 1913 he began the publication of a
revised and updated account of the genealogy of the Wing Family and continued
until his death in 1924. Thereafter it was supplemented with the editorial
contributions of Mary Gertrude Wing, Caroline E. Wing Parker, and Grace Wing
Barnes, daughter of Col. George W. Wing, an others. For the next few years a
valiant attempts were made to keep the Owl a valuable source of historical
family data. After the 1934 issue the Board of Directors at the 1935 annual
business meeting voted to suspend publishing the Owl indefinitely owing to lack
of finances.
Phase 3:
Beginning in 1936, the family voted to begin publishing an annual
pamphlet titled the “Wing Family Annals” in an attempt to keep the channels of
communication open with family members. The Annals were continued through
1934. The Wing Family genealogy through the eighth generation was completed
during this time.
Phase 4:
With the 1955 issue the official publication of the Wing Family resumed its
original name, The Owl so familiarly known to the members, to genealogist, and
librarians from 1899 until 1934 when publishing was suspended for two years.
The Owl has been published since 1955 with a few exceptions, when it was
issued semi-annually or biannually for a couple of years. Today under the
editorship of Lois Wing Smith it continues to be the premier family periodical
and source of communications, family history and information.
The Owl 12/2006