Spartanburg County, South Carolina - Chapter 31: The Wingo Family, 1900

Chapter 31: The Wingo Family

The Wingos are very numerous. Their ancestors came either from Cumberland or Halifax counties, \'a. John Wingo, a Revolutionary soldier, came to Spartanburg county just after the close of the Revolutionary War and settled about two miles east of Mount Zion Church, where John W. Wingo now lives. His wifewas Polly Seay, also of Revolutionary stock, whom he married in Virginia and brought with him. He was a citizen of the highest respectability and a man of exemplary piety.

He had twelve children, as follows : Annie, who married Burnel High ; ]\Iayson (daughter), who married Moses Foster (Pacolet Moses) ; Polly, who married Swepson High ; Exie, who married William Foster ; Oney, who married a Parkerson ; Elenor, who married Wm. (Billy) Moore ; Hester, who married a Young on South Pacolet ; Jinsey, who married a West and went to Georgia; Ransom, who married Polly Dodd ; Coleman, who married Katy Bomar ; Alberry, who married a Lewis ; Elias, who married Jane Finch.

Ransom, one of these sons, raised ten children, as follows : James, who married Herbert Hawkins ; Alexander (sheriff), who married Catharine Bivings ; Oliver, who married a Chana in Alabama; Elizabeth (Betsy), who married Elias Richardson ; John, who never married, and died in California ; William, who died a young man while studying medicine ; Thouias, who never married, and also died in California; Jane (still living), who mar-

William (Billy) Wingo was a first cousin of John Wingo, the ancestor of the families just mentioned. He also came to the same neighborhood in Spartanburg county after the Revolution. He was married twice, and had three children by first marriage. One of these was the first wife of Reuben Gramling. The other two were Thomas and John Wingo - the latter sometimes called Johnnie Crust or Blinkey Johiimc to distinguish him from others of the same name. Thomas removed to Missouri some time in the forties, and was married four times. His brother, John {Cri(st) Wingo, married Cintha Wood (whose mother was a Seay, sister of wife of the first mentioned, John Wingo). He was a substantial, honest, and upright citizen, and had children as follows: Hamilton, who married Caroline Hawkins; Calvin, who married Polly Wingo ; Polly, who married Manning Ross and went to Texas ; Simpson, who married Jane Wingo ; Franklin, who married Lizzie Royston ; Maiden, who never married ; Wiley, who married Theresa Cunningham ; Jackson, who married INIargaret McMaken ; Lewis Landrum, who married Mary Berry ; Memory, who married Mary Pennington ; and Nancy, who married Robert Reynolds. Of the eight sons mentioned, all entered the Confederate army, all served their country faithfully during its existence, and all survived to return to their homes after its close.

Zachariah Wingo, Abner Wingo, and the first John Wingo mentioned were brothers. They also came from Virginia to Spartanburg District after the close of the Revolution, Zachariah settling on Jorden's Creek waters of North Tyger, whose wife was Sallie Fosset, whom he married in Virginia before his emigration from that State. Bv this marriage he had eight children, as fol- lows: Betsey, who married Patton Tinsley; iVniia, who married Peter Haskins; Dolly, who married David Tinsley; Burrel, who married Delilah Foster; Zachariah, who married Jane Foster; Anderson, who married Maiden High; Wilson, who married Mary Chapman; and Paschal, who married Maiden Foster.

Abner Wingo married Elizabeth Seay, and had nine children, and among those whose names we are enabled to gather were two sons : Willis and John. The former was a Methodist minister for a great number of years and died "with the harness on " a few years since in Texas. He was the father of Mr. Thomas W. Wingo, a well-known and highly respected citizen residing at Duncans, S. C.

John Wingo, known as " Fifer John," married Margaret Thompson and had nine children, viz. : Allen, who married a Miss Brice and went to Georgia ; James, who also married a Miss Brice and went to Alabama ; John, who never married and died out West ; Lewis, who married Miss Edwards and went to Illinois, where he died ; INIahala, w^ho married David Bettis ; Polly, who married Henry Wood, and who died in Tennessee ; Betsey, who was a cripple and never married, and Rebecca wdio married Simpson Lowe, near Fair Forest, S. C. She has recently died.

John or " Fifer John " Wingo was born in Spartanburg county, and died about the year 1895, in the ninety-first year of his age. He was a quiet law-abiding citizen, a soldier of the war of 181 2, and an exemplary member of Nazareth (Presbyterian) church, where in the cemetery his remains repose,

Rev. Isham Woodruff Wingo

Wingo, well known to all the people of Spartanburg county, both as an educator of her young and as a minister of the gospel. He is a son of Paschal and Maiden (Foster) Wingo, and was born in Spartanburg county, May 2 2d, 1850.

After attending the common schools of his neighborhood, he entered the Gowensville Seminary under Rev. T. J. Earle, where he remained three years. Afterwards he entered the Furman University at - Greenville, S. C. , where, after a course of three years, he was graduated. He then entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary while it was still located at Greenville, where he attended for several years and from which he was graduated. His first pastoral work was at Pendleton, S. C, where he served from the latter part of 1877 to '81, serving, meanwhile, the church at Walhalla one year and also other churches in the surrounding country. He then went to Camden, S. C, and served the Baptist Church fifteen months, when he was called to the Baptist Churcli at Gaffney, S. C, where he remained nine years, leaving there in 1892. While at Gaffney, he served the Baptist church at Limestone Springs part of his time,.

and taught mathematics in the Cooper Limestone Institute located at the latter place. From GafEney he went to Ridge Spring, S. C, where he remained three years,, during which time he was engaged in pastoral and ministerial work. In 1894 he removed to Campobello, S. C y when he opened up the present High School, which ranks among the best schools of our country, and which has had much to do with the upbuilding and business prosperity in that thriving town.

Mr. Wingo has rendered the country valuable service in developing and bringing to the notice of the public the valuable medicinal properties of the Chalybeate Sulphur Spring of Campobello, which had been known for fifty years or more to a few citizens. The constituent elements of the water from this spring, as analyzed, are carbonates and sulphates of lime, iron, soda and magnesia, a little sulphate of potash, silica, lithia, and carbonic acid gas. The spring is surrounded with a substantial l)rick wall and building overhead, and a handsome and well-equipped hotel has been erected near by, all due to the indomitable energy and perseverance of Mr, Wingo. Numerous testimonials can be produced as to the value and health-giving properties of this spring, which in the future is destined to take its place as among the most popular summer resorts in the up-country of South Carolina. Mr. Wingo is rendering not only important service as an educator, but is also laboring earnestly and zealously as a minister of the gospel. He is at present pastor of Wellford, Friendship and other churches, and is doing a good work in the Master's vineyard.

In 1878 or '79 he married Miss Lula Dean, a graduate of the Spartanburg Female College. She is the only daughter of Dr. Thomas P. and Mrs. Mary (Davis) Dean. By this marriage lie has had six children, viz. : Mary Dean (deceased), Anna Lula, Joseph Paschal, Ruth Earle, Isliam Dean, and William Wallace.

George Washington Wingo

Among those deserving of special notice of the Wingo family connection is George Washington Wingo, son of Burrel and Delilah (Foster) Wingo, who was born July 5th, 1838, and died of consumptive disease, contracted in the army, February, 1870. He was raised on his father's farm and attended tlie schools of his neighborhood, some of which the writer also attended. He was much associated with him in his schoolboy days, and can testify to the genial and excellent traits of character with which by nature he was happily endowed.

He was a sergeant in Company C, 13th Regiment, S. C. v., commanded by Captain John W. Carlisle. In this battle-scarred company, which has left an unimpeachable record behind it, he was among the foremost as a true and valiant soldier, ready at all times to discharge every duty which confronted him. He was in quite all the battles in which his company was engaged, and never was known to shirk the post of danger or responsibility. Some months before the close of the war he was captured and imprisoned, where he was held until its close. Returning home it was found that he had contracted a consumptive disease, from which he never recovered.

Some time before or during the war he married Mary, daughter of Edward Ballenger. By this marriage two children survive, viz.: Rhoda, wife of Dr. Wm. H. Chapman, near Brannon, S. C, a prominent and influential citizen and physician in Spartanburg county ; and Stewart Wingo, well known as a progressive business man, and resident of Spartanburg city.