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DEBORAH WING
DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM WING AND ANTIS WOOD
Deborah Wing, born July 6, 1750 at The Oblong, Dutchess Co., New York. Deborah died in March of 1782 at Montreal, Canada at the age of thirty-one. She married Daniel Jones on July 6, 1770. There isn't much known about the Jones family. According to the Somerset County Historical Quarterly, Volume Seven; the Jones family lived at Lamington, Somerset Co., New Jersey when Daniel was born. According to this account, the name of Daniel's father is not known, but it is believed that Daniel's mother was a Dunham. Daniel Jones contributed much to the development of the waterpower and resources of Glen's Falls, New York. He was a millwright and a part owner with his father-in-law, Abraham Wing, of the grist and saw mill and of the islands in the river, which he later conveyed to Abraham.
At the outbreak of the Revolution, Daniel Jones remained loyal to the to the British cause and with other Loyalists, he fled to Canada. The property that he left behind was confiscated and sold after the war. Deborah Wing died in Canada in 1782, at Montreal. After the war he settled in Brockville, where he received from the Crown a large grant of land in compensation for his losses, and where his descendants still reside. His son, Richard, was arrested during the war and imprisoned for a while at Albany as a Loyalist and Tory, but was released through the influence of his more patriotic grandfather, Abraham Wing.
Any biographies or histories of the Wing family members would be incomplete without mentioning how they touched history or knew people that made history. That is so true in the case of Deborah Wing. Her husband, Daniel Jones, was the brother of David Jones. David Jones was engaged to be married to Jane McCrea, who made history by being slaughtered and scalped by Indians at Fort Edwards, New York in July of 1777.
It seems that David Jones, who was an officer in Burgoyne's army (British) had arranged to have Jane brought to him at the British camp where they intended to be married immediately. The marriage was to be performed by Chaplain Brudenell. Officer Jones requested that a small band of Indians, under the guidance of Duluth, a half breed, escort the ill-fated young lady to him at Fort Edward.
According to Appleton's "Cyclopedia of American Biography" (Vol. 4, p. 96)
"David Jones, her lover, an officer in Burgoyne's army, then lying four miles from Fort Edward, sent a party of Indians under Duluth, a half breed, to escort his betrothed to the British camp, where they were to be at once married by Chaplain Brudenell, Lady Harriet and Madame Riedesel having goodnaturedly consented to grace the nuptials by their presence. Duluth, having arrived within a quarter of a mile of the house of a Mrs. McNeil (where Jane was waiting) halted in the woods until he should be joined by her by preconcerted arrangement. Meanwhile another body of Indians from the English camp, under LeLoup, a fierce Wyandotte chief, returned from a marauding expedition, drove in a scout of Americans, and, stopping on their return at Mrs. McNeil's, took her and Jane captive, with the intention of bringing them into the British camp. On their way back they encountered Duluth's party, when the half-breed claimed Jane as being under his protection. Le Loup being unwilling to deliver his prisoner, wishing the honor of being her escort--high words ensued between the two leaders, when Le Loup, enraged at being opposed, in a fit of violent passion shot her through the heart. Then, having scalped his victim, he carried the reeking scalp into the British camp, where it was immediately recognized by its long and beautiful hair by Mrs. McNeil, who, having been separated from Jane before the catastrophe, had arrived at Burgoyne's headquarters a little in advance."
There were many stories circulated about the eventual fate of David Jones, none of them ever substantiated. The one story most researchers agree is probably true; that David deserted with his brother Daniel to Canada, where they, along with Deborah Wing Jones lived for some time, Deborah dying there at the age of thirty-one.
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