John (Paul) Jones (1747 - 1792)

Born 6 Jul 1747 in Abigland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Died 18 Jul 1792 at age 45 in Paris, France

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John Paul (Paul) Jones participated in the American Revolution. Join: 1776 Project Discuss: 1776

Biography

John Paul (Paul) Jones is Notable.

John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolution. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to this day. As such he is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the United States Navy".^[1] He later served in the Imperial Russian Navy at the invitation of Catherine The Great ^[2] .

Family

John Paul was born in a cottage on the estate of Arbigland near Kirkbean, in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright on the southwest coast of Scotland on July 6th, 1747 to John Paul, Sr. a gardener on William Craik's estate and Jean McDuff, his wife, who had been Mr. Craik's housekeeper.^[3][1][4] The cottage is now known as The Commodore John Paul Jones Cottage. John loved the sea from an early age.^[4] John began his education at the parish school near his home, but his formal education ended when he was apprenticed to his first ship.^[4]

Military Service

John Paul was only 13 when he began his maritime career, as an apprentice aboard the Friendship under Captain Benson. ^[5][1] He was a merchant shipmaster by the age of twenty-one. At one point he was involved in killing a mutinous sailor in self-defense, at which point he fled and added "Jones" to his name in order to conceal his identity.^[1] Jones was the name of the bondsman who supported him while he was managing his late brother, William's estate in Virginia.^[4]

Captain John Paul (Paul) Jones served with Continental Navy during the American Revolution.

John Paul served in the military during the years of 1775–88. As an officer of the Continental Navy of the American Revolution, John Paul helped establish the traditions of courage and professionalism that the sailors of the United States Navy today proudly maintain. Having taken up residence in Virginia, he volunteered early in the War of Independence to serve in his adopted country's infant navy and raised with his own hands the Continental ensign on board the flagship of the Navy's first fleet. He took the war to the enemy's homeland with daring raids along the British coast and the famous victory of the Bonhomme Richard over HMS Serapis. After the Bonhomme Richard began taking on water and fires broke out on board, the British commander asked Jones if he had struck his flag. Jones replied, "I have not yet begun to fight!" In the end, it was the British commander who surrendered. ^[1]

John Paul's final rank in the US Navy was Captain, and in the Imperial Russian Navy was Rear Admiral. He participated in the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Nassau, the Battle of Block Island, the USS Providence vs HMS Mellish, the Irish/North Sea Campaign, in the Action of 24 April 1778, and the Battle of Flamborough Head. His merits included the Institution du Mérite Militaire, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Order of St. Anne.

Jones is remembered for his indomitable will, his unwillingness to consider surrender when the slightest hope of victory still burned. Throughout his naval career Jones promoted professional standards and training. Sailors of the United States Navy can do no better than to emulate the spirit behind John Paul Jones's stirring declaration: "I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way." ^[1]

Death

John Paul Jones died July 18, 1792 of interstitial nephritis and was found lying face-down on his bed in his third-floor Paris apartment, No. 19 Rue de Tournon. A small procession of servants, friends and loyal family walked his body the four miles (6.4 km) for burial. Having no wife or children, he left his entire estate to his sisters and their children.^[4] He was buried in Paris at the Saint Louis Cemetery, which belonged to the French royal family. ^[6]

Burial and Exhumation

There is quite an extensive story on his burial and re-interment on Wikipedia.^[5] His body was located in 1905, mummified and placed in a lead coffin. On approaching the American coastline, seven U.S. Navy battleships joined the procession escorting Jones's body back to America. On April 24, 1906, Jones's coffin was installed in Bancroft Hall at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, following a ceremony in Dahlgren Hall, presided over by President Theodore Roosevelt who gave a speech paying tribute to John Paul Jones and holding him up as an example to the officers of the Navy. On January 26, 1913, the Captain's remains were finally re-interred in a magnificent bronze and marble sarcophagus at the United States Naval Academy Chapel, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. FindAGrave features a photo of his memorial with what appears to be a casket, in a roped off section of the Chapel. ^[7]

Legacy

Places that bear his name:

• Jones County, Mississippi was named in honor of John Paul Jones.
• John Paul Jones Memorial in West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C.
• John Paul Jones Memorial Park in town of Kittery, Maine.
• John Paul Jones Park, a public park located in Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, New York City, New York.
• John Paul Jones Junior High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; a school building
• John Paul Jones Arena, a sports venue at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Ships that bear his name:

• USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53), commissioned in 1991
• USS John Paul Jones (DD-932), commissioned in 1956, decommissioned in 1982.
• USS Paul Jones (DD-230), commissioned in 1921, decommissioned in 1945.
• USS Paul Jones (DD-10), commissioned in 1902, decommissioned in 1919.
• USS Paul Jones (1862), commissioned 1862, decommissioned in 1867.

Slaves

Scipio and Cato Jones are identified as "former slaves of Captain Jones" from Virgina. They were both on the crew of Capt. Jones' ship the "Ranger" which sailed from the Piscataqua River in Kittery, Maine on Nov 1, 1777. ^[8]

• Scipio Jones
• Cato Jones

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} History Editors, "John Paul Jones." History.com, 29 Jun 2019. Web. https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/john-paul-jones
2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. "Catherine the Great." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Jun. 2019. Web. 29 Jun. 2019. Wikipedia:Catherine the Great
3. ↑ Revolutionary War Archives: Jones Cottage
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} Paull, Elisabeth Maxwell, Paull-Irwin: A family sketch. Privately published, 1915. Pg 16.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Wikipedia contributors. "John Paul Jones." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 29 Jun. 2019. Web. 29 Jun. 2019. Wikipedia:John Paul Jones
6. ↑ Parouse
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #554 page for John Paul Jones (6 Jul 1747–18 Jul 1792), citing United States Naval Academy Chapel, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, USA; accessed 20 March 2023; Maintained by Find a Grave.
8. ↑ A record of the services of the commissioned officers and enlisted men of Kittery and Eliot, Maine, who served their country on land and sea in the American Revolution, from 1775 to 1783 Remick, Oliver P.; Publisher Boston : A. Mudge & Son, 1901 Page 213

See also:

• History of The Paull/Irwin familys Google Books
• https://blog.dar.org/honoring-revolutionary-war-naval-hero-john-paul-jones