Founder of
Our Navy
John Paul added Jones to his
name as a tribute to North
Carolina family; friendless
wanderer found a refuge at
famous Halifax home.
This young Scotchman was born in
the year 1747 and his family, so far
as can be learned, consisted of his
parents, one brother, William Paul
(who afterwards came to America and
settled in Fredericksburg. Va.) and
two sisters, one of whom remained in
Scotland and the other one (Mary)
married Mr. William Lowdcn who
came to this country and was a mer¬
chant in Charleston. S. C, as late as
1825.
John Paul went to sea as an appren¬
tice at the age of 12 years, later was
engaged in the slave trade, rising to the
position of first mate of a slaver, until
he was 21 years of age — 1768. When
he quit the slave trade he continued to
followed the sea for a few years, till he
came to Virginia. While in command
of a ship. John — on his second voy¬
age — had occasion to flog a carpenter.
Maxwell, for mutinous conduct. He
discharged him at the island of Tobago
—May, 1770. Maxwell had John Paul
arraigned before the court for assault,
but the complaint was dismissed as
frivolous. In 1772 John Paul was
charged with murder of Maxwell and it
seemed an indictment for murder or
manslaughter was found against him.
but there was a complete vindication of
this matter found in affidavits of the
Judge of the Court and the master of
the ship on which Maxwell died.
In a letter from John Paul to his
mother, dated London. September 4,
1772, he says "I staked my honor, life
and fortune, for six months, on the
verdict of a British jury, notwithstand¬
ing that I was sensible of the general
THE STATE, NOVEMBER 1. 1969
prejudices which ran against me, but
after all. none of my accusers had the
courage to confront me."
In 1771 he saw his relations in
Scotland for the last time. He often
visited England, but never evinced any
desire to sec his relatives.
In 1773 this young man came to
Virginia. Being of a restless nature, he
soon found his way into North Carolina
where he met Wiley Jones, who invited
him to visit at his home. "The Grove,"
in Halifax. The lonely, friendless young
Scotchman gratefully accepted this in¬
vitation. The society of gentle people
always delighted him. and he passed a
long period at this home, where he
became acquainted with the Jones
family and Allen Jones (a brother of
Wiley Jones) whose home was "Mt.
Gallant," Northampton County.
The Jones brothers were men of
culture and their homes, grand in their
proportions, and abounding in hospi¬
tality, were not only the resort of the
cultured and refined, but the homes of
the homeless. John Paul, then a young
sailor and stranger, with a bold, frank
sailor bearing, was always welcomed
at their homes. The love and reverence
awakened in his hitherto wild and un¬
tamed nature by the general kindness
of these new friends, found expression
in the adoption of their name, saying
that if he lived he would make them
proud of it. Thus John Paul became
John Paul Jones, later dropping the
name of John.
It was in the homes of these great
men that not only his name was
changed, but his nature; from the rough
reckless mariner to the polished man of
society, who was afterwards the com¬
panion of kings and the pet of the
Parisians. The truth of the above state¬
ments is not only attested by the
descendants of Wiley Jones, but by a
nephew of John Paul Jones (Mr. Low-
den).
Through the influence of Wiley
Jones, he offered his services to Con¬
gress. Mr. Hewcs of Edcnton. N. C..
who was a member of the Committee
on Marine Affairs, had met John Paul
Jones at the home of their mutual
friend. Wiley Jones. It was through
him — Hcwes — that John Paul Jones
secured his commission and in De¬
cember 1775 stepped forth in the full
blaze of public notice as the Senior
First Lieutenant of the Continental
Navy. In a letter to Hewcs. John Paul
Jones acknowledged that he was in¬
debted to him for his appointment and
in part said. "I need not assure you that
this a welcome duty, for the reason that
I know there is no person living to
whom news of my success can bring
more satisfaction than yourself, be¬
cause you have labored to place the
instruments of success in my hands."
( Continued on page 23)
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