Jones, John Paul 上市 Deposited
Born John Paul in the parish of Kirkbean, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He began service on a merchant ship at age 12. In 1773 he was master of the Betsey. His crew mutinied and the ring-leader was killed by the hand of John Paul. To avoid the court martial, he went to America. He added Jones to his name to conceal his identity. On December 7, 1775, he was commissioned lieutenant in the Continental Navy.
On December 3 he had raised the flag over the Alfred, the first ship in the Continental Navy.
In 1779 he was given command of a French ship that he renamed the Bonhomme Richard in honor of Benjamin Franklin. Jones went to sea August 14. He engaged the British Serapis and was vastly outgunned. He brought the Bonhomme Richard alongside and fought at close range until the Serapis surrendered. His own ship sank two days after the battle. During the battle the British captain asked Jones if he was ready to surrender. His famous reply, "I have not yet begun to fight." Congress appointed him commander of the America in 1781 but the ship was given to France and his service was over.
Jones was a bachelor who enjoyed the social company of several women in France. He remained in France for many years. In 1788 he was commissioned as a rear admiral in the Russian Navy. He died and was buried in Paris in an unmarked grave. Remains believed to be his were returned to the U.S. in 1905 and were interred at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Congress honored Jones with a gold medal (Betts 568) by resolution October 16, 1787. Jones was the only officer in the Continental Navy so honored. Dies were cut in Paris by Augustin Dupre based on the bust by Houdin. The dies were copied for restrikes (Julian NA-1) at the U.S. Mint. Modern 58 mm bronze copies (USM 501) are sold by the mint. A 38 mm pewter Jones medal was included with "America's First Medals" produced about 1976.
bio: ApCAB; DAB; Drake; EAB; Failor; Loubat; NCAB 2; TCBDA; WAB; WWWA-H; NUM/NIN 7/97
- 1747-07-06
- Kirkbean, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland
- 1792-07-18