The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-04

tion for the acts which he performed for
| his country's good.
| There have never been lacking insinu-
| atoms that the real reason for the Admit
] rails reticence arose from his desire to
| hide certain things which had been said
| touching his parentage. II was commonly
| reported at one time that John Paul
| Jones though born into the family Of
| John Paul. thrifty Scotch gardener at
Aribgland, on the Solway Firth, was in
reality the son of Lord Selkirk, upon
whose estate Gardener Paul delved. Care
] ful enquiry has disproved the scandal.
! Jennie Macruff. the mother Of the naval
hero and the wife OF Gardener Paul was
a woman of character. possessed in full
measure of the homely domestic virtues.
Il must be said here that the American
I admiral added the name Of Jones TO his
family name OF Paul at the time when he
first made application for a commission
in the American Navy. Why the name
was added though speculation has been
rife for more than a century. no one TO
this day knows. The boy. John Paul, the
youngest Of FIVE sons, was born in a little
cottage standing in a glade near where
the NTH comes flowing into the Solway.
When only twelve years of age he was
apprenticed to a ship merchant at White
Haven. a village where. years afterward,
the people frightened their children into
obedience by the mention of the demon
Paul Jones. The future admiral's first voy-
age took him to the RappahanuOck River
Of America. Twice or three times the trip
was repeated. and finally. owing to the
death of his master. the apprentice was
released from his engagement, at the age
Of sixteen. An elder brother had settled
on the banks of the American river, and
with him the boy lived and studied for
some time. He again went to sea about
the time that he attained his majority,
sailing for Scotland as a foremost hand in
a brig. On the voyage the captain and
mate died. and the crew placed Jones in
command. On his arrival in Scotland the
owners Of the vessel gave him the berth of
captain.
1t was at this time that Jones is sup
posed to have met the woman whom he
lOved-Alice Dunscombe Cooper calls her
in his masterful sea tale, THE Pilot"
They were not married but it is said to
have been a strong and abiding affection
for this sweet grave-faced Scotch girl
which kept him single in after life. The
touch Of mystery is not wanting here.
There are those who deny that such a
woman as Alice Dunscombe ever existed
and they say that Cooper's elaborate de-
lineation Of her character and the absorb
ingly interesting details of the meetings in
after years between the pilot and Alice
Dunscombe were devoid of foundation.
Why He Left scotland.
On a voyage outward bound from Scot
land, Jones, as captain OF the merchant
brig ordered that a mutinous carpenter be
logged year afterward the man died.
Jones enemies said, as a result Of the !
beating Jones' friends said as the result !
of loug-fixed disease. The youthful cap
tain succeeded in clearing his character in /
the eyes of all unprejudiced persons, but I,
the treatment that he received while IN !
der suspicion at the hands Of his former 1
Scotch friends so aroused his indignation |
and anger that he quit Scotland never TO /
return, except as an implacable enemy.
Jones. or as he was then, John Paul. /
was next heard Of living in penury, /
near Fredericksburg. this country. The |
Revolution came on. At the time OF |
the battles at Lexington and Concord /
the colonies did not have a single /
vessel af1oat. There was no material /
for a navy save some good sailors. The /
future American admiral walked to Phiia- |
delphia in the autumn of 1915, and ap- /
peared before the Marine Committee, ap-