Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-21
WHY WAS HE
CALLED JONES,
Three Conflicting Accounts ot J,
Change Of Name of II.
Famous Revolutionary
Admiral
By JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS
"HE CHANGED his name for

A'i' II WATKINS
Gle CHANGED his mama q,
l1unknown." ~ reasons
So says history Of John Pan,
wizard of the sea-" He was o' ts
mystery from first to last. He ma s''a 2 Z
with the surname of Paul. .rohs S0'a
and no more he had been ss lau
laddie, when his bare feet had s.o'ea
over the heather; and his father ~ IS
est Scotch gardener, had been .ro,. !. n.y.
pure and simple. Indeed. II ,s asaq
known fact that John Paul had WV
good-enough name for our hero ,,s.'.'. :
arrived at the age of 20 or 27. W. =
must needs don the extra surnar,a - e
scores Of men have gone into oo,'.a a'sa
doff that they might have surer ,d...,.
This precocious youth when %
captain Of Scotch brig, which \. ~. ~
upon two trips to the West Indis. w
ing one of these cruises occurred :.
cident which was held by soma !.
count for his changing his nan.
coming involved In a quarrel with I.
ships carpenter, Maxwell, by nam. !.
is said to have flogged that insubord,...
One account says he shot him. Cha.
Of cruelty were thereupon pref.r.'.
against the Scotch skipper, but war. u,
missed as frivolous. When IN -
weeks, however, his alleged victim 49,
the charges were revived. Some saw M.s
John Paul was charged with the m,,,a..
Of Maxwell and was indicted by a rrsna
Jury at his old home in Scotland. IN =.
event he was not arrested, but tbs ,rs
dent preyed upon his mind, and to prov.
his innocence he sent affidayits 10 NJ.
family in Scotland. 1t was to escapa n,
possibility of Identification in the evan,
Of his capture that he added Jones to M
name, according to this theory.
Other accounts give quite dlir,rsu,
motive. His brother, William Paul. hss
come to America In 1850, had bought /,
large plantation in Virginia and had ,u
tered at Charlotte, N. c.. into iosr
camille business in which he was ss
gagged at the time OF his death in l7tt
His store was in the same building IA
which George Washington was initiate
as a Mason. John Paul came to vn
ginia in 1773 to administer his broth
er's estate. According to one tradition
his deceased brother William, on coming
to America, had been adopted by rcA
but childless relative Of the name d
Jones, and William had taken this mans
of his foster parents, who had provided
that in case William Paul Jones died ID
testate, his young brother, John Pau,
might inherit the property II he also
should take the name of Jones' which
he did.
According to a third theory, the lltt,
mariner went from Virginia to North
Carolina to settle the estate in that Stats +
and there met two brothers, Allen lad
Willie pronounced Wylie) Jones, men {
of a wealthy and distinguished family
who had been educated at Eton andHhs s
were very influential in political LIE B.
ing out OF funds and unable to fnAn
upon his inheritance until after many
trying delays, John Paul became 10
beneficiary of these brothers southsfa
hospitality. Colonel Willie Jones becans
his bondsman for $4,000 when he filed rs
papers of administration and ATTENDED .
the legal side of the probation Of the VII
Although rough diamond compared win
his distinguished hosts, the friendless "
tie Scotchmans picturesqueness won thsz
admiration and he gratefully accepts
their invitation to remain in their fan-
lily until his inheritance might be forth
coming. Charmed by his new surrouna
ings, John Paul determined to retain ha
Southern plantation and become q rsa'
dent of the new world. So, as an sn'
dence of his gratitude, he assumed ~
surname of his benefactors.
(CnpYrIght.l