Gunnison news-champion., 1923-01-26
HISTlRY;S||
HYsTERIES|
WHO WAS JOHN PAUL JONES,

academy. NJ Annapolis. Nd. Will
almost certainly include At least n mo
B=nr's pause before the ms zsnificent
crypt wher. lies what are supposed
20 - the remains of th. first and one
u the greatest OF Americas naval
neross-Iohn Paul Jon-. But an eI-
animation % the fact- In the case viii
show that there il ns much doubt as
10 whether this l. really the body OF
the American commander as there IL
about the tru. Identity OF this person
aye, whose career from birth to death
Is one Of the un-olyed riddles of the
Revolutionary war
10 the first place. Jones was not
the real naEn- Of this hero, but one
adopted by him In later years He
was born with the name John Paul"
and th-r- is much doubt as TO whether
he was the true or the adopted son Of
the Scotch gardener In whose cottage
be spent IN. rrst II years OF his life.
Crawford. author OF '-Th. Sailor
whom England Feared" and one of the
leading authorities on the'iife Of John
Paul Jones, admits that mystery sur
rounded his origin with an lmpenetra.
bic veil" and that he encountered great
difficulties In his efforts TO sif, the
false from the true. the legend from
the facts The generally accepted
story Is that John Paul was born In
the little village OF Arbigland and
that his father was poor man. half
rffaT nj 10 Gsk III
mother WIS Of pure Highland stock.
But Crawford expresses more than
doubt that the Pauls were really the
boys parents, but has been unable to
delye further into the mystery.
John Pauls brother was adopted by
Virginia planter by the name OF
Jones and. when this planter died he
left his estat. to his adopted son upon
condition that he take the same name
The brother. In turn. died shortly after
ward, willing the property to John
Paul upon the same condition. Thus
John Paul became John Paul Jones.
the name by which he Is known and
revered
When, after his memorable naval
exploits. John Paul Jones finally died
in France his death was practically
unnoticed In America and the only
record Of the place of his burial was
that left by friend. for use. as he
said. III America should ever wish to
perform her duty 10 the one TO whom
she owed the most"
Whether this memorandum Of the
grave was correct is a matter which
caused much discussion about q cen
tury afterwnrd when Gen. Horace Por.
ter. American ambassador TO France,
discovered after a long sear-h what
was alleged to be the body of John
Paul Jones, exceptionally well pre-
served In leaden cnsket filed with
alcohol. The measurements Of the
body compared exactly with those In
the possession OF the Navy department
at Washington. but the total absence
of other distinguishing marks raised |
Doubt M to the real identity Of the
body-thourh United States officials
Hgreed to treat II as II II were the real |
Of the naval hero.
A squadron was sent TO France to |
escort the body home and France paid |
great ohicial honor to the man who. |
4 century before, had fought with dis |
finction under many flags. when the
rasket finally reached the United
States II was received with much
pomp and ceremony and conducted to
The cradle q the American navy at |
II remained In OBJ |
scurity under flight OF steps for
many months awaiting the completion
u Its final resting place.
But there Is doubt in the minds Of
many as to whether this Is actually
he body OF the famous commander Of
he Bon Homme Richard" ju-t as
here win always be a mystery sur
the actual identity OF the |
man who commenced life as John |