| Existing comment:
John Paul Jones (1747-1792) was born in Scotland but at age twelve came to Virginia, where his older brother William was a merchant. His career as master of the merchant vessel John ended in controversy. He changed his name from John Paul to Paul Jones and spent about twenty months in Fredericksburg. In December 1775, he joined the new American navy. He raised the English and Scottish coasts. During combat between Jones's vessel, the Bonhomme Richard, and the British Serapis, the captain of the latter asked if Jones was ready to surrender. "I have not yet begun to fight" replied Jones, who went on to capture the Serapis and Countess of Scarborough. This plaster bust is based on the original made from life by Jean Antoine Houdon, but was produced in the twentieth century by PP Caproni & Brothers of Boston. |