Talk:John Paul Jones/Archive 1

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Archive 1

British propaganda

This page has obviously been written by a Brit. It is full of lies about the Jones' behaviour. It contradicts all informations from Historians.

John Paul Jones is considered as the "Father of the US Navy". See the Samuel Eliot Morison's biography of John Paul Jones, re-published in 1989 by the Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland.

God Bless America and alas Britain! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.103.52.103 (talk) 11:19, 17 January 2004 (UTC)

I disagree. John Paul Jones was elevated higher in US Navy history in strong part by Theodore Roosevelt. This does read as if it does match the general public impression of him from 1970s to early 80s. His actions and behavior did not establish any precedents that remain with the US Navy. , or strong recognition among his peers while he is alive. He did write one lengthy letter full of several strongly repeated phrases, read in full by few if any. The US Navy true tradition and original strong leaders did not occur until the Quasi-War of 1798 and the Barbary Conflicts and War 0f 1812. Wfoj2 (talk) 02:03, 30 January 2012 (UTC)
I agree with the first person. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.123.242.132 (talk) 00:56, 20 May 2015 (UTC)

Page name (2004)

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.

I think there should be a neutral disambiguation page for John Paul Jones. Look how many people point here that mean to go to John Paul Jones (musician). How about moving this page to John Paul Jones (commander)? --CPK 22:37, 4 Sep 2004 (UTC)

An almost-significant musician versus a key figure of American history? I don't think so. The only reason for all the links is excessive wikilinking in trivia articles; if that was going to be the new criteria for disambiguation, I would make zillions of history trivia articles to pump up other link counts. Stan 23:52, 4 Sep 2004 (UTC)
Okay. I didn't mean to say they're equally important btw :) --CPK 00:09, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)
A pirate, murderer and pediophile vs a Pop-Idol, is this an encylopedia or a tabloic news papers ? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.249.179.23 (talk) 01:36, 24 February 2006 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Reversion

Ironically wrt the last comment here, I just reverted a bunch of semi-literate accusations that JPJ was actually dishonorable and a war criminal. I've not seen these claims made anywhere else, an authoritative source will be needed. They might be better treated in an as-yet-nonexistent Battle of Flamborough Head article that could really get into the broadside-by-broadside. Stan 05:14, 3 Oct 2004 (UTC)

You admit your own ignorance on the matter than resort to an ad hominem attack to justify reverting the text.
The "I have not begun to fight" quote is Hollywood fiction not fact.
The following are a matter of historical record, confirmed by any authoritative of the action, I suggest you seek some out.
  • Jones struck his flag, a fact confirmed by Alliance which is why it tried to sink the BHR.
  • He locked his prisoners in the hold of the sinking BHR, His Master Sergeants of Arms, released them AGAINST his orders, something confirmed by his own account of the battle.
  • The Serphis was a 3rd rate frigate with 28 Guns, 44 Guns would be a 2st rate ship of the line and would never be used to escort a coal convey.
User:MartinSpamer — Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.70.193.37 (talk • contribs) 15:16, 4 October 2004 (UTC)
Ad Hominem attack, to use English spelling as proof of your your argument is lame.
- His own account claims 40 guns against the rating of the BHR as 34.
- Ad Hominem attacks carry little weight. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.249.179.23 (talk) 01:15, 24 February 2006 (UTC)
As someone hoping to add material, the onus is on you to back it up, not the other way around. As for the Serapis, I have Colledge open on my lap, and it says "5th Rate 44, 886bm, 140 x 38ft", and goes on to mention the capture. As you should know if you have any knowledge of the ships of the time, it is very often the case that they carried more guns than their official rating indicated. If you can't get this basic detail right, I have no confidence in the rest of what you're claming, and if you have no source to quote from, I have nothing to go look at for myself. Also, please make up your mind about whether you're going to edit logged-in or not, and if you don't quit with the reverting, I'll ask another admin to protect the page. Stan 15:40, 4 Oct 2004 (UTC)
My own comments are establishing this facts! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.249.179.23 (talk) 01:15, 24 February 2006 (UTC)
I made a couple of minor changes, to hopefully resolve some of this. The quote is not well-documented, but it is well-known; so I NPOV'd it. There is some record (US Navy Historical Center) of the ensign falling and that being intepreted as striking colors, so I added that. Jinian 16:50, 4 Oct 2004 (UTC)
This is an improvement, I would request that Jinian aid a resolution.
I would also point out that if you delve into the history of this page you will find I actually wrote a large part of the original battle account and it is an important insight in to character of Jones and in justifying the earlier assertion that he was a war criminal even by the brutal standard of the time. A claim which must be made and must be justified. This page has repeatedly had the unpalatable elements removed in an apparent attempt to placate the modern image of JP Jones as an all "American hero". Unpalatable they may be, however they are also fair representation of the history. I've added some {{Dubious}} and {{Disputed}} tags to the main points I have issues with in the existing text. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.70.193.37 (talk) 13:47, 5 October 2004 (UTC)
JPJ has been extensively studied by real historians, there is lots of scholarly material that one could cite. The fact that you're not doing so, despite repeated requests, tells me that your claims are BS. The fact that you're editing anonymously also tells me that you're not willing to stake your reputation to your claims. I don't have an opinion on truth or falsity - if a real historian says "JPJ was a war criminal", then great, let's get the name of the historian and put it in there along with the direct quote. If you're just making up stuff based on your anonymous personal opinion, we don't want any of that. Stan 17:11, 5 Oct 2004 (UTC)
Incidentally, I happen to have C.W. Brown's 1902 bio of Jones, and although I don't consider it impartial enough to use as a source, it does reproduce some of his letters verbatim, and a quick perusal yields both a reference to the "cowardice or treachery" of several of his officers in signalling a surrender, and in response to the British query, "I answered him in the most determined negative that I had not yet begun to fight" (notice he's reporting the sense of what he said, not the words directly), and goes on to mention that the gunner had "run aft without my knowledge to strike the colors", and that a cannonball had already carried away the ensign-staff. So it's not necessary to pass around anonymous accusations and innuendo - we can quote directly from the source, keeping in mind of course that JPJ's report may not be factually accurate, and as is common in combat, it may never be possible to do more than report the conflicting accounts. Stan 17:28, 5 Oct 2004 (UTC)

I don't have any particular axe to grind about JPJ, but here is what Rev. Edward Neilson, the Church of Scotland minister of Kirkbean, the parish where he was born and raised, had to say about him when writing in the ‘Old’ Statistical Account of Scotland, published in 21 volumes between 1791 and 1799.

John Paul, who some years ago, took the name of John Paul Johns (for what reason let the world judge) was the son of John Paul, a gardener by trade. He was born in Kirkbean, about the year 1745. Of this person’s character, this parish cannot boast. His pillage of the house of the Earl of Selkirk; his attemps to burn the town of Whitehaven, out of whose harbour he had served his apenticeship, and his conduct to his native country, during the American war, are instances of ingratitude and want of patriotism, generally known, and over which, for the honour of humanity, we would wish to draw a veil.

In the Statstical Account, the whole of Scotland is reported upon in some detail, parish by parish. In each case this work was usually undertaken through the ministers of the Church of Scotland. Such men represented the most reliable sources of credible local knowledge. I believe this is the best contemporary view from a British perspective of the character of JPJ. He does not seem to have been a local hero, at least. JEM12:44 16 March 2006 (UCT)

Whitehaven

Is this the same John Paul Jones who invaded Whitehaven in whatever year it was, and has a pub named after him also? Should this not be mentioned?? Selphie 11:37, 17 Dec 2004 (UTC) **

I have to concur here. This area of JPJ's history, if expanded, might shed some light onto the controversy concerning his character that seems to have been of some import. John Adams himself, in fact, probably would have agreed with some of the more negative portrayals of John Paul Jones' behaviour. This captain's assault on the his old home port would certainly be of some interest. The implication of course, from my perspective, being that he was an overly proud man, more skillful in politics than really in commanding. While I would never go so far in an encyclopedia article striving for NPOV, some readers should be given facts that would provide a more balanced picture of the man.
I'm going to have to check my facts more carefully, but there is a very well documented incident following the capture of the Drake between JPJ and his first mate Simpson. In fact, looking at this article, I'm incredibly shocked that the HMS Drake isn't even mentioned in connection with the blurb on his time in the Ranger. It is undoubtably his most important accomplishment, and sheds much light on his character and controversy (though little of the latter, due to his political connections, has survived). I think I'd make this my first project, but would need access to my university's share drives again in about a month. weee. let me know what you think people.
Seanherman 02:23, 4 August 2005 (UTC)

British Ship Rates

The HMS Serapis was most definitely had 44 Guns, but it was an older 2 deck 5th Rate. A simple search of British Ship Rates and History on the Serapis would prove this.

James — Preceding unsigned comment added by 132.22.254.237 (talk) 14:29, 27 January 2005 (UTC)

Expansion

Let me know what you think. I added a ton to his early career and revolutionary period up until his return to Brest, France after defeating the Drake. I tried to fit it into the rest of the article, so I hope I didn't screw it up. Thanks Seanherman 20:10, 5 August 2005 (UTC)

A lot of the early stuff needs to be reworded to be NPOV (& indeed some of the rest) & possibly delete the references to other websites (I didn't check any but it reads like it's just been lifted from a series of haigiographic websites), I haven't attempted this as I don't know enough about his career/life to be identify & remove specific biases. I have changed the present tense to the past tense & made a few other wee changes. I've tried to render the ship names in a consistent format (italics) but I think I've missed a number early on - also there are a lot of repeated links (got rid of some but didn't have time to do them all), every time the Ranger was mentioned there was a link - there should only be one link (the first) for anything. Overall good though there's a lot of information there, it just needs to be edited.
I see there is nothing about the story that he killed a man in a duel in Scotland & then added the Jones to his name & moved to America, does anyone have any confirmation on this as if there is a reputable source it should be included.
There could also be more on his role in Russia, I was surprised how little there was, as in Scotland (where his name is known at all) he's known for playing a major role in the American & Russian navies (some say founding them). Overall though decent article, though I can't comment much on accuracy. AllanHainey 14:23, 17 August 2005 (UTC)
I completely agree with you. His service in Russia is important and should be expanded. Without the biased statements of course. Please provide sources. Does anybody really have any primary source that would prove Jones's apparent "habits" towards children? If not, please delete any trace of whatever was said. Especially statements such as "Here he was compelled to remain in idleness, while rival officers plotted against him and even maliciously assailed his private character through accusations of sexual misconduct" —Preceding unsigned comment added by AisKrim (talk • contribs) 03:46, 5 November 2010 (UTC)
The article avoids detailing his service in Russia, almost as though editors were aware it would reveal to the audience that he was de facto cashiered for raping a child. No sources are cited to evidence the existing conspiracy theory of false accusations, which is itself rooted in unsubstantiated commentary from the Anglo-American and French communities. The most likely explanation is that Western historians have sought to engage with JPJ's broadly palatable reputation as a US Naval officer, rather than his ignominious end. 2A00:23C4:1D81:D601:782F:6E17:D164:3C9B (talk) 17:31, 5 September 2022 (UTC)

Tidbit of info that should be added...

John Paul Jones' ship, The Ranger, was named in honor of Robert Rogers and his famous unit. Although Rogers' Rangers are most significant to the French and Indian War, such a reference should be made as a glimpse into the evolution of American history and, also, those whom John Paul Jones considered heroes of cultural importance. The names of ships used by famous sailors are as culturally important as the names of swords used by famous warriors.

"In 1777 the frigate Ranger, originally a privateer named "The Portsmouth" left Portsmouth Harbor en route to its famous raid against England. The ship's figurehead depicted a colonial ranger holding his rifle. The following year, in 1778, Elizabeth Browne -- wife of Robert Rogers -- petitioned the New Hampshire General Assembly for a divorce from her husband on the grounds of Desertion and infidelity. Ironically, Elizabeth then married Captain John Roche the man who had originally been chosen to command The Ranger. Roche, also rumored to be a heavy drinker and a man of untrustworthy character, was replaced aboard Ranger by an ambitious young mariner named John Paul Jones. Jones sailed Ranger into history even as Robert Rogers was commanding the Queen’s Rangers against his own homeland." [1]

Some of this information is obtained from The Annotated and Illustrated Journals of Major Robert Rogers [2] by Robert Rogers, Timothy J. Todish (Contributor), Gary S. Zaboly (Illustrator). Also: American Colonial Ranger: The Northern Colonies, 1724-64 [3] by Gary S. Zaboly. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Flask (talk • contribs) 14:18, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

On the cultural importance of ships' names: Is there any substance to the suggestion by Herman Melville in Chap. XVIII of his novel Israel Potter (1855) that JPJ renamed the Duras to Le Bon Homme Richard as a tribute to Benjamin Franklin, author ofPoor Richard's Almanac?86.166.130.179 (talk) 14:47, 11 May 2012 (UTC)

Rape of a 12 year old

The only mention of the rape is the reference "rival officers plotted against him and even maliciously assailed his private character" - This solely gives Jones' side, and accuses the victim, 12 at the oldest (though she claimed she was ten) of malicious intent. The fact is he was accused of raping a 10 year old, he tracked down the father to confirm she was not ten but twelve (Whatever that proves) and proceeded to change his story - Firstly saying that she left his house without any problems, and then, telling the French ambassador that She had, in fact, ripped her own clothes off so as to set him up. None of this is mentioned in the article and as such remains POV. --Irishpunktom\talk 15:40, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

Regarding 10 vs 12, I'd expect the whole age of consent laws (or whatever similar laws they had back then) would have been different (i.e. lower) to what they are now. Quite probably 12 was legal back then but 10 wasn't. Hence it would make a big difference to him which it is. Mathmo Talk 17:37, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
rape was typical of american seamen then — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.174.191.14 (talk) 07:50, 13 July 2020 (UTC)
The article downplays the rape accusation that ended his naval career. It doesn't even mention that he was de facto cashiered, partly due to the refusal of Russian seamen to serve with a rapist. This information should be referenced at the top of the page. 2A00:23C4:1D81:D601:78F5:4EE0:7B5C:616E (talk) 17:10, 5 September 2022 (UTC)

General nitpicking.

Changed "his mother was a member of the MacDuff clan" to the now correct version "his mother was a member of Clan MacDuff."

Other correct phrasing might be "his mother was a member of the Clan MacDuff." --Ollie Garkey 02:34, 20 April 2006 (UTC)

While we are at it...no American ship in the American Revolution was ever given title "USS." "USS" doesn't get used until much later, I think mid-19th century. Remember what USS stands for. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Gcal1971 (talk • contribs) 16:39, 6 June 2008 (UTC)

I'd like to add another nit-pick: The section on his early life mentions that author Helen Craik also lived at the estate where Jones was born. Is that really relevant? Best regardsTheBaron0530 (talk) 19:27, 11 April 2017 (UTC)theBaron0530

OK, having read the article on Helen Craik, I see that it mentions that Jones was rumored to be an illegitimate son of Craik's father, William. That establishes that there is a relevance to mention Craik, or her father, at least. Should that detail not be added, if it can be confirmed? Best regardsTheBaron0530 (talk) 19:30, 11 April 2017 (UTC)theBaron0530

There is a very small vandalism on this page.

May 1, 2006

Someone's idea of a bad joke;

Early command
Jones’ first assignment was aboard the frigate USS Alfred (30 guns, 300 men) sailing from the Delaware River i...It was aboard this vessel that Jones took the honor of hoisting the first American flag over an American Naval vessel (note: Jones actually raised the Grand Union Flag, not the later and more familiar Stars and Stripes design).[4] I did you last night and it was fun. AAAAAAAAAA After returning from this

I'm not a registered user, and I don't have the tech savvy to figure out who's responsible, so I'm leaving the re-editing of this page, and prevention to experienced Wikipedia content editors. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 154.5.20.143 (talk) 20:09, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

also under russian service it says "He was a commander of the Black Seal humper" lol.... srry there was a later disscusion of someone who vandalized ' he humped seals' —Preceding unsigned comment added by BlakMoonz13 (talk • contribs) 22:18, 18 May 2010 (UTC)

Article on Reburial

There is an article on the reburial and dispute about whether it really was JPJ reburied in the April 2006 issue of Smithsonian magazine. About 4.5 pages of text, ignoring the pictures. It begins on page 32. GRBerry 00:53, 23 August 2006 (UTC)

Date problem

This article states that Jones first went to sea in 1759 but the ships name links to a page for a ship that was built in the early 1780s. I wouldn't know how to fix this but I am pointing it out so that someone who does know can. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.194.66.141 (talk) 20:56, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Is this true?

I came across this interesting fact while reading An Outline History of the American Revolution (1975)...

The battle off Flamborough Head is the only recorded naval action won by a sinking ship, with the victorious crew sailing away in the defeated vessel. - p146

One, is this true, and two, shouldn't this be included in the article? --Sparkhurst 00:21, 15 December 2006 (UTC)

Wrong link

The current link on the page for the Friendship that Jones was apprenticed on links to a ship built too late to be the same one. I'm simply removing the link, as there does not appear to be a page on the proper one.--Az 20:42, 17 January 2007 (UTC)

There is a second wrong link: the mention of Isle Royale points to a site about Isle Royale National Park, an island located in Lake Superior. In the context of the late 1700's, Isle Royale referred to the French possession of Cape Breton Island, the eastern third of what is now Nova Scotia. The link should be redone to point to Nova Scotia: History or Cape Breton Island: History, due to the mention of the fort, coaling station and American prisoners. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 198.202.130.20 (talk) 16:04, August 22, 2007 (UTC)

Protection

I've semi-protected this article. There has been a recent spike in ip vandalism and it appears that not many editors have this article on their watch list. As a result some vandalism has gone undetected and the integrity of this article has been compromised. I'll come back and unprotect within 2 weeks or so or another admin can remove protection if they judge it safe to do so. -- No Guru 17:14, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

Slaver?

It states in this article that the Bonhomme Richard was a former slave ship. However, the Bonhomme Richard article states that she was a merchantman with no mention of being a slaver. Is there any evidence to support the slaver statement? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.27.120.17 (talk) 02:59, 11 February 2007 (UTC).

What did John Paul Jones really say?

I read in a biography of him that he said "I have just begun to fight!" ,but I see on this page it says "I have not yet begun to fight?". Could somebody please clarify this for me? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.81.195.193 (talk) 20:37, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

My Great Uncle (8 times over) actually said, by all accounts which I've ever read, "I've not struck my colors yet, I've just begun to fight." Mirriah — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mirriah (talk • contribs) 00:29, 16 June 2007 (UTC)
Thanks for the testimony. Sorry though, we can't use it. Wikipedia is not a place for original research. But if anybody here is working on a book, maybe you can convince them to put your testimony in their book, and then it can go here! Sounds like a lot, but them's the rules. 138.88.46.137 02:21, 22 October 2007 (UTC)
to answer your question its "i have not yet begun to fight".i know because im doing a report on him and everything ive seen says "i have not yet begun to fight". -tanner —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.28.105.230 (talk) 23:19, 22 March 2011 (UTC)

There are notable problems with this article

Of which I tried to clear up only to have them changed right back. Not the least of which is Bonhomme Richard was not a former slaver but a converted East Indiamen merchant ship and the brother of JPJ was dead prior to his arrival in America and so certainly didnt suggest any name changes

All of which can be found in Evan Thomas bio on JPJ along with supporting end notes

Denali93 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Denali93 (talk • contribs) 13:22, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

If you see obvious problems then change them and state your references, if you dont state your references how will anyone know what you say is fact? --Joebengo 16:09, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

Yeah but...

Yeah but when did he learn to play the bass when he was mucking around in boats all the time. We must be told! --LiamE 20:26, 20 April 2007 (UTC)

lmfao Glandrid (talk) 22:17, 25 February 2009 (UTC)

U.S. Navy Admiral?

Why is he included in Category: United States Navy admirals? The article says he never rose above the rank of captain in the U.S. Navy. --dm (talk) 02:20, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

My only thought is that he was in the Continintal navy and the rank structure may have been different and might not have included flag officers, etc. Maybe some research should be done to see if he was ever awarded the rank of admiral posthumuously or if the rank structure of the continintal navy was different.--Joebengo 04:08, 24 April 2007 (UTC)
Category:Continental Navy officers works better. While he was never officially bestowed the title, he has been referred to as Commodore Jones in several works simply because once a Naval Officer has command of more than one ship, it's a command normally the rank of Commodore or higher. Commodore is the equivalent of Rear Admiral. --Brad (talk) 15:42, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

Requested move (2007)

The following discussion is an archived discussion of the proposal. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.


John Paul Jones → John Paul Jones (US Navy) — This article shoud be renamed, and John Paul Jones (disambiguation) should be renamed John Paul Jones. I notice that a simliar proposal was brought up several years ago and dismissed without much discussion. The opponent of the move noted that Jones, the figure from the American Revolution, is of greater historical imporatance than John Paul Jones (musician); however, historical importance should not the only criterion in deciding where a term should redirect. The reality is that many readers are searching for the bassist, not the naval hero, when searching for the term "John Paul Jones." The term should go directly to the disambiguation page, providing quicker access to whichever John Paul Jones article the reader was searching for. —The Fat Man Who Never Came Back 16:58, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

Survey

Feel free to state your position on the renaming proposal by beginning a new line in this section with *'''Support''' or *'''Oppose''', then sign your comment with ~~~~. Since polling is not a substitute for discussion, please explain your reasons, taking into account Wikipedia's naming conventions.
  • Support - It seems to me that JPJ the sailor is famous in America but not elsewhere, and those not in America would be searching for JPJ the musician. Having a disambiguation page is a fair compromise. Clear air turbulence 22:12, 17 June 2007 (UTC)
  • Oppose. No doubt the naval commander is less known outside the US, but the musician just isn't that well known everywhere and is probably not at the level of a military hero. Led Zeppelin is famous, yes, but how many people know its members? SnowFire 03:17, 20 June 2007 (UTC)
  • Oppose. Although the naval commander may not be known much out of the aspect of american history I still feel that when someone is searching for John Paul Jones they are looking for him and not the bassist, no one goes on wikipedia to look at the life history of a bassist for led zepplin but thousands of students every year look up the history of john paul jones (the naval commander) and therefore I would stick with the way it is.--Joebengo 03:52, 20 June 2007 (UTC)
  • Support. The musician is more famous anywhere other than the US... and in the US the musician sold many, many millions of records. Policy suggests disam page should be used if there is no overwhelming single usage and it is clear there are two popular uses here. Not 100% sure on (US navy) though, would have thought (Naval Commander) or (Sailor) myself. I would support anything sensible along those lines. --LiamE 09:28, 20 June 2007 (UTC)
  • Oppose. Led Zeppelin is a legendary band that sold millions of records, which would give that JPJ a strong case for parity... if he wasn't the bass player. The sad fact is that the bassist is typically the most unsung member of the band, and this case is no exception. So while the naval hero may not be well known outside the US, the bass player probably doesn't fare much better. It's Page, Plant, Bonham, and whatshisname. My guess is that the bassist probably gets most of his visitors from people going to the band article, and then clicking the links for the band's members, while most of the people going directly to the John Paul Jones entry are looking for the sailor. --Groggy Dice T | C 05:11, 21 June 2007 (UTC)
  • Oppose. While disambiguation might not be a terrible idea, I don't think we can objectively judge the cultural and historical impact of these two figures accurately. Personally, I find it hard to believe, when we're 200+ years removed from Led Zepplin's heyday, that John Paul Jones the bass player will be as historically significant as JPJ the commander. If Led Zepplin is still even widely recognized at that time, I doubt its bassist would be. The naval commander, on the other hand, is an important figure in the naval history of a world superpower. I'd also like to think (god I hope this is true) if you took a worldwide poll, more people would be familiar with the American Revolution than Led Zepplin. Afterall, I know about something about the long Russian red revolution, the long French Revolution, India and Pakistan's division, the fall of the Roman empire, and Iranian revolution, Warring states period in China, etc.. While American culture has also been widely influential on a global scale, I don't think this makes a convincing argument for placing Led Zepplin's bassist on equal historial footing with America's most famous Revolutionary naval commander.Seanherman 19:48, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

Discussion

  • Any other paranthetical disambiguation phrase ("commander," "American Revolution," "naval hero") would suffice if "US Navy" is deemed to be unsuitable.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back 17:09, 16 June 2007 (UTC)
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the proposal. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

It was requested that this article be renamed but there was no consensus for it be moved. --Stemonitis 17:06, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

"Humped seals?"

The first line of the article below the quicklinks says:

"John Paul humped seals off the coast of Southerness and started his maritime career at the age of 13, sailing out of Whitehaven as apprentice aboard the Friendship. "

Sailing jargon can be pretty obscure, but I believe this is a case of vandalism. Phil 00:41, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

I thought he was too busy humping children to bother about seals. --LiamE 13:51, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
John Paul Jones was able to hold out for two whole days on his burning ships! — Preceding unsigned comment added by DoubleEm101 (talk • contribs) 21:35, 17 January 2008 (UTC)
nah. im pretty sure he humped both seals and children. seals were probably all he could get on the sea. children, for him, probably a lucky day! —Preceding unsigned comment added by BlakMoonz13 (talk • contribs) 19:44, 9 May 2010 (UTC)

"Father" of the Navy?

Why has no one yet mentioned John Barry? Isn't it said that he is the "Father of the American Navy" also? Themikeg (talk) 01:57, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

Jones advocated for many of the standards the modern US Navy uses today. Educated Officers, regular pay for crews etc. Of course, at the time he was ignored but later on someone thought "Gee, Jones was right". And now we have the legend. --Brad (talk) 14:40, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

Dab links

With all due respect to the editor who reverted my edit of the dab links at the top of the page, I must respectfully disagree. First of all, and most importantly, the arguments in the box dealt with the issue of whether this article should be moved or not. The decision was to keep JPJ on the naval hero, and that issue is done with.

Now as to the dab links. Why do you prefer the current setup, with two dab links—one to a general dab page, another to the great Zepplin bassist? My guess is that it is because you believe that there are so many people who would expect to find the bass player here, that they somehow "deserve" to find their guy mentioned right on the page. Well, there are probably many other pages on Wikipedia where the same thing was true. But does MOS support such a use? Not as far as I have seen. To my eyes, this current setup simply clutters up the top of the article. I don't think it's necessary to revisit these old arguments on the move to simply conclude that we need to follow general practice, which I believe is to have a single link to a single dab page, where the fans of John Baldwin can quickly find their guy. This is just not really different than any other dab situation, in my opinion. Unschool (talk) 02:56, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

Although there is certainly nothing in WP:MOS or WP:DAB to suggest that what's done here is "the right way", it is specified that "common sense" should be applied when disambiguation is required. My point was that, at this time (early 2008) John Paul Jones (naval officer) is not, within the context of the whole English-speaking world, more notable than John Paul Jones (musician) and the decision to give the naval officer the generic heading "John Paul Jones" is therefore itself somewhat in defiance of WP:MOS. Two wrongs may not make a right, but in this instance, at this time, I think a compromise is reasonable, given that both men are, by a considerable margin, currently more notable than any of the other JPJs on the disambiguation page (with the possible exception of the ship-name, but anybody wanting to know about the USS John Paul Jones should probably read about the naval officer too!). David Trochos (talk) 10:27, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

Reburial ceremony speech

The article currently reads "In 1913, Jones' remains were finally re-interred in a magnificent bronze and marble sarcophagus at The United States Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland. The ceremony was presided over by President Theodore Roosevelt who gave a lengthy tributary speech." I doubt this is accurate as Theo Roosevelt was not President in 1913. Either the year is incorrect, Roosevelt spoke as former President, or then-current President Woodrow Wilson gave the speech. - Deeplogic (talk) 13:27, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

The Naval Historical Center indicates that Roosevelt spoke at the 1906 re-interrment ceremony, but he was transferred to the grand sarcophagus in 1913, with no indication of presidential fanfare. So, it should read along the lines of A) "In 1906, Jones' remains were initially re-interred at the Naval Academy...The ceremony was presided over by President Theodore Roosevelt who gave a lengthy tributary speech." or B) "In 1913, Jones' remains were finally re-interred in a magnificent bronze marble sarcophagus at the United States Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland." or C) Statement referencing his initial burial in 1906 with Roosevelt's oration followed by a final burial in his present resting place in 1913. Auror (talk) 16:03, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

POV

I have added the POV tag for this article, because I don't think it is as neutral as it could be. For instance, in the lead, the uncited segment "John Paul Jones remains a genuine American Naval hero" appears. Who regards him as a hero? And is this really an appropriate tone? "a fitting homecoming for a great Naval hero" is another rather gushing description of this character, and while I have no strong position either way on his actions and career, it's way more syrupy than what I'd expect to read in an impartial article. Lankiveil (speak to me) 00:44, 8 July 2008 (UTC).

I think it likely the original article was a cut-and-paste job from the Naval Historical Center or other public-domain publication and subsequent alterations have been based upon this original text. I don't think the POV problem is particularly pressing, but it is unseemly and it does deserve a revision where appropriate. Auror (talk) 23:06, 11 July 2008 (UTC)
Agree, it's not the worst that I've ever seen by any stretch of the imagination. I also note that significant improvements have been made to the text in the past few days, so I'll remove the tag. Lankiveil (speak to me) 05:24, 19 July 2008 (UTC).

BBC Coast programme

There was a lot of info about John Paul Jones in the "Southport to Whitehaven" episode of the BBC documentary series Coast, including a section with the Whitehaven Mayer publicly "dropping all grievances with Jones" in a ceremony welcoming the US Navy to the port. MickMacNee (talk) 20:12, 15 November 2008 (UTC)

A story about John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones was born july 6 1747 in krikcudbright , scottland and died onjuly 18 1792 in paris frace —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.218.110.105 (talk) 01:04, 25 May 2009 (UTC)

The end. 71.198.34.87 (talk) 02:46, 28 January 2010 (UTC)

Not Jones

This page is all wrong! Everywere on this page where it states Johns' name, it says Jones, instead of saying John, because Jones isn't actually his name, his name is John Paul. So maybe we should change that. —Preceding unsigned comment added by BlakMoonz13 (talk • contribs) 15:43, 8 May 2010 (UTC)

As far as I can see, the article correctly calls him John Paul in the section on his early life, and John Paul Jones for the period after he adopted the additional name. David Trochos (talk) 19:16, 9 May 2010 (UTC)

Was John Paul Jones a black man (mulatto) ?

In the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Thousand Oaks, Ca, John Paul Jones picture and bio appears inside of the African-American historical display as a person of African descent. Though he was born in Scotland, obviously the curators of this library have identified him of Euro/African lineage, along with other people of African decsent who contributed to the nation's development. It would be good if other public historical records would do the same. Lionness7 7/21/10 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Lionness7 (talk • contribs) 21:24, 22 July 2010 (UTC)

I'd think it more likely that the curators recognised Jones as a man in sympathy with the enslaved Africans, whose transport across the Atlantic he quickly refused to undertake. David Trochos (talk) 05:47, 26 July 2010 (UTC)
The Reagan Library is in Simi Valley, not Thousand Oaks. It is actually about half way between the two cities. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.217.56.249 (talk) 06:30, 7 July 2012 (UTC)

The motives driving John Paul Jones

Could John Paul Jones have surrendered in his famous battle against the Serapis and be assured treatment as an officer and gentleman?
Or would he have faced an automatic death sentence for "piracy"?
Considering the casualties, the pleas of his officers, the state of his ship and the simple fact that he was out-gunned, it has to be asked: Was Jones the hero we want him to be in this action? -Or a desperate man willing to sacrifice his command to avoid the hangman's noose?
That Jones was a first-class fighter and a marvelous sailor has been satifyingly documented. But in the bloodbath against the Serapis, was desperation the better part of his valor? Is anyone aware of the official British postion concerning Jones' forays against the British mainland? --This much at least is probably a matter of record.Alfred micheal (talk) 03:51, 25 July 2010 (UTC)
The "official official position" (i.e what the Government told the public) was that British citizens supporting the enemy were traitors and (at sea) pirates. However, inevitably, the real official position was that only spies and saboteurs were in any real danger of execution- anybody else was more useful for prisoner exchange purposes (hence, for example, the survival of Irish privateer and smuggler Luke Ryan, who did far more damage to British shipping than Jones before he was captured). David Trochos (talk) 05:39, 26 July 2010 (UTC)

Photo

I uploaded a photo of the JPJ from the 1905 inquiry to wikimedia Commons (John_paul_jones_exhumed.jpg) printed in a US Gov't vol in 1907; since the article covers the discovery and authentication of the body, I thought it might belong here, but I will leave that to people more invested in this particular article to decide. DavidOaks (talk) 21:23, 21 October 2010 (UTC)

Personal life

Did Jones have one? There's no mention of marriage, children, etc. Even if he had none of these, it might be well to say so. Monkeyzpop (talk) 08:58, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

Requested move (2011)

The following discussion is an archived discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: Not moved Alpha Quadrant talk 19:35, 23 September 2011 (UTC)


John Paul Jones → John Paul Jones (Commander) – This article should be renamed, along with John Paul Jones redirecting to a disambiguation page. There was little discussion the last time this was brought up, but the significance of JPJ the musician should be noted. Being both a previous member of Led Zeppelin, and a current member of Them Crooked Vultures, he is more culturally significant than the American naval officer. Not to mention, this article has a host of POV problems. I'm not downplaying his significance, but a 300 year old American naval commander is not as culturally relevant as the bassist from Led Zeppelin currently. Impornant (talk) 20:48, 21 September 2011 (UTC)

  • Oppose making John Paul Jones a disambiguation page. A reasonable argument can be made that John Paul Jones (musician) is the WP:PRIMARYTOPIC based on pageviews, which are about double those for this article recently, and I wouldn't oppose that. A reasonable argument can also be made for this article based on historical and educational value based on a Google Books search, where the first few pages are all about the naval hero. But no one wants to land on a dab page, especially since the two other uses — athlete, film — are relatively insignificant. It's almost always better to get a searcher directly to an article if possible and use hatnotes. A dablink hatnote pointing to the musician should definitely be added to this article, though, which I will do. Also, if it were to be moved I think John Paul Jones (naval officer) might be a more descriptive qualifier than a rank. (And any possible POV problems are irrelevant to an article's title.) Station1 (talk) 22:42, 21 September 2011 (UTC)
  • Oppose Are you seriously saying that a leading figure in three centuries of history is no more significant than a recent pop musician? Quite an absurd proposition for a serious encyclopedia: Wikipedia is not primarily an encyclopedia of recent music. Nyttend (talk) 22:52, 21 September 2011 (UTC)
  • Cultural significance is not the only relevant measure. Historical significance is also important, and on that mark, the naval officer has the musician beat by a ridiculous margin. Powers T 00:06, 22 September 2011 (UTC)
  • Oppose why would you call it "Commander"? I see no reason provided. 70.24.247.40 (talk) 06:57, 22 September 2011 (UTC)
  • Oppose. I suggest Captain John Paul Jones for the naval officer and John Paul Jones for the musician. Kauffner (talk) 12:38, 22 September 2011 (UTC)
  • Oppose Educational use of this (Naval officer) article is quite high, and the academic year has only just started, so the usage gap will shrink somewhat in the short term; in the long term I suspect that usage of the musician page will decline, unless Mr Baldwin also becomes a curriculum staple. However, as in January 2008, I still support the inclusion of a specific hatnote on this page linking to the musician page. David Trochos (talk) 06:28, 23 September 2011 (UTC)
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

Paris address

I just changed the address of the place he died in Paris from 42 to 19. I was just there today and this is the correct address. I would like to include this link http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/site_details.php?SiteID=238 which has pictures of the place and of the plaque commemorating the building but i'm new to Wikipedia and unsure of how to add it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Johnsteckroth (talk • contribs) 21:06, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

I've added the reference. Station1 (talk) 07:33, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

JPJ and Freemasonry

JPJ was a Freemason and a member of Loge des Neuf Sœurs in Paris, France of the Grand Orient of France. I think there should be some mention of this in the article. This is the same lodge that Benjamin Franklin belonged to while he was in Paris. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.224.163.142 (talk) 21:32, 5 May 2012 (UTC)

For reference: the requested information was already in the article. No action needed. David Trochos (talk) 05:45, 14 May 2012 (UTC)

Fictional treatments of JPJ

This article seems to lack any references to treatments of JPJ in fiction, cinema etc. There must be a number of these, although I only know of one, namely Herman Melville's novel Israel Potter (1855), in which JPJ has a substantial role.I am not familiar enough with Wikipedia to venture on direct editing, so I leave this info for anyone who wishes to add it.86.166.130.179 (talk) 14:18, 11 May 2012 (UTC)

Gathering material for a "JPJ in popular culture" section would, I suspect, be a non-trivial exercise. Jones was featured in songs and semi-fictional chapbooks in the 18th century, and more than one novel in the 19th, through to juvenile novels in the 20th (and 21st?). I could probably compile a starter list, but I'm not a huge fan of list sections in narrative articles. David Trochos (talk) 05:41, 14 May 2012 (UTC)
A recent occurrence of JPJ is Battleship, a 2012 American science fiction action naval war film. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.136.210.107 (talk) 14:35, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Edit request on 27 November 2012

In the section on "Popular Culture" there are two novels left out: "The Pilot" by James Fenimore Cooper and "Captain Paul" by Alexandre Dumas, pere, which is specifically further adventures "of this adventurous seaman." Both these books are available from Project Gutenburg.

Since both authors are world-class writers their works on JPJ should be mentioned. (Both are also very entertaining. :) NancyKnitter (talk) 18:56, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

Done Rivertorch (talk) 22:12, 28 November 2012 (UTC)

Edit request

Simple one, I hope: File:John Paul Jones, naval hero.jpg should be cut as an unnecessary graphic. It's clearly just a line drawing version of the portrait File:John Paul Jones by Charles Wilson Peale, c1781.jpg from the infobox at the head of the article, and not a very good one at that. 63.249.100.224 (talk) 00:20, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

I'll leave this as edit request unanswered for now to get some more input. But I don't see that it's doing any damage to the article, however I'm perfectly happy for others remove it. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 09:05, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
Ha. I agree with you both... It isn't doing any real damage, but it isn't adding anything either. On balance, I'd remove it, because it is a fairly poor quality drawing of an image already in the infobox (so maybe that's a kind of damage, aesthetically). It certainly seems superfluous. I'll keep my eye on this for a while to see if any editors think it should be kept. Begoon talk 10:14, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
Done. Meh. I agree with all three of you! I will say this: that part of the article would be very drab and gray with no image, so I swapped it for a different image. (There are others available at Commons, in case nobody likes this one any better.) Rivertorch (talk) 07:06, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

Requested move (2013)

The following discussion is an archived discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: not moved. Favonian (talk) 20:25, 14 January 2013 (UTC)

– Notability. John Paul Jones (sailor) was viewed 40K times December 2012, while John Paul Jones (musician) was viewed 125K times. Plant's Strider (talk) 02:26, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

  • Question - hi, out of interest how many hits does each get in GB since 1990? In ictu oculi (talk) 03:44, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Strong oppose two centuries of notability versus rock notability. The sailor is more encyclopedic a topic. -- 76.65.128.43 (talk) 05:48, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose who do you learn about in school - not smoking a joint in your friends basement? - Scholarly coverage is a clear indicator of who is primary, book after book after book after book has been written about the man.Moxy (talk) 06:17, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose: as per all of the above. Boneyard90 (talk) 06:41, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose. Jones the sailor has been a subject of significant scholarly and popular interest for centuries. Interest in Jones the musician may assume similar longevity, but we have no way of knowing that it will. Encyclopedias should be weighted in favor of subjects with long-term notability, and this article is no exception. (I say this as a Zeppelin fan.) Rivertorch (talk) 08:08, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose per all the above, particularly scholarly notability. Buckshot06 (talk) 08:41, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Use Disambiguate page Neither dominates so no primary topic. Royalbroil 12:50, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
    • Disambiguation pages are intended for cases where multiple (ie more than two) topics share the name. Hatnotes like {{about}} and {{distinguish}} should be used where there are only two, and disambiguation pages with only differentiate between two articles are actually eligible for speedy deletion. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 11:39, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
      • Actually, you can have a two-entry dab page, if neither entry is noticeably more primary/notable/encyclopedic than the other (as we have some of these), or if endless debate ensues as to which is what (since we have a few of these on wikipedia). Though in this case, it's clear the sailor is primary. -- 76.65.128.43 (talk) 05:20, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
        • Sure there can be a disambiguation page for 2 articles (there are four uses anyhow). Per WP:TWODABS: "if an ambiguous term has no primary topic, then that term needs to lead to a disambiguation page. In other words, where no topic is primary, the disambiguation page is placed at the base name." I think John Paul Jones should redirect to John Paul Jones (disambiguation). I'm unbiased since I'm neither a history buff nor a classic rock fanatic. Royalbroil 05:08, 10 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Strong oppose The sailor is primary. — Maile (talk) 22:02, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Disambiguate Hard to find a more perfect sampling to disambiguate. ...JGVR (talk) 08:26, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Strong oppose, until I heard about this RfC I didn't even know there was a musician that shared this great sailors name.--RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 02:24, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
    • Food for thought: The musician was named after a famous dude and was still able to make his own name. It is obvious neither is so much more likely to be "the one" any given individual will research. The emphasis should be on making it quick to find any John Paul Jones. Until now, all I knew other than the musician is "the other one from Revolution era whoever he is". Maybe if I were looking for the musician and actually saw John Paul Jones (mariner), I might let myself get sidetracked?....JGVR (talk) 02:50, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose Reasons given above, attempt to revive the 2011 move. Is there someone who thinks Led Zeppelin rules? SeeTalk:No quarter--Lineagegeek (talk) 03:46, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
  • The easier it is to pick favorites... the more likelyhood the need to DAB namespace and hatnote each. This is an easy baby to split...JGVR (talk) 04:34, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose as per all above. -- 20:42, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

Wrong war

Hi, i'm not sure where to add this, because I have no idea how to make an edit request, but there's a mistake on this article:

"In 1789 Jones arrived in Warsaw, Poland, where he befriended another veteran of the American Civil War, Tadeusz Kościuszko."

This is supposed to be American Revolutionary War, as the Civil War hadn't taken place at this time. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.182.0.180 (talk) 06:20, 11 January 2013 (UTC)

Done Good eye. I changed Civil war to Revolutionary War.Tvbanfield (talk) 17:37, 11 January 2013 (UTC)

Edit request on 2 May 2013

Can someody change his birth location? He was actually born in "Kirkcudbright, Scotland"

I found this by doing research on stuff like "The life and letters of John Paul Jones V1 & 2" DogTrine (talk) 01:56, 2 May 2013 (UTC)

Not done: please be more specific about what needs to be changed. This is already in the article. "Jones was born John Paul (he added "Jones" later) on the estate of Arbigland near Kirkbean in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright on the southwest coast of Scotland." --ElHef (Meep?) 03:08, 2 May 2013 (UTC)

Edit request: fix the markup code in the first sentence

Markup code appears as text in the first sentence of the article. I'd do it myself but the page is protected.99.232.62.96 (talk) 23:16, 4 May 2013 (UTC)

 Done --ElHef (Meep?) 03:44, 5 May 2013 (UTC)

"epithet" vs. "epitaph"

The article's first paragraph includes the sentence: "As such he is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the United States Navy" (an 'epithet' he shares with John Barry)." I believe the writer intended to use the word "epitaph," not "epithet." It certainly has a different connotation. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.101.77.107 (talk) 19:54, 16 September 2013 (UTC)

Requested Move (2014)

The following discussion is an archived discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: articles not moved Armbrust The Homunculus 23:00, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

– The musician and the arena have more searches on Google then the sailor does, the average numbers given (here) are on average Musician: 44; Arena: 15; Sailor: 7, so this clearly shows that two things named John Paul Jones are searched more then the Sailor of John Paul Jones. This is my reason, as more people are interested in the Musician and Arena, more then the Sailor. Granted, in the link, since 2011, the arena and sailor are either the same (April to August) or the arena is double that of the sailor (September to March). —SPESH531Other 23:10, 2 January 2014 (UTC)

I really really hate to be a nay sayer ...but I'd never heard of this John Paul Jones until recent (being British and all that)...however since my edit a week or so back I saw him mentioned on telly (on Ali G at George Washington's House in America)...He was called the "Father of the US Navy"...If Wikipedia still has High Brow pretentions this JPJ should be primary topic....at the very least he needs something grander than sailor. Tommy Pinball (talk) 23:46, 2 January 2014 (UTC)
I'm taking US History in school right now, we are up to learning about Andrew Jackson and what he did, not once did we hear anything about John Paul Jones. He is apparently big in Norfolk, Virginia though, according to the trends Google gives. And I'm from America, specifically Long Island.—SPESH531Other 01:05, 3 January 2014 (UTC)
  • Oppose - pretty much feel verbatim as User:Tommy Pinball, despite being heavily in favour of good dabs when called for. Google Books straight hits to this bio. In ictu oculi (talk) 05:42, 3 January 2014 (UTC)
  • Oppose, even though I've been a Led Zeppelin fan for decades. The imbalance in Google Books hits is just too overwhelming. Favonian (talk) 13:36, 3 January 2014 (UTC)
  • Oppose Google hits aren't everything, sometimes we have to take an encyclopedic approach to things. I have heard a bit about the sailor, even saw a one-man play performed about him in Glasgow some years ago, but even with a very well known group like Led Zeppelin their individual members may not be particulary well known. PatGallacher (talk) 02:46, 5 January 2014 (UTC)
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

Regarding Citations/Footnotes (2015)

I am currently reading the very well written and presumably well researched Samuel Eliot Morison (historian) text on JPJ, and came here to learn more. I noticed much of the early material may have come straight out of the Morison text (see example following) is not footnoted, but instead, this web-site is cited as a source: John Paul Jones Timeline, SeacoastNH.com. I suspect this not the best primary or secondary source. The web-site says SeacoastNH.com says "Details drawn from various sources."--not very helpful! I propose adding citations and possibly even page #'s for anything I see in the Wiki article text that is clearly established in the Morison text (I'm not interested in rewriting any of the article, only improving the citations and giving credit to Morison if it is indeed a paraphrase of his writing.)

As an example of text I think was almost lifted and paraphrased from Morison. The article says:

  • "During his next voyage aboard the brig John, which sailed from port in 1768, young John Paul's career was quickly and unexpectedly advanced when both the captain and a ranking mate suddenly died of yellow fever. John managed to navigate the ship back to a safe port..."

The web-site is reference, but I don't see all the material supporting this version. Morison's writing clearly supports all the facts asserted in the Wiki article text:

  • "On 30 July 1768 the 60-ton brig John of Liverpool, recently built in New York...entered Kingston.... McAdam [part owner]offered [JPJ] a free passage home... Fortune now smiled upon our John for the first time. During this voyage both master and mate died of fever; and since no one else knew how to navigate, Paul assumed command and brought the little vessel with her crew of seven, safely to Kirkcudbright." (13)

Should I go ahead and footnote it crediting Morison, and do similarly for other sourced material if I recognize it to be clearly established in Morison, where I think it might have originated?

David Tornheim (talk) 07:48, 10 February 2015 (UTC)

It's been two weeks and no one has shown any interest, so I'm just going to start putting the citations in. If you disapprove, please let me know ASAP, so I don't waste any more time. And if so, definitely know your concerns. David Tornheim (talk) 08:26, 24 February 2015 (UTC)

Relations with America's Ruling Elite -- *friends* (supporters) and enemies

The page originally said:

"Although he made enemies among America's political elites"

This is misleading because he definitely was friends with Benjamin Franklin, had support from John Hancock and a number of other well recognized and powerful people on the American side of the Revolutionary War--otherwise, he would never have been given command of one of the ships of the rather limited and small Navy, especially given that he was generally perceived as a foreigner. Also, there's no reference to the above line, so not sure where it originates. There is no doubt he made enemies with some, possibly many, of the ruling elite as well. If I come across a page discussing, I will cite it as well. If the contention is that he was "generally" enemies or despised by "most" or "nearly all" of America's ruling elite when, say when he died (I haven't read that far), that might also be true, but without a citation, I don't know and will assume based on my reading so far that it was mixed bag of support and dislike from the elite. I am happy to cite the text from the pages I footnoted in support of the revised sentence that says he was also "friends" with members of the elite.

Also, the word "friends" might better be replaced with "supporters". The Morison text tends to make the relationships sound more like long term friendships than simply expedient political contacts. David Tornheim (talk) 08:56, 24 February 2015 (UTC)

Inaptitude versus ineptitude

Change of meaning:

  • inaptitude = of unfit, unskilful
  • ineptitude = of absurd, silly

from Oxford Dictionary.--Robertiki (talk) 04:06, 25 June 2016 (UTC)

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Is the image of JPJ's exhumed body really necessary?

While I get that it's a historical article and I understand the question of the authenticity of the remains, I think adding an image of this man's mummified remains is demeaning and takes away from bulk of the article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:8806:5000:D7:E500:F544:5D75:C209 (talk) 03:56, 10 October 2019 (UTC)

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