The John Paul Jones Birthplace Museum is located in Kirkbean, Scotland. Local oral history reports that William Craik built the cottage for his gardener, John Paul Sr.; however, primary documents are silent on where the Paul family lived at Arbigland and where John Paul Jones was actually born. Historic-period maps suggest the cottage existed by ca. 1753, but was either abandoned or in ruins by 1797. The first mention of a John Paul family cottage was during Lt. Pinkham's visit in 1831 where he found the alleged home as a ruin. By 1832 this cottage was rebuilt. Sometime during the last half of the 19th century, a room was added to the back and a kitchen was built on the front of the home where it was lived in until the 1980s. In 1991, the kitchen addition was removed and the cottage was restored to a mid 18th century origin. At this same time, the 19th century dog kennel was incorporated into a small museum exhibit and gift shop. 

During September 2007 and 2008, archaeologists surveyed and excavated the yard space at the cottage in an attempt to locate artifacts and features associated with the occupation of the John Paul family. After discovering a ditch-like feature and historic-period artifacts, archaeologists excavated 8, 1m by 1m square units to: determine the integrity of the archaeological deposits, to investigate the ditch feature, and to identify strata associated with the 18th century occupation. The excavations produced a small assemblage of ceramics and a few personal items likely associated with the John Paul family. Late 18th and 19th century ceramics dominate the collection and reflect continual occupation of the cottage by working class families. 

Although no homogenous stratum representing the Paul family was located at the cottage site, artifacts dating to that time period (1750s-1770s) have been identified; a list and brief discussion on the types of wares the family would have used in daily life is provided herein. In addition to domestic items, a few personal belongings are contemporaneous with the Paul family. The most significant finding gleaned from the archaeological record is that although John Paul Jones came from humble beginnings, he was not among the poorest class of people in southern Scotland. In fact, the artifact assemblage resembles typical table wares and utilitarian vessels available to working class households in 18th century Scotland. Although domestic meat rarely graced the family table, the Paul family's grain based diet was supplemented by locally caught game and maritime species. 

In August 2009, the team returned to investigate three areas around the Arbigland Estate: the sunken garden that allegedly held Arbigland Hall; one of the two round garden sheds in the walled garden; and Borron Hill. In addition to discovering evidence of the village of Borron, archaeologists also recovered medieval ceramics and Mesolithic stone flakes and tools. Although the gardens yielded very little archaeology, the Borron settlement contains intact subsurface building features with associated 18th and early 19th century artifacts that closely resemble ceramics found in the John Paul Jones assemblage (e.g. Buckley, white salt glazed stoneware, and slip glazed earthenware). Additionally, the recovery of lithics and medieval artifacts, along with a mid 20th century photograph of a crop ring in this area, suggests a high potential for a Mesolithic and/or a medieval fortification. Further investigation to determine the age and integrity of the crop ring feature and the building ruins at Borron is recommended. 

An archaeological team, composed of volunteers and researchers from the University of Oregon, Museum of Natural and Cultural History, USA, carried out extensive excavations and documentation of Amisfield Tower and the surrounding yard area. The team spent eight weeks at the site, in four separate sessions in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015. The goals of the project were to determine if archaeological remains survived on the estate and if those features and artifacts associated with the site's earliest occupation could be located and documented. Furthermore, the archaeologists attempted to date and better understand the original purpose of an earthwork located west of the tower house. 

Using remote sensing surveys, including magnetometery, ground-penetrating radar, and metal detectors, archaeologists located artifacts and identified cultural features on the estate. Using these data along with archival research, excavations were placed around standing buildings and within archaeological features. While the earth work remains a mystery, a close look at historical documents revealed this feature was of some antiquity as early as the 18th century. 

The excavation of larger trenches around the east side of the tower revealed a defensive ditch filled with domestic and some personal items associated with the tower occupation. These artifacts revealed the tower had been used as early as the 1400s, while the faunal remains spoke to possible times of conflict and famine. The presence of a defensive ditch being filled with refuse, rather than being maintained as a defensive feature, suggests a fortification pre-dating the tower; pottery found in the ditch dating from as early as the 13th century supports this scenario. 

Future investigations are recommended north of the tower, where archaeologists encountered a stone floor and foundation. In addition, explorations should be focused around the stone outbuildings, adjacent to the earthworks, to determine the age of the buildings and possible use as domestic dwellings by estate workers. 

Bob Ward is presently the chair of the Travis County Historical Commission, an Archeology/History Steward and member of the Antiquities Advisory Board with the Texas Historical Commission. He sits on the boards of the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Trail Association and Pioneer Farms. He also works with Save Austin’s Cemeteries and the Travis County Archeological Society. 

After Sherman High graduation, Bob served with the Marines in Vietnam, worked as a commercial diver in Houston and have been a real estate appraiser since 1975 in both Houston and Austin. He as worked extensively with affordable and sustainable housing organizations around Austin.

Bob has an undergraduate degree in Anthropology/Archeology from the University of Houston and a Master’s degree in Geography from UT. Most of his archaeology has been in the central Texas region but he spent seven seasons in Scotland on various projects.