Parents are Henry Laurens and Eleanor Ball Laurens. Children were in the order of eldest to youngest. John Laurens, Henry Jr Laurens, James Laurens, Martha Laurens and Mary Eleanor Laurens.

When James or his family calls him Jemmy turned 9. Something tragic happened which affected the entire family. James had taken a harsh fall, his skull cracking open and had passed away. Their father, Henry Laurens found out about the death. He blamed his eldest John for not watching out for James and letting him fall.

John was only 16 at the time, no idea of James death until later. Henry was drunk to numb the pain of losing a son. Their mother, Eleanor tried defending John. She was saying it wasn't John's fault that James/Jemmy died. John already had a couple bruises from his father's anger, blond hair disheveled. Eleanor defended her son, knowing that James's death was no one's fault.

H: "It is that brat's fault Jemmy is gone! He should have been watching him, that's what big brother's do!"

E: "That is not John's fault! He's still young! Stop taking out your anger on our son because you accused him of letting Jemmy pass away!"

Their arguing went back and forth.