John Laurens FanClub

John Laurens and Francis Kinloch

(I forgot to mention this before cause my memory is total trash, but LaurensPetTurtle is the Manager in this thing, Badass_Biromantic is the Treasury Secretary, and bllepp is the Secretary of State (??)

Sooo

He was an important part of John's life so it's fair we talk about him.

(And I promised to like a million years ago)

So,

Francis Kinloch.

For those who don't know, he was basically John's first boyfriend (That we know about at least, you never know about any high school sweet hearts he may have had lmao).

John Laurens was born in Charleston, South Carolina on October 28, 1754, and Francis Kinloch, Jr. was born in Georgetown, South Carolina on March 7, 1755. Both Laurens and Kinloch went to Geneva, Switzerland for their studies.

And pretty much there on Geneva was where their relationship developed. Is possible that they had met before since they both lived on South Carolina and Henry sometimes mentioned the Kinloch family on some of his letters. Francis's sister, Mary Esther, also made John a pair of ruffles as a going-away present before he went to Europe (awwwww), since John knew Mary Esther at that time, he likely knew Francis as well but there wasn't really anything going on.

(So no, it wasn't love as fist sight folks. That's only a magical myth called appearances).

Laurens arrived in Geneva in June of 1772 and Kinloch arrived in early 1774, so John was kinda forever alone during those two years.

Henry wanted John to move to England to begin his law studies in November 1774, but John wanted to stay in Geneva for another year. Henry, being the bitch he is said no, but at the end the request had been granted anyways so.

We can only imagine how much of a role did Francis Kinloch played on John's decision to stay on Geneva.

(Sorry for the interruption but imagining that Kinloch did play a big part on that decision, do you know how sad it is that John didn't want to leave the boy, even though he knew he would eventually have to go and the only thing he could do was to delay the inevitable??

...I should really stop making myself sad.

Moving on!)

When John did left and moved to London he frequently wrote to Francis about his longing to return to Geneva, this is the first (I think) letter found from them.

"If my Letter is a little confused, dont be surprised at it, for I am quite like a Creature in [a] new World, and shall be for some time in an unsettled State_ I am glad however to inform you that I shall not have Lodgings in the Temple as I at first thought_ but in some genteel private Family_ the Noise, the Cries the Smoak and Dust of this vast City, make me sometimes wish myself back at Paquis, I have another Reason too, for wishing myself there, I dont know when I shall get into such a valuable Set of Acquaintance as I have left_ but perhaps for the present, the fewer Acquaintance I have, the better it will be for me_ I am confirm'd in the opinion that you and I both had at Geneve respecting our young Countrymen, by what I have seen and heard since my Arrival here_