John Laurens FanClub

Frances Laurens Protection Squad

So guess who got sad again because I was thinking of Hamilton and Laurens' last letters to each other? Yeah so I'm gonna distract myself before I literally start crying and talk about something you guys have been waiting for: FRANCES ELEANOR LAURENS!

(Can we just talk about how her second name is the name of John's mom who died when he was only 17 please and thank you?)

So as we already know Frances Laurens was the first and only daughter of John Laurens and Martha Manning Laurens. She was born sometime on January 1777 (Most likely before the 28th).

The delivery was a difficult one, and Frances was born with a swollen hip and thigh, prompting a doctor to cut some flesh from her hip, which, idk you but sounds painful af. She was later baptized on February 18, 1777.

Frances would grow in England with her mother while her father was being a reckless idiot in America.  Frances never got to meet her father, but she did met some of the members of the Laurens family. Like that one time she and Martha visited Henry Laurens while he was imprisoned in The Tower Of London (ew why are you exposing such innocent baby to his emotionally manipulative self?).

Martha died somewhere between October and December of 1781 in France. John would die barely a year later, leaving Frances as an orphan. I don't know who took care of Frances immediately after but John's sister, Martha Laurens Ramsay, ended up acting as her guardian along with her husband, David Ramsay.

Martha (the sister) seemed very interested in giving Frances a quality education and read the lectures Thoughts upon Female Education by Benjamin Rush. Henry Laurens would bequeath his plantation at Long Canes and his lots in Hampstead (and I think possibly some money as well) to Frances in his will. Frances and her son repeatedly petitioned Congress to receive money that was owed to John Laurens from his time serving in the military. They eventually were paid $7,335.86 (You fucking go girl).

Frances married twice on her life, the first time to a man called Francis Henderson. A Scottish merchant who was not well-liked by her family. They had a son and named him Francis Henderson, Jr. (WHY???? JUST STOP WITH THE FRANCIS AND FRANCES OH MY GOD—). Frances separated from Francis Henderson, Sr. by 1801, she did not have custody of her son. (Moral of the story: if you're a Laurens, DO NOT DATE GUYS NAMED FRANCIS!). Later she married James Cunnington.

She died on April 25, 1860. Her only son Francis became an alcoholic, had no children of his own, and died in 1847. With the deaths of Frances Laurens and Francis Henderson, Jr., the line of John Laurens ended.

(Yes, you're allowed to cry)