He was born in Burlington, New Jersey the youngest of eleven children.  His father John was a local attorney.  Sadly his mother Martha died when he was just a few weeks old; consequently leaving his loving sisters helped raise him.  At about twelve years of age he expressed a desire for a seafaring life; but his father was an eminent attorney and wanted his youngest son to follow in his footsteps.  Bowing to his father’s wishes he threw himself into the study of law—but his heart wasn’t in it.  His father died and as providence would have it his brother, a lawyer in his own right, assumed responsibility to finish the task of making his youngest brother into a sound attorney.  Nevertheless the young man continued to pester his brother to become a sailor and his brother finally acquiesce to his wishes.  Thus began the seafaring career of Captain James Lawrence.    ...more