Conversation so far:
Where was James Fenimore Cooper born?
James Fenimore Cooper was born in Burlington, New Jersey.
What year and to whom was he born?
1789 to William Cooper and Elizabeth (Fenimore) Cooper.
How many children did they have?
eleventh of 12 children, most of whom died during infancy or childhood.
Who was he related to?
He was descended from James Cooper of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, who immigrated to the American colonies in 1679.

Question: What happened to him as a boy?
Self-contained rewrite: What happened to James Fenimore Cooper as a boy?