J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) was a Scottish author best known for creating Peter Pan. Born in the small town of Kirriemuir, Barrie was the ninth of ten children. When he was six years old, his older brother David died just before turning fourteen. Both Barrie and his mother took comfort in the idea that David would remain a boy forever, never growing old. Barrie never had children of his own, but was the legal guardian of five brothers, known collectively as the Davies boys, who are widely recognized as the inspiration for the character of Peter Pan.