Home > Facts > Biography Facts > John Hancock Facts

John Hancock Facts

John Hancock Facts
John Hancock was an American statesman and American Revolution Patriot who served as presiding officer during the Second Continental Congress. He was born January 23, 1737, in Braintree, Massachusetts, to Col. John Hancock Jr., and Mary Hawke Thaxter. John was a friend of future United States president John Adams as a child. John's father died when he was young and he was sent to live with an aunt and uncle who imported manufactured goods from Britain. John graduated from Boston Latin School in 1750 and received a bachelor's degree from Harvard College in 1754. He was trained by his uncle for future partnership in his business.
Interesting John Hancock Facts:
John Hancock had two siblings.
John Hancock graduated from Harvard at the age of only 17.
John Hancock lived in England from 1760 until 1761 furthering the business. When he returned to the United States he slowly took over the business as his uncle's health was failing.
In 1762 John Hancock became a member of the Masonic Lodge of St. Andrew. This allowed him to meet many influential people at the time.
When John Hancock's uncle died in 1764 he became one of the colonies' wealthiest men. He inherited the business and thousands of acres of land.
The slaves that John inherited were eventually freed.
Along with the large inheritance John Hancock was also responsible for paying heavy taxes according to British tax law. This inspired him to work towards eliminating such taxes imposed by the British, as well as their ability to govern the colonies in the United States.
John Hancock knew Samuel Adams and began his own political career as his protégé in Boston.
John began to emerge as a leader in politics in Boston and was elected as a selectmen in Boston in 1765.
The 1765 Stamp Act led to Hancock joining the resistance to Britain and he boycotted British goods.
John Hancock married Dorothy Quincy in 1775. She came from a wealthy family and was the youngest of ten siblings. Together they had two children but one died as an infant and the other died at nine years of age.
In 1766 Hancock was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
John Hancock was the first governor of Massachusetts and first founding father to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Because John Hancock was wealthy he should have followed the Loyalists but he wanted independence and became a Patriot sympathizer, along with Samuel and John Adams.
John Hancock was involved in the Boston Tea Party by getting the crowd going but was at a meeting when it actually took place.
The British were not fans of John Hancock and at one time ordered his arrest.
John Hancock helped to raise money for the American Revolution by securing troops and organizing naval forces.
John Hancock was the governor of Massachusetts from 1780 until 1785 and again from 1787 until 1793.
John Hancock died at the age of 56, on October 8, 1793, with his wife by his bedside. His burial was declared a state holiday by Samuel Adams.


Related Links:
Facts
Biography Facts
Animals Facts