Encyclopedia of world biography john hancock

John Hancock (January 12, 1737 – October 8, 1793)^[1] was an early Americanpatriot, a leader in the American Revolutionary War, and an American statesman.

He was the first man to sign America's Declaration of Independence. Today in the United States, "John Hancock" is a synonym for signature.^[2]

Hancock's ancestors arrived in the English colonies in 1652.

In 1737, Hancock was born in Braintree (now Quincy, Massachusetts).^[1] When his father died, he was adopted by his uncle, a merchant in Boston, Massachusetts.

Encyclopedia of world biography john hancock

At his uncle's death in 1754, Hancock inherited the business. He became a leading merchant in Boston^[2] and one of the richest in the colonies.

In 1768, British officials seized Hancock's ship, the Liberty, and accused him of smuggling.

The Liberty was carrying a shipment of wine at the time. Patriots in Boston rioted, and Hancock was acquitted. This was one of the events that led to the American Revolutionary