Craven Co NC 1850 #406 John Hancock age 40 (some kind of Sergeant Rebecca (three children) #426 James Hancock age 40 (Ins of Turpentine Ann D (three children) #384 Robert Hancock age 35 (Joiner) $1600 Elizabeth age 30 (four children) 1830 #126 Mary Handcock Females (001101) Slaves 2 males 1 female #129 William J Handcock Males 00001000000 Females 1001001 Slaves 7 male 9 females #134 William Handcock Males 00221001 Females 00010001 Slaves 4 females 1840 Jones NC #283 Benjamin Simmons Males 1100001/ Females 11101 Slaves 13 male 16 female

I have no further information on the bible's location. However, I just sent an e-mail to Nancy Newins, Special Collections department of the Randolph-Macon college library. I'll let everyone know if she replies. It would be wonderful if you could see it for all of us, Karen! Elaine in CA > Do you know which campus? I live in Ruther Glen which is about 15 miles from > the Ashland campus. If it's the Ashland campus, I'ld could make a > contribution to the list and make a visit. If you have a additional details > let me know. >

The following information is from a book by William J. Simmons which can be found at: http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/simmons/simmons.html Page 405 XLIX. RICHARD MASON HANCOCK, ESQ. Foreman of the Pattern Shops of the Eagle Works Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Illinois. Mathematician--Carpenter--Draughtsman--Foreman of the Liberty Iron Works Pattern Shop. TO speak of one who has made a success in this department is indeed a pleasure, for in this work he has had the honor of showing Negro talent and also overcoming those obstacles that defeat success in many men. It used to be that only white men could do the "bossing," but the bottom rail is on the top, and Mr. Hancock is now doing such work as guides over seven hundred white employees and gives satisfaction to his generous employers. We have said elsewhere that brains will tell, and here is an indisputable evidence. Do you think he would be employed if he could not do the work? No, indeed, not a bit of it. He is competent, and that indeed is the reason. Why should the firm trust him with the disposition of their thousands unless he could make them thousands? The truth is they do not know his superior, and hence employ him. It is a praiseworthy thing that his employers could see the man, the artist, the draughtsman, and be influenced neither by the color of his skin nor the drops of blood that may be ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Page 406 in his veins attributable to black parents. I am indebted to a sketch, which appeared in the columns of the Detroit Plaindealer, May 14, 1886, for many of the facts which appear here. Mr. Hancock was born of free parents at Newberne, North Carolina, November 22, 1832. His father, William H. Hancock, is a hale old gentleman, still alive, residing at Chicago, Illinois. At an early age Richard was sent to a private school in his native town, the public schools of which, and indeed the laws of the "Old North State," being then opposed to the education of Negro children. Here he mastered the rudiments of a common school course, and when thirteen years old began as a carpenter's apprentice under his father. He worked nine years at the bench; by that time having gained a thorough knowledge of the trade, and attained his majority, he left North Carolina and went to New Haven, Connecticut. He soon found employment at his trade with Messrs[.] Atwater & Treat and Doolittle & Company, two white firms that were not slow in recognizing him as an efficient workman. "Joinering" was the particular branch of the trade at which he had been engaged up to this time. He finally drifted to Lockport, New York, where he followed ship carpentry two years, building canal boats, after which he was taken into the employ of the Holly Manufacturing Company, with whom he remained four years. While with them he learned pattern-making, a branch of the trade that requires first of all a complete mastery of carpentry, besides an acquaintance with higher mathematics, a knowledge of draughting and the constant Page 407 exercise of the very best judgment. For four years he worked and studied to make himself proficient, and at the end of that period had mastered all the theory and much of the practical details of that branch of the trade. In 1862 he came to Chicago, and shortly after was given employment as a pattern-maker in the shops of the Eagle Works Manufacturing Company, whose president, Mr. P. W. Gates, was a true and tried friend of the Negro, when all the law and nearly all the public sentiment of the land was in favor of keeping him in slavery. At that time this company had the largest machine and boiler shops and foundry that was in operation in the West. After working as a journeyman two years, he was promoted to the foremanship of the pattern department, and had in his charge fourteen men, all of whom were white. To serve under a Negro foreman, no matter if he did know more about the business than they did, was too much for their Northern blood, so they "struck." For three days Mr. Hancock was "monarch of all he surveyed." But the prospect was not a pleasing one, for the shop was crowded with orders and there was more work to get out than he could perform unaided. So fearing that its delayed execution might injure him with his employers, he went before the president and tendered his resignation. After hearing him through, Mr. Gates quietly said: "Oh! go back to work. It will all come right in an hundred years." He obeyed. Other pattern-makers to fill the places of the strikers were soon engaged, and ten years subsequent service with the same firm showed that less than a century could make all things right. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Page 408 While with the Eagle Works Company, he was instrumental in teaching two colored young men trades--Mr. Beverly Meeks as a machinist, and Mr. John Johnson as a pattern-maker. The former is now in the employ of the C. & N. W. Railroad Company at their shops in Detroit, while the latter is plying his trade at Denver, Colorado. He also used his influence with good effect to secure work at their trades for other colored men in the foundry and blacksmith shops of the works. In 1873 the firm for which he worked went out of business, and a new firm, composed of two of his former superintendents, Messrs. Fraser and Chalmers, started the Liberty Iron Works in this city. They showed their confidence in his ability by immediately placing him at the head of their pattern shops. Their business soon reached large proportions, requiring now the constant services of over seven hundred skilled employees, fifteen of whom are kept busy making patterns. The firm makes a specialty of manufacturing intricate mining machinery, and in the course of a year gets out an almost infinite variety of indescribable work, for most of which new patterns have to be made. All of the work must conform strictly to the drawings in every particular. This will show the importance of the position held by Mr. Hancock in the second largest establishment of the kind in this country. He has been with his present employers fifteen years, commands a good salary, and is held in high esteem by them and his fellow-workmen. In the same shop with him is his son George, who is also regarded as an efficient pattern-maker. In private life Mr. Hancock is a public-spirited and progressive ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Page 409 citizen; a member of several societies, in some of which he holds a high rank, notably the Masonic fraternity; a vestryman of St. Thomas' Episcopal church, and an interesting talker at the literary sessions of the Prudence Crandall circle. He has a cosy home on Fulton street, where, assisted by his wife, an amiable and intelligent lady, his many friends are made welcome.

Hello again to Lisa & Julia, I must compliment both of you on being true genealogists, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. The early historians, and genealogist used info from that Bible as proof, and because no one knows where it is today, doesn't mean some of the info isn't correct. I agree, there were errors, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't useful info in it. 100 years after the fact is not a long time. I am a senior, and my father was born in 1897, my mother in 1903. One of my grandfathers was born in 1868. I knew them all very well. If I had no computer, and bought a Bible, even today, and wrote the things that I remember my Dad and Mom telling me, there would be errors, but I would certainly know much of what happened in the lives of my grandparents. There are some stories, I haven't been able to verify, and probably never will, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Because, today, I have a computer, and search world wide, some of the stuff, I have been able to throw out. My father had told me his grandfather was a no good drunk, who was not good to his family. I haven't been able to prove that because the quarter sessions for that area in England, didn't survive for this length of time. My mother had no birth certificate from Iowa either, but that doesn't mean, I didn't know her or my grandparents. I would not need documents, to be sure of their existance or much of their life, if I chose to write it in a Bible. Most of my children would not be interested in such a Bible, and I am sure at least 2 of my daughter in laws, would get rid of it but the whole family would know that I did write it, that the items in there were to the best of my knowledge and would know what I put in there even if they didn't own it. I feel there has to some validity to that Bible, since early genealogists used that info, right or wrong, in their writings, which are almost 100 yrs old in themselves. Keep digging. Who knows what will turn up. There are so many documents that none of us have today, but it still is possible that something may be found. Ardath

According to Arvil Hancock's THE HANCOCK FAMILY OF ENGLAND AND AMERICA, this old family bible "is now in the library of Randolph-Macon College." Arvil, are you still on this list? Elaine Waiters

You are on the list, but I have received no replies- I'lllet you know if I do. Jerry --- Barbara Kelly <beekay@jps.net> wrote: > If it's possible, add me to the list, too! > > Thanks, > > Barbara Kelly > Moraga, Ca > > > ==== HANCOCK Mailing List ==== > Thank you for your support of The HANCOCK Family > Discussion List. Please post your HANCOCK folks > periodically so we will all know who you are looking > for. > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/

In a message dated 07/28/2001 7:41:29 PM Central Daylight Time, bqueen@compusmart.ab.ca writes: > We have been studying the very early history of Virginia, in depth. William > Hancock, the immigrant was a ship builder, who came looking for forests for > his ship building business in England. There is no doubt that William Hancock was a member of the 2nd Virginia Company, as his name is clearly on the list. And there is no doubt that all these men had wealth and that it was an investment, but, there is doubt about all the rest of the story. First, I don't believe, and I could be wrong, that anyone has found that William Hancock was in the ship building business. The only reference to that was the bible, that can't be found. The other problem is that there is doubt that he died at Jamestowne, as his name is not on the very detailed list of those who died there. Third, the bible that states all this was written 100 years after the fact, so even if the bible existed, it could be wrong. And last, someone has stated, just this week, that there are no records of Augustine's taking over William's estate or owning land in the area. As a matter of fact, not too long ago, someone on some list wrote that if the member didn't stay in Jamestowne he lost he interest in the Company. So William's sons would have nothing to claim. That may or may not be correct. What I am saying is that beyond the fact that William was a member of the Virginia Company, the rest is not proven, and could be fiction. Julia

I agree that the Virginia Company was not worried about settlements, they were wanting to make money. It is fact that William Hancock was an investor, as he is listed on the charter. There are references to him coming to America as early as 1607 and as late as 1620. My problem with all this is that William is not listed on any passenger list, nor is he listed as among the dead at Berkley Hundred Plantation, where he was supposedly killed. On the first passenger list of men sent by the VA Company, there is the name Nicholas Hancock, but no other mention of him is ever found. I tend to think if William were here to get timber, he would have had to bring others with him to help with the cutting and loading, etc. No record of him paying anyone's passage is found. I have seen other references in very good and reliable books to this bible. It is possible it is all true, but without the bible, it's a point that seems impossible to prove. The only thing I could ever learn about this bible was that it was supposedly the property of Simon Hancock and had passed on to his descendants. It is very possible the bible is sitting in someone's attic, or that it has been destroyed over the years. Also, passenger lists are many time incomplete and unreadable. There are just so many 'ifs' in all this for me. It just seems if he did make the trip and was killed at Berkley Hundred, his name would be found somewhere. You would think a man wealthy enough to lodge at Thorpe's house at Berkely Hundred would have definitely been listed among the dead after the Indian attack. I see both sides of this, and the possibility that either side could be accurate. But it's been my experience that when there are this many gaps and holes in an accounting of someone, that likely that person was not a part of it at all. Lisa Check out my website at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/7502/index.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ardath Buckaway" <bqueen@compusmart.ab.ca> To: <HANCOCK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2001 5:40 PM Subject: [HANCOCK-L] Early References to William Hancock > Lisa, Julia and others, > > We have been studying the very early history of Virginia, in depth. William Hancock, the immigrant was a ship builder, who came looking for forests for his ship building business in England. He like many others were of the upper class, but the Virginia Company was interested in investors. Remember, this was not a "settlement" as we think of one, it was to be a money making business. Many of those who came early, starved to death -- about 400 of them, because they had no skills. Yes, tradesmen did come, but still the gentry kept coming, and still had a difficult time surviving. Everyone forgets the terrible disease from the mosquitos in the swamps, the disasters, and other things, besides the Indian massacres. Along with that there was unrest in England, and the upper classes wanted to get away from it. The religious intolerance in many place in Europe drove many to America but that was NOT the original reason for the "Virginia Company" -- it was an investment. > > When these investors paid the passage of others, they were often indentured servants. For those who did this, many were given land, and William Hancock was an investor. He was given a land grant. Few were able to buy the land, because it belonged to the King and the Company. > > In 1619, Gov. Yeardly returned with a new charter, which gave 100 acres of land for each share that an investor had in the Virginia Company. William Hancock, came in 1620, and came under that new charter, and had purchased about 5 shares in the Company. I assume he was thinking he would get his land with forests on it for his ship building business back in England. That was probably one of the reasons he came alone, leaving his family in England. He intended to return probably when his business in the new world was set up to send the wood back to England. Another thing to remember was that a tree was 3 to 5 ft in diameter, and from 100 ft to 150 ft. tall. This was old growth timber, similar to the Red Woods of California. This was of great value in England, and Augustine came to claim his father's valuable estate. > > I don't know if any of this helps any of you to understand that time frame but I hope so. > > Ardath > > ] > > > ==== HANCOCK Mailing List ==== > If you have a HANCOCK Genealogy Homepage, and would > like to have it listed on our Links page, send the URL to the > list, or to: JuliaFWood@aol.com >

In 1900 census it list Andrews mother as Margaret and I think you were trying to say Margaret somewhere in your statement but got hung up on Mahalia.How many children have Margaret as mother and how many with Mahalia?As for a marriage license well even if Mahalia/Margaret was from Giles Co she may of moved from there to Bland Co where she met up with Andrew and married. I think I would be more inclined to look in Bland Co because of Andrew being born and raised there and staying in that area. Good luck . Tamara ----- Original Message ----- From: "karen fallin" <karen_fallin@hotmail.com> To: <HANCOCK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2001 4:58 PM Subject: Re: [HANCOCK-L] southwestern Va. > I really don't know,yet. I haven't gotten that far in my research. > > My mother's father, Andrew Hancock died in 1918 when she was an infant. I've > been researching each generation to understand the family dynamics. I prefer > to have at least 3 documents to support my findings. Given the scare > information available from that area in that time, I'm reading alot and > still there are gaps which keep me spinning my wheels. > For example, my Andrew's mother was Mahaila E. according to his marriage > record,death record,birth record and the Bland census in 1900 and 1910. Only > one of his sister's had a birth record listing mother only as Mahaila E. All > 3 sisters and 1 of brothers married which I have found the marriage records, > all list mother only as Mahaila E. The death records from the brothers and > sisters, the mother is listed only as Mahaila E. I know Mahaila was from > Giles County from the census and I know the year they were married, but I've > not been able to find her and Marcus Walker Hancock's marriage record. > Mahaila died during the time VA. didn't require or keep records. > > Any suggestions on where to search for Mahaila's and Walker's marriage > record? How can I find the maiden name of my great-grandmother? > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > > > ==== HANCOCK Mailing List ==== > Check out our HANCOCK Project World Wide at: > http://members.aol.com/heatherjvw/Hancock/ > >

I really don't know,yet. I haven't gotten that far in my research. My mother's father, Andrew Hancock died in 1918 when she was an infant. I've been researching each generation to understand the family dynamics. I prefer to have at least 3 documents to support my findings. Given the scare information available from that area in that time, I'm reading alot and still there are gaps which keep me spinning my wheels. For example, my Andrew's mother was Mahaila E. according to his marriage record,death record,birth record and the Bland census in 1900 and 1910. Only one of his sister's had a birth record listing mother only as Mahaila E. All 3 sisters and 1 of brothers married which I have found the marriage records, all list mother only as Mahaila E. The death records from the brothers and sisters, the mother is listed only as Mahaila E. I know Mahaila was from Giles County from the census and I know the year they were married, but I've not been able to find her and Marcus Walker Hancock's marriage record. Mahaila died during the time VA. didn't require or keep records. Any suggestions on where to search for Mahaila's and Walker's marriage record? How can I find the maiden name of my great-grandmother? _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

Julia and all, The reference I found to this mysterious bible was in 'Virginia Genealogies'. Will have to look back to get the name of the writer, but I think it is work taken from lots of sources and combined into one book. It's a series of about 4 or 5 books. It has genealogies on lots of VA families, in great deal in most cases, and it is very obvious that it was written a long time ago. The book does not tell where the bible was found, who had it in their possession, or where it might be at the time the book was written. I can't say if the bible ever existed or not, but even if it did (or does), I find it hard to believe the story. If William did come to VA, he sounds as if he would be much like many of the other 'gentlemen' of England who found living in the wilderness not what they had expected, and soon returned to England. Someone owning a ship building business would be a bit lost without his butlers and maids I'd think. Lisa Check out my website at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/7502/index.html ----- Original Message ----- From: <JULIAFWOOD@aol.com> To: <HANCOCK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2001 4:18 PM Subject: Re: [HANCOCK-L] Simon Hancock-Jane Flournoy Bible > I have been a member of the list and doing genealogy research for about six > years, now, and have only seen third hand reference to the Simon Hancock > bible. It was mentioned in a book that someone read at a library, but can't > find again. I am not sure that the bible ever existed, and as you saw in > this weeks discussion on Augustine, the quote from the bible was in error. > Even it it existed, it was written 100 years after William Hancock joined the > Virginia Company that went to Jamestowne in 1607. > > Julia French Wood > > > ==== HANCOCK Mailing List ==== > Check out our HANCOCK Project World Wide at: > http://members.aol.com/heatherjvw/Hancock/ >

I have been a member of the list and doing genealogy research for about six years, now, and have only seen third hand reference to the Simon Hancock bible. It was mentioned in a book that someone read at a library, but can't find again. I am not sure that the bible ever existed, and as you saw in this weeks discussion on Augustine, the quote from the bible was in error. Even it it existed, it was written 100 years after William Hancock joined the Virginia Company that went to Jamestowne in 1607. Julia French Wood

If it's possible, add me to the list, too! Thanks, Barbara Kelly Moraga, Ca

Lisa, Julia and others, We have been studying the very early history of Virginia, in depth. William Hancock, the immigrant was a ship builder, who came looking for forests for his ship building business in England. He like many others were of the upper class, but the Virginia Company was interested in investors. Remember, this was not a "settlement" as we think of one, it was to be a money making business. Many of those who came early, starved to death -- about 400 of them, because they had no skills. Yes, tradesmen did come, but still the gentry kept coming, and still had a difficult time surviving. Everyone forgets the terrible disease from the mosquitos in the swamps, the disasters, and other things, besides the Indian massacres. Along with that there was unrest in England, and the upper classes wanted to get away from it. The religious intolerance in many place in Europe drove many to America but that was NOT the original reason for the "Virginia Company" -- it was an investment. When these investors paid the passage of others, they were often indentured servants. For those who did this, many were given land, and William Hancock was an investor. He was given a land grant. Few were able to buy the land, because it belonged to the King and the Company. In 1619, Gov. Yeardly returned with a new charter, which gave 100 acres of land for each share that an investor had in the Virginia Company. William Hancock, came in 1620, and came under that new charter, and had purchased about 5 shares in the Company. I assume he was thinking he would get his land with forests on it for his ship building business back in England. That was probably one of the reasons he came alone, leaving his family in England. He intended to return probably when his business in the new world was set up to send the wood back to England. Another thing to remember was that a tree was 3 to 5 ft in diameter, and from 100 ft to 150 ft. tall. This was old growth timber, similar to the Red Woods of California. This was of great value in England, and Augustine came to claim his father's valuable estate. I don't know if any of this helps any of you to understand that time frame but I hope so. Ardath ]

Karen, my Hancocks were in Patrick Co from 1805. I know they were there then because my GGGgrandfather married my GGGgrandmother then. His name was Absalom Hancock. I believe he was in Halifax Co, VA prior to that. Halifax is the only county that I have found so far that had the biblical names. Absalom named his son Peter Fleming Hancock. I believe he got those names from brothers and/or father in Halifax Co. There was also an Obediah there, I think. Was it yours? Wandra

Hey Ardath, Sorry to hear you are sick and hope you are feeling better real soon. Take Care. Your Ky. Cousin, Sue > Hello Alicia, > > No, I haven't been well again, and have done nothing about the DAR. I had a > couple of good days, but this morning, I had another weak spell, sweating, > dizzy, etc. The doctor is trying to keep some kind of tabs on my Carotid > Artery. No plague, but it isn't where it should be, and they don't know if > something is shutting off the flow of blood to the brain. Please send me > what you can, whenever you can. I don't think I'll be going too far. > Thanks again. > > Your Canadian Cousin, > Ardath > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "alicia d frank" <alicia.df1@juno.com> > To: <HANCOCK-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2001 10:27 AM > Subject: [HANCOCK-L] Re: DAR app > > > > Hello Ardath, > > Did you find out where to write for a DAR chapter near you? I think the > > City should have a listing of patriotic org just as ours does... > > When my sis sends me the latest DAR mag, I'll look it up too.. > > Alicia in Florida > > > > > > ==== HANCOCK Mailing List ==== > > Thank you for your support of The HANCOCK Family Discussion List. Please > post your HANCOCK folks periodically so we will all know who you are looking > for. > > > > > ==== HANCOCK Mailing List ==== > If you would like to submit HANCOCK Census records, Wills > or other documents to be posted on our Project Page, > contact: JuliaFWood@aol.com > >

Hello Alicia, No, I haven't been well again, and have done nothing about the DAR. I had a couple of good days, but this morning, I had another weak spell, sweating, dizzy, etc. The doctor is trying to keep some kind of tabs on my Carotid Artery. No plague, but it isn't where it should be, and they don't know if something is shutting off the flow of blood to the brain. Please send me what you can, whenever you can. I don't think I'll be going too far. Thanks again. Your Canadian Cousin, Ardath ----- Original Message ----- From: "alicia d frank" <alicia.df1@juno.com> To: <HANCOCK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2001 10:27 AM Subject: [HANCOCK-L] Re: DAR app > Hello Ardath, > Did you find out where to write for a DAR chapter near you? I think the > City should have a listing of patriotic org just as ours does... > When my sis sends me the latest DAR mag, I'll look it up too.. > Alicia in Florida > > > ==== HANCOCK Mailing List ==== > Thank you for your support of The HANCOCK Family Discussion List. Please post your HANCOCK folks periodically so we will all know who you are looking for. >

Hello Ardath, Did you find out where to write for a DAR chapter near you? I think the City should have a listing of patriotic org just as ours does... When my sis sends me the latest DAR mag, I'll look it up too.. Alicia in Florida

Hi All I asked Eunice (who originally posted the request) myself as well. She says no one has responded that has it. Donna Hancock donna@nethancock.com www.nethancock.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Barbara Kelly" <beekay@jps.net> To: <HANCOCK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2094 11:57 AM Subject: Re: [HANCOCK-L] Simon Hancock-Jane Flournoy Bible > If it's possible, add me to the list, too! > > Thanks, > > Barbara Kelly > Moraga, Ca > > > ==== HANCOCK Mailing List ==== > Thank you for your support of The HANCOCK Family Discussion List. Please post your HANCOCK folks periodically so we will all know who you are looking for. >

I saw this for sale on Ebay and thought you might be interested in seeing it or buying it if you are a descendant. Julia <A HREF="http://cgi.ebay.aol.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1450538500">Click here: eBay item 1450538500 (Ends Aug-05-01 16:08:33 PDT ) - Large 1890 General Hancock American Civil War</A>