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.

Encyclopedia of world

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.

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.

Encyclopedia of world biography john hancock

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