Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/93

Rh George W. Coffin, was a ship-owner and merchant. Phebe was educated in the schools of her native town, and under the Rev. Ethan Allen, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church there. In 1849 she married Joseph H. Hanaford, a teacher. After teaching several years in Massachusetts, she edited in 1866-'8 the "Ladies' Repository" and "The Myrtle," and in February, 1868, began regular ministerial work, having been ordained the first woman minister in the Universalist church. Since that time she has been pastor of churches in Hing- ham and Waltham, Mass., New Haven, Conn., and Jersey City, N. J., and made preaching-tours throughout the middle states, Ohio, and Illinois. She is now (1887) pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit, New Haven, Conn. In 1870-'2 she was at various times chaplain of the Connecticut legisla- ture. She has been grand worthy chaplain of the Good Templars, and represented the grand lodge in the right worthy lodge at Detroit in 1867. Besides poems, addresses, and contributions to current lit- erature, she has published " Lucretia the Quaker- ess " (Boston, 1853) ; " Leonette, or Truth sought and Found" (Philadelphia, 1857); "The Best of Books, and its History " (1857) ; " Abraham Lin- coln " (Boston, 1865) ; " Frank Nelson, the Run- away Boy" (1865); "The Soldier's Daughter" (1866) ; " The Captive Boy of Tierra del Fuego " (New York, 1867) ; " Field, Gunboat, Hospital, and Prison" (Boston, 1867); "The Young Captain" (1868): "George Peabody" (1870); "From Shore to Shore, and Other Poems" (1870); "Charles Dickens " (1870) ; " Women of the Century " (1877) ; and "Ordination Book" (New Haven, 1887).

HANCOCK, George, soldier, b. in Virginia in 1755 ; d. in Fotheringay, Va., 1 Aug., 1820. He was educated by private tutors. During the Revo- lution he served as colonel of infantry. In 1793 he was elected to congress as a Democrat, and re- elected for the following term, serving until 1797. He was greatly beloved by his associates.

HANCOCK, John, clergyman, b. in Cambridge, Mass., in 1671 ; d. in Lexington, Mass., 5 Dec, 1752. He was graduated at Harvard in 1689, studied for the ministry, was called to preach as a candidate by the Congregational church at Lex- ington, Mass., in 1697, and in the following year was ordained its pastor. Here he continued to preach until his death. In 1734 his son, Ebenezer, was given him as an assistant, but the young man died suddenly in 1740, before he had completed his thirtieth year. Mr. Hancock was the author of four published sermons delivered on special occa- sions between 1722 and 1748. — His son, Thomas, merchant, b. in Lexington, Mass., in 1702 ; d. in Boston, Mass., 1 Aug., 1764, began life as a book- seller, but afterward became a successful merchant. Having no children, he left most of his large for- tune to his nephew, John. Among his bequests were £1,000 to Harvard college wherewith to found a professorship of the Hebrew and Oriental lan- guages, £1,000 for propagating the gospel among the Indians, and £600 to the town of Boston, to be used in the erection of an insane hospital. He was liberal in his religious and political sentiments, but inclined to take part with the royal govern- ment in its disputes with the colonies. He was a member of the house of representatives, and of the council of Massachusetts. — Another son, John, clergyman, b. in Lexington, Mass., in 1703 ; d. in Braintree (now Quincy), Mass., 7 May, 1744, was graduated at Harvard in 1719, and ordained at Braintree, 2 Nov., 1726, where he remained until his death. He possessed good talents, and was noted for diligence, prudence, and fidelity. He was the author of several sermons and letters printed between 1738 and 1748. — The second John's son, John, statesman, b. in Quincy, Mass., 12 Jan., 1737; d. there, 8 Oct., 1793, was graduated at Har- vard in 1754. On the death of his father he was adopted by his uncle, Thomas, who took him into his counting-house and left him a large fortune, the nephew succeeding to the business. In 1766 he was chosen to represent Boston in the Massa- chusetts house of representatives with James Otis, Thomas Cushing, and Samuel Adams, "where," says Eliot, " he blazed a Whig of the first magni- tude." The seizure of his sloop, the " Liberty," for an alleged evasion of the laws of trade, caused a riot, the royal commissioners of customs barely escaping with their lives. After the affray known as the " Boston massacre," 5 March, 1770, he was a member of the committee to demand of the royal governor the removal of the troops from the city ; and at the funeral of the slain he delivered an ad- dress so glowing and fearless in its reprobation of the conduct of the soldiery and their leaders as greatly to offend the governor. In 1774 he was elect- ed, with Samuel Adams, a mem- ber of the Provin- cial congress at Concord, Mass., and subsequently became its presi- dent. It was to secure the persons of these two pa- triots that the ex- pedition to Con- cord in April, 1775, which led to the battle of Lexington, was undertaken by the authorities. It was, however, futile, as they succeeded in making their escape. On 12 June, following, Gen. Gage issued a proclamation offering pardon to all the rebels, excepting Samuel Adams and John Hancock, " whose offences," it was declared, " are of too flagitious a nature to admit of any other consideration than that of condign punishment." Mr. Hancock was a delegate from Massachusetts to the Continental congress from 1775 till 1780, and from 1785 till 1786, serving as president of that body from May, 1775, till October, 1777. The Declaration of Independence, as first published, bore only his name as president. In 1776 he was commissioned major-general of the Massachusetts militia, and in August, 1778, commanded the contingent of that state in the expedition against Rhode Island. He was a member of the Massachusetts constitutional convention of 1780, and was governor of the state from the latter year till 1785, and again from 1787 until his death, being re-elected annually. In the presidential election of 1789, Gov. Hancock received four electoral votes. He was a man of strong common sense and decision of character, of polished manners, easy address, affable, liberal, and charitable. In his public speeches he displayed a high degree of eloquence. As a presiding officer he was dignified, impartial, quick of apprehension, and always commanded the respect of congress. He employed his large fortune for useful and benevolent purposes, and was a liberal donor to Harvard college. When the best method of driving the British from Boston was under discussion at a patriotic club in that