Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/465

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES Foley, buy mg a mill erected by Bird Patter­ son, which they operated under ihe style of the Hough and Keady Rolling Mill, manu­ facturing merchant iron. The firm coniinued to carry on the plant until 1850. when they merged it into a rail mill under the name of Cilendower Iron W orks. Being practical men, thcir success was assured from the start, and when he had an opportunity, eight years later. William Hancock bought out the other stockholders, liccoming the sole proprietor, feeling that he had made an e.xccllent invest­ ment. Until 1867 he continued to opernte this pbnt. In that year the National Iron Com­ pany was formed, with him in the executive chair, and it succcceralcd the furnace in conjunction with its plant until the death o f Mr. Hancock, in 187a. T w o years later, in 1874. the heirs of Mr. IlaiKOck’s estate bought out the entire prop­ erty under a mortgage sale, organizing the HaiKOck Iron & Steel Company, believing it only fair an<> just to give his name to the cnterjirise that was the outcome o f his years of stea<lfast endeavor and consummate ability. Protobly he w as rcs|ionsihlc for much of the development in the iron industry in I^eniisySvania, and certainly a b r g c amount o f credit is due him for what he accomplished for him­ self. In addition, how*evcr. he w*as prominent in many ways, fo r his active brain w as able to gras]i at possibilities and develop them into certainties, and he gave valuable advice upon many occasions. For years he was a director of the Danville fCational Bank, strengthening that institution by the use o f his name and prestige. Upright and honor­ able to a marked degree, he never couniena need anything that was in the least unstable, and his death w*as a public calamity. When lie died he had a handsome residence in pro­ cess of erection. 011 Market street, being built o f N’ermont granite and stone, which was completed by his son, Charles P. Hancock, who is now living in it. Mr, Hancock was brought up in the Church o f England and naturally connected himself w*ith the Episco­ pal Church upon coming to Danville, holding memtorship in CliHst Oiurch at Danville. The first w ife o f M r. Hancock was Isabella Emerson, whom he married in F.ngland. ,^lic passed away at the age o f thirty-six years.

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having borne him the following children: Sarah, who is the w ife o f Benjamin G. SV'elsh I Elizabeth J ., wlio is the widow o f J. D. Gosh, M.!>., o f Danville; Isabella, wife o f H arvey B. C ran e; Cornelia P ., who m ar­ ried S. A. Y ork, o f DunviUc; and William J „ who died when thirty-two years old. William Hancock w*as married (second) tu M ary R cay, bom near Binningliam. England, daughter u f John Rcay, also a native o f Eng­ land. T he three children o f this marriage were Charles P.. George M. and M ary M., the btter m arrying F. Watkin. M r. Han­ cock was later married (third) to .Mary Jones and they had ihree children: H arry 'I*.. Jane E .. and Augusta R. (who became the w ife o f John L . I.an e). Charles P. Hancock was brought up at Danville, and received his educational train­ ing in its excellent public schools. Desiring to receive a practical business training he w'cnt into the firm o f C lcbnd, Simpson & T aylor as a clerk, continuing with this con­ cern until its removal to Scranton. P a., when he resigned and went into business on his own account, establishing in 1883 wliat w as known as the Globe Store, in the building formerly occupied by his old firm. Since then his busi­ ness lias grown to such an extent that he requires larger quarters, and has added other lines, also founding what became the largest retail dry goods establishment at Sunbury, Pa., w'hich he sold in 1910. M r. Hancock has not confined himself to commercbt lines, fo r he was one of the pro­ moters of the independent telephone tine owned by the Montour & Columbia Telephone Com pany; the Danville & Sunbur)' Transit Conquny, which he founded in 1897, serving it ac the present time as secretar)' and treas­ u re r; the I>anviltc & BIoom.sburg Street R ail­ way Com pany: the Danville Knitting M ills Com pany; the first silk mill to be organized in this section, as w'cll as various other enter­ prises which Ik l>elicvecttemicnt o f existing conditions. .A man o f public spirit. M r. Hancock has rendered valuable service as president of the town council and as menil>cr of the school board, a member of the Board o f Trade, and he lias held a numlier of the lesser offices within the gift of the people. M r. Hancock is also interested in financial matters, both as a stockholder and director of the Danville National Bank. Like his father he is a mem­ ber of Christ Memorial Church at Danville, and for a long iKfiod has been one o f its