Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 58 of 372
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50
ANCOOK, JOHN, lawyer, planter and
stock raiser, of Austin, Texas, is a lineal
descendant of the Virginia faninly
VHancocks, which is of English extraction,
anid had the same ancestry as tle Massachusetts
family. Their ancestors came to thi country
from England at a very early period.
In 1632 George Haneock settled ifh what is no'w
Campbell counity, Virginia. At this thile tlhe
sagacious and humane Sir Francis Wyatt wasi
governor of the colony, assisted by a council and a
representative assembly chosen by the people. A
written constitution had been granted, courts of
law established, and the germ of civil and relig'moln
liberty firmly implanted; fo:r, although intoleran ce
and civil commotion at times disturbed thle emanimity
of the Virginia colonists, they Ihad nevertheless
conceived the true theory of goverament
and were anxious to found it upon the bas is f a
true colonization. The social status of the colonmy:
was most excellent, and its chivalry wa. unqyw"tionably
of the purest type. The political spirit of
republican freedom was ever present, and if at
times there was a Berkeley to oppress with arbtrary
and tyrannical rule, there was always a
Nathaniel Bacon to sustain withl all the powers o '
the sword, if need be, the inalienable riglts of ma. I
Under such favorable anuspices as these, the Ia,ncocks
started, and their progeny have been tru
to the faith of their fathers.
The subject of this biography i a native of
Jackson county, Alabama, where he was botr" on
the 24th day of October, 18,I. 1e i a is o
John Allen Hancock, who vwais a native of Frtnakii
county, Virginia. He was a wvealthy planter ort
migrated to Alabama about the year 1819O, and di'
there in January, 1856. 1e was not a puAlit mian,
his most distinguishing characteristic. eig ar dei
cided aversion to holding public ollice, but thb private
virtnes and excellencie of life he. 1 " c', m
in a remarkable degree. Man is noii what lIatm ioC
but what ie is, and judging by this stunHlard, John
Allen Hancock was a model.
Sarah Ryan, the mniother, was a native of i -I
ford county, Virginia, daughter of William Ryan. ai
planter, and for a long time high sitherift of that
county. Hlis ancestors cam from North Iae lad,
and were Presbyterian in religion. Thie preen.
date of the immigration to America is not kon
but it was sometime during the days of colon iation.
Mr. Hancock spent his early childIhod a il
grew to manhood in Jackson county, Alabama.A. A . A a ~~
lie was aflordedl exellent educational facilities at
the .rnivers:ity of East Teniesse. , at Knoixville,
where he ret.ived a thtworugh comrse of literary
training. Tb ' exampides set Irefore him, and the
instructimns givn Iii when a tboy, instilledl into
him prici;iph os f mirality aitnd hlabits of industry,
very ax e:etiade exit: in ' tir stcmogtb mail usefulitP
o uf tr x,e nalxhl, For sev'al ' vears lie
haltwl r ip-m Ilii fiather's farm, while yet a boy,
ad xtl t .Uiiilt this v land ilt i tomh t tlo in fornmng
Il iis st.a'bs,:i|. hav anaxctir, ft-r omt-dihtr cmlpdymi:int,
lPartii'larly uplin a. farta, giv , i mntal anil moral
as ux.' as jfhyclivaI .tiim.lx si. In 1i.l le beigan
lte -t inv ia', law, at WinVwhetr, uexiscr, nder
heat.'?li~hm ' di hte II ,m. William Taul, a
lawyer f i satpe'rir jta- l a iti'd !a ilxtrn tit, and in
I1t.6 wa H Mlmihii tt I. lit*i Iar in Ja.ksnun Ctoulty,.
At this tihe:* his hIamlli Was iutolh inimpaired,
andttt I t itit'e I..' r e,ua l aisined it hmmi' for
several niths ia, i.i axgia..-d " 'n fitay active purtuit.
In tlm fal i t IS; 1-1 Ii a a,-nnm to Tiexas and
trav-a , ' vler ilI s m..nntrv wi' ti aa vicw ,of select*
in a site (#r I waiii .. In J-iamnary. si7, hi settled
at A.s6tin. wvaer i Ia '. vxr , ia. res/ i.l. After
Ir-atin ii . Ansti hs I imna fiadielv l:a'an tihe pmaieth.
if Law, a'l ;A i -aci'luir I a hilax', and lucrative
}.m:s' ,?; anfi,ir x -iirty-vlwx yititrs, ex.ept the
tlie t -a , a ;iS aI mm'.).~..r '.." ol t '4M r:^ rtmn Texas,
aix ' while Ica I t1)w iam-'xi,, amiu.I als what time he
ha:; dcx>V .:-o I al'ata.'ig ax1! .[tit, ra i sing, Ite has
iten c 'ori ianly ias 'U- ct r 'l.l a* patfe mismal
diuty Wits hs'm slil .s h'ateris'lsimis Ih t halts bee
fi.:,r Iha|: to' |i O tI I.adi g lawx., 'r. of the
Texas bar. ti.i iw' :lry I' .S i trict att otion to
bIm,.I:~ : mix aIwrnw prI,.r:a iial{, .axol it is said
'itha . ma !}ir,,lys x.^ ular hv a:a aiot s|-i'fit oi'!l, hltr
i.i ( lt :a ai t: ii.O h-i. , .tt hi is ixxxariably
a nd iu}i:i .fitc ) '~i, cxla,l xi. }Ph eta-es.
Iiis pa j !mi|al a)d 4 '0 4dri' o , s hIi; i,inits has
xv w n '.x' Iati a a |'ia x i x Iota a a tit Iltt State
1 wbih. his hj't,,:.~riy .r;~l *.,g~:,) lait li tr vvirywhere
lftlly n.-I gni' w . .hi tila art t.ix i.c ? xi ' ixigvainim
1h i' xc V a'a,T a-. hil' the ca pa 'ily t; m *cthi
/:: .~.mtlS*hnati~:m' a~t,l rvlfill*!.,N ,'d i,aeH }.. 'tn to the
ot.r.s, lhiae hi,' S,x l.l,% b.h x1 s tatute and
OM-Vx'1i law, ia a a 'a'i- atl tHx m ri .iiNii' In aargt'
4i' e t be is lnw-i, lawl 1~',a, al i;:tirse
imeai' -'a In xrwi.|i s'4 s., i' ,M i'dl bin ar wim!se
I.tr ix:'hixwar , mumt r, i ta.il.a 'riadin satmtlen or
t a''.l1 1 ish .:ni ,a 4 any k iil, x , a'aa,nct awil an ort'
at 'i, tioan 4i ntia I.I.aIg to hi I, hit reast axiad
:'a s mplI'ty, |ure atiii dl maysiftmld, are Iis. John
a alx ink ii an illstrit.ana txamiple 4s wlihat honesty
'and hainhausry . a aint' a:iJix.
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
Biographical view of Texas and its history including narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history and information about important point in history including: the pioneer days of Texas, Texas' transition from a Mexican state to being part of the United States, and the wars in which Texas citizens took part.
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, book, 1880; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5827/m1/58/: accessed June 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.