John Hancock

Founding Fathers

John Hancock
State | Massachusetts
Religion | Christian\- Congregationalist [1]
Founding Documents | Declaration of Independence

John Hancock was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, on January 12, 1737. After receiving his childhood education, Hancock was admitted to Harvard, where he graduated in 1754 and became a wealthy businessman in the shipping arena.

He is most famous for his extremely large signature on the Declaration of Independence. He was the first member of the Continental Congress to give his signature and his name is sometimes synonymous with the word signature today. Some reports state his reason for doing so is that he wanted the King to see his signature without glasses on,[2] however the factuality of this is debated.[3] Later in life, he was the governor of Massachusetts. He died October 8, 1793 in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Hancock's signature on the Declaration of Independence

## See also[edit]

* Brattle Street Church

## References[edit]

1. ↑ http://www.adherents.com/gov/Founding_Fathers_Religion.html
2. ↑ http://www.johnhancock.org/
3. ↑ http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/hancock.htm

## External links[edit]

* John Hancock: The Picturesque Patriot
* John Hancock: A Character Sketch

v • d • e

Presidents of the Continental Congress

First Continental Congress|

Peyton Randolph (1774) • Henry Middleton (1774)

Second Continental Congress|

Peyton Randolph (1774) • John Hancock (1775 - 1777) • Henry Laurens (1777 - 1778) • John Jay (1778 - 1779) • Samuel Huntington (1779 - 1781)

Confederation Congress|

Samuel Huntington (1779 - 1781) • Thomas McKean (1781) • John Hanson (1781 - 1782) • Elias Boudinot (1782 - 1783) • Thomas Mifflin (1783 - 1784) • Richard Henry Lee (1784 - 1785) • John Hancock (1785 - 1786) • Nathaniel Gorham (1786 - 1787) • Arthur St. Clair (1787) • Cyrus Griffin (1788)

v • d • e

Declaration of Independence

Grievances of the United States Declaration of Independence
Forming Committee|

Thomas Jefferson • Roger Sherman • Benjamin Franklin • Robert R. Livingston • John Adams

The drafting committee presenting the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress, painted by John Trumbull 1817–1819.

New Hampshire|

Josiah Bartlett • William Whipple • Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts|

John Hancock • Samuel Adams • John Adams • Robert Treat Paine • Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island|

Stephen Hopkins • William Ellery

Connecticut|

Roger Sherman • Samuel Huntington • William Williams • Oliver Wolcott

New York|

William Floyd • Philip Livingston • Francis Lewis • Lewis Morris

New Jersey|

Richard Stockton • John Witherspoon • Francis Hopkinson • John Hart • Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania|

Robert Morris • Benjamin Rush • Benjamin Franklin • John Morton • George Clymer • James Smith • George Taylor • James Wilson • George Ross

Delaware|

Caesar Rodney • George Read • Thomas McKean

Maryland|

Samuel Chase • William Paca • Thomas Stone • Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia|

George Wythe • Richard Henry Lee • Thomas Jefferson • Benjamin Harrison • Thomas Nelson, Jr. • Francis Lightfoot Lee • Carter Braxton

North Carolina|

William Hooper • Joseph Hewes • John Penn

South Carolina|

Edward Rutledge • Thomas Heyward Jr. • Thomas Lynch, Jr. • Arthur Middleton

Georgia|

Button Gwinnett • Lyman Hall • George Walton