16 June 1781

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Broadside

Title: [Notice declaring resolutions passed by the Massachusetts state senate intended to raise militia to meet Massachusetts' quota in the Continental Army]

Issued by Hancock as Governor of Massachusetts. Sent up for concurrence by Nathaniel Gorham as Speaker of the House of Representatives, read and concurred on June 16, 1781 by Samuel Adams as the President of the Massachusetts State Senate, signed by John Avery as Secretary. Evans 17220, Ford 2296.

GLC03411

2 July 1789

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Document signed

Title: [Delay of execution for Edward Johnson for five weeks].

Signed by Governor of Massachusetts Hancock and countersigned by Secretary of the State John Avery. Johnson was to be hanged for burglary. After requesting further time to prepare for death, he was granted a suspension of his sentence for five additional weeks. Johnson had already received a suspension for two weeks. Paper seal attached.

GLC03420

January 3, 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Document signed

Title: Commission of Thomas W. Forster, Capt. in Artillery Regt. commanded by Knox

Printed sheet countersigned by Charles Thomson.

GLC03242

13 September 1779

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Letter signed

Title: to Joseph Otis

Writen in secretarial hand and signed by Hancock as a Major General of Massachusetts militia to Otis as Brigadier General of the militia of the County of Barnstable, Massachusetts. From an order of the council wants a full return to be made of the name, rank, and place of abode of every officer in the brigade under Otis. Also wants to know what vacant offices are available and to put that information in a separate column. Asks for the information as soon as possible. Postscript asks that he forward the enclosed (not included here). Free frank is Hancock's signature.

GLC03315

25 June 1789

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Delay of execution for Edward Johnson for two weeks].

Signed by Governor of Massachusetts Hancock and countersigned by Secretary of the State John Avery. Johnson was to be hanged for burglary but "humbly supplicated for further time to prepare for death." Suspension of his sentence was granted for two weeks. Paper seal attached.

GLC03792

25 June 1790

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Sentence of four prisoners for attempting to escape confinement].

Countersigned by Judge William Perkins. Sentence of Thomas Port, John Carny, John Payn and Peter Rodgers to lashings for attempted escape. Each of the prisoners plead guilty and received "thirty nine stripes on their naked backs."

GLC03793

January 14, 1761

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Hancock

Hancock writes to his uncle. He mentions people he has met in London, as well as the death of Admiral Edward Boscawen before they had a chance to meet. He asks to be allowed to stay to see the coronation of George III. Hancock reports a rumor that Governor Ellis of Georgia will be appointed Governor of Nova Scotia. He also defends his expenses in London, particularly for clothing.

GLC03637

June 14, 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph document signed

Title: [Resolution of the Continental Congress advising New York to make provisions for detecting, restraining and punishing Tories].

Issued by Hancock less than three weeks before the Declaration of Independence, this resolution calls for the suppression of contact with the British among Tories in the colony of New York. It also claims that General George Washington will aid in carrying out these measures.

GLC03716

26 March 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Barry

Hancock, Thomas McKean, Richard Henry Lee, John Alsop, Joseph Hewes, Robert Morris, and Edward Rutledge sign as members of the Marine Committee (all but Alsop went on to sign the Declaration of Independence). Hancock et al. inform Captain Barry that the Committee of Safety has ordered four provincial armed boats to assist Barry in "taking, sinking, destroying, or driving off" a British man of war. Instructs Barry, Captain of the Lexington, to coordinate signals with the vessels sent to assist him.

GLC03714

April 11, 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Barry

Signed by members Hancock, Robert Morris, John Alsop, Richard Henry Lee, Joseph Hewes, George Read, William Whipple, and Stephen Hopkins as members of the Congressional Marine Committee (all but Alsop went on to sign the Declaration of Independence). The Committee praises Barry's capture of the prize sloop Edward. Mentions sending the prize to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Reports on the presence of Captain Boys and four or five marines at Cape May, New Jersey. States "As the Men of Warr in Virginia, Delaware and New York will undoubtedly hear of you they will probably lay some plans to…

GLC03715

19 June 1788

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Document signed

Title: [Resolution of Massachusetts Legislature]

Signed approved by Hancock. Also signed by Theodore Sedgwick, Speaker of the House, and Samuel Phillips, President. Certified as a true copy by John Avery as Secretary. Concerns levying taxes on the polls and estates in Worcester County, Massachusetts in order to discharge debts. One seated engraving of John Hancock included.

GLC04432

29 October 1760

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Daniel Perkins

Hancock writes to Reverend Perkins, his step-father. Hancock has not yet received communication from Perkins, and writes to let his family know that he is well. Hancock discusses the death of King George II and the impending coronation of George III.

GLC04908

22 June 1775

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Document signed

Title: [Commission of Captain Daniel Morgan]

Partially printed document signed by Continental Congress President John Hancock and co-signed by Charles Thomson as Secretary to Congress. The writing in the document's body was done by General George Washington. Document appoints Daniel Morgan as "Captain of a Company of Riflemen."

GLC04825

6 November 1771

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Instructing Paul Farmer to admit an indigent man to a Boston poorhouse].

Signed by Hancock and Jonathan Mason as Selectmen of Boston. Consented to by W. Greenleaf as Overseer of the Poor. Farmer is described as a stranger and "not an Inhabitant of any Town in this Province."

GLC04724

14 March 1787

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Thanks Knox for his sympathetic letter concerning the death of his son, John George Washington Hancock, who was only nine years old. Discusses his pursuit of health and states traveling was recommended to him during this trying time, "Journeying is much Recommended to me, & as my Situation is totally deranged by the untimely Death of my Dear & Promising Boy, I have no Affectionate object to promise myself the Enjoyment of what I leave...". He is making a 10 day trip to New York City and Philadelphia with his wife. Asks Knox to "engage such Lodgings in an Airy place, as you shall…

GLC02437.03491

10 April 1791

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Massachusetts Governor John Hancock informs Knox that he has sent Knox via Caleb Hopkins on the Brig Maria, a box of "the very best Winter Isle Shoales Table Fish, which I have preserved in the best manner, & which I will venture to assert if dress'd agreeably to the mode I practice, & which we conversed upon when together, will prove as good Eating Fish as was ever on any Table whatever."

GLC02437.04913

circa 1788

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph manuscript

Title: Retained draft of Hancocks' instructions to Massachusetts legislature

One manuscript written by John Hancock dated circa 1788. Pertaining to the selection of electors to vote for the President of the United States. He believes that such an act would not only strengthen the relations between the states but establish respectability in countries overseas. Hancock also promised that it would not weaken the powers of the individual states.

GLC07916

1 September 1789

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Letter has two portions, both dated 1 September 1789. The first, written by Henry Jackson, describes the bearer, John Sewall, who is the son of Jonathan Sewall, the former Attorney General of New York, and nephew of John Hancock. Declares that he is of good character and an able attorney on his way from Halifax to Quebec, where he plans to establish a law practice. Will be stopping in New York, and Jackson asks Knox to assist Sewall while he is there. The second page, written by John Hancock, is a letter of introduction for Sewall, asking that Knox welcome him into his acquaintance.

GLC02437.04348

9 October 1775

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to David Wooster

Directing Brigadier General Wooster's troops to build batteries on the highlands of Hudson (North) River as per General Schuyler's commands.

GLC06404

February 1, 1777

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Letter signed

Title: to William Smallwood

Communicates to General Smallwood a resolution by the Continental Congress in response to a petition from citizens in Somerset and Worcester counties in Maryland. The resolution orders Smallwood to help "suppress the Tories in the counties of Somerset and Worcester, and to seize and secure the persons mentioned in a list to be transmitted." The loyalists would then be required to submit to a loyalty oath and some would be put on trial. Signed as President of Congress. Written "In Congress."

GLC06502

22 July 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph document signed

Title: [Certification of John Wheelwright's appointment to Second Lieutenant of the Continental Frigate Raleigh at New Hampshire].

Issued by President of the Continental Congress John Hancock.

GLC06525

July 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Printed document signed

Title: [Blank form created for Marine Committee appointments]

Contains blank spaces reserved for the name, office, and vessel to which the appointee is assigned. Date previously inferred.

GLC06526

3 April 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Document signed

Title: [Privateer commission for the schooner "Adventure" of Exeter, New Hampshire].

President of the First Continental Congress John Hancock signed this privateer commission authorizing Commander of the Adventure James Johnson to capture British vessels and cargo.

GLC05659

27 December 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript document signed

Title: Resolution in Congress 27th Dec. 1776 investing Genl Washington with certain powers [fragment]

Final page of document conferring extraordinary power on Washington. For six months he is granted the power "to fill up all Vacancies in every other Department in the American Armies; to take wherever he may be, whatever he may want for the Use of the Army...to arrest and confine Persons who refuse to take the Continental Currency, or are otherwise disaffected to the American Cause." The lost portion of the document confers on Washington other powers as well. It is possible this document was being sent to Washington himself, then intercepted by the British. Title from docket. Transcript…

GLC05611

April 1759

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph document signed

Title: [Teamsters agreement for a military expedition up the St. River Lawrence]

Written by Hancock while working for his uncle's mercantile company during the French and Indian War. Makes an agreement for provisioning the troops for the Battle of Quebec. Records a contract between "teamster, on the one part, & Thomas Hancock of Boston Esq. who is Impowered to agree with them by His Excellency Major General Amherst Commander in Chief of all His Majesty's Forces in North America." The teamsters agreed to join Major General James Wolfe, who was planning to follow a route up the St. Lawrence river to attack Quebec, as drivers. Contains details on pay and provisions…

GLC07697