Individual 61: Thomas Hancock

Individual Record 61

Name} Hancock, Thomas

Family History} Hancock

Title}

Race} White

Sex} Male

Birth: Date} Exa 16 Jan 1842

Place} Chittlehampton, Devon, England

Marr.: Date} Exa 6 Mar 1866

Place} St. John Evangelist, Westminster, Middlesex, England (Link)

Death: Date} Exa 6 Feb 1922

Place} Granada, San Mateo, California

Burial: Date} Exa 9 Feb 1922

Place} IOOF Cemetery, Half Moon Bay, San Mateo, California

Grave Marker} Yes

Source 1}	954 = Birth certif
Source 2}	141 = Marriage rec
Source 3}	709 = 1871 Eng cen
Source 4}	937 = Passenger list
Source 5}	485 = Family hstry
Source 6}	169 = Tax record
Source 7}	134 = Title abstr
Source 8}	171 = Geog history
Source 9}	100 = 1891 CAN cen
Source 10}	113 = Newspapers
Source 11}	94 = 1910 USA cen
Source 12}	170 = Invitation
Source 13}	313 = Newspaper
Source 14}	298 = 1820 USA cen
Source 15}	34 = Death certif
Source 16}	83 = Cemetery rec
Source 17}	733 = Photographs
Source 18}	738 = Photographs

Parents: } James Hancock & Jane Loosmore
Relationship No.} 19

1st Household No.} 210 = Chittlehampton, Devon, England

Occupation 1} Itinerant preacher
Occupation 2} Farmer

Religion/Church} Primitive Methodist & Salvation Army

Spouses: Prime} Howells, Mary Anne
Total Number of} 1

Notes: Thomas became a temperance missionary, a farmer, an itinerant preacher, and a well-known Bible scholar. [Source 485 indicates that he had a "J" middle initial, but I have not verified this.]

Thomas married Mary Anne Howells in March 1866. He was then 24 years old and an itinerant preacher residing at Kingston on Thames.

After having four children in England, Thomas and his family left Bristol for America on the S.S. Arragon and arrived in New York on 9 May 1873.

In January 1877, Thomas was deeded 32½ acres in Bosanquet Township, Lambton County, by the Canada Company. He worked the land as a farmer. At the time, only 20 of those acres were cleared. The farm was a couple of miles from the town of Forest.

On 14 Jan 1877, the dedication service was held for the new Primitive Methodist Church in Forest. Brother Hancock led the choir. The pastor, Rev. Thomas G. Scott, was assisted on the Forest Station circuit by six circuit or lay preachers. The table at the left shows that, in the spring of 1878, Thomas Hancock was the lay preacher assigned to preach at the Primitive Methodist churches in Forest, Ebenezer, and Zion every other week — for a total of about six services per month. The table also lists another lay preacher, Hugh Nickels, a family friend and neighbor from their days together in Devon, England.

From the mid-1870s to the mid-1880s Thomas and Mary Anne had six more children. They built a large windmill on their farm and, during the next decade, raised their children, wheat, and oats — and had hollyhocks around their yard. The Queen Victoria postage stamp at the right was used during this time.

A Year in the Life of Thomas
The following brief articles, that appeared in The Forest Standard newspaper in Forest, Ontario, Canada, from February 1895 to March 1896, provide a sampling of Thomas Hancock's life:

21 Feb

Mr. Thos. Hancock will occupy the lake road Methodist church pulpit next Sunday.

6 Jun

Mr. Thos. Hancock had strawberries on the market yesterday. He says he has never had them so early before.

11 Jul

We are just finishing two thousand copies of Mr. Thos. Hancock's new book on Bible Protestantism containing 144 pages. Get one.

8 Aug

The Brussels Post says: "Thos. Hancock, of Forest, father of Lieut. Hancock, of the Salvation Army, in this place, was visiting his son, and took a prominent part in the Army services. Mrs. Hancock was also here. Mr. Hancock has written a book entitled Bible Protestantism, and is pushing the sale of it. The work is highly recommended by both pulpit and press."

12 Sep

Thos. Hancock occupied the pulpit in the Second Congregational church, Watford, last Sunday.

24 Oct

Mr. Thos. Hancock, author of Bible Protestantism, is in receipt of the following, which speaks for itself:

		Goderich, Oct. 18, 1895
	To whom it may concern: This is to certify that Mr. T. Hancock lectured in the Orange hall in this town, and we as a lodge were highly pleased with his address, and would highly recommend him to the order in other towns.
		Jas. W. Rusk, W.M., L.O.L. 182.

9 Jan

Thos Hancock, Forest, preached morning and evening in Zion Congregational church, Sunday. Mr. Hancock is perhaps one of the best posted bible students in Canada, and his discourses are therefore full of information, and his reasoning is sound — Sarnia Observer.

23 Jan

The following officers were recently elected and installed by L.O.L. No. 830, Forest, for the ensuing year: .... Chaplain - Thos. Hancock....

20 Feb

Mr. Thos. Hancock will move to Sarnia shortly, and will take charge of Rev. Mr. Madill's Mooretown appointment.

10 Mar

Auction sale of farm stock at lot 35, S.B., Bosanquet, on Friday, March 27th at 1 p.m. - Thos. Hancock, prop., W. Sparling, auct.

Thomas' grandson Wilfred about 90 years later said that Thomas was an ordained Pentacostal preacher. Thomas immigrated to the U.S. in 1900, but remained a British citizen. He first purchased land and settled with Mary Anne in Corning, California. Finally, in June 1917, they moved to Granada, California. Thomas died there in 1922 at age 80 years, three weeks, and three days.

Time of Birth}

Time of Death} 5:20 P.M.

Fraternal/Social}

Baptism Date}

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