John Hancock
| John Hancock | |
|---|---|
| Portrait of John Hancock | |
| Born | January 23, 1737; Braintree (now Quincy), Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America |
| Died | October 8, 1793 (aged 56); Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Political affiliation | Patriot; supported federal Constitution with a Bill of Rights |
| Spouse | Dorothy "Dolly" Quincy (m. 1775–1793) |
| Children | Two (both died in childhood) |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, statesman, civic leader |
| Major offices | President of the Second Continental Congress (1775–1777) Governor of Massachusetts (1780–1785; 1787–1793) President of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress (1774–1775) |
| Known for | Bold signature on the Declaration of Independence; leadership in Massachusetts Patriot movement; role in Massachusetts’s ratification of the Constitution (the “Hancock Compromise”) |
John Hancock (January 23, 1737 – October 8, 1793) was a wealthy Boston merchant and prominent Patriot statesman. As President of the Second Continental Congress, he presided over the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and signed it with the most recognizable, oversized signature in American history. He later served long tenures as Governor of Massachusetts, shaping the state in the early republic.
Early Life and Rise in Commerce
Orphaned young, Hancock was adopted by his uncle, a prosperous Boston merchant whose firm he inherited. His wealth and social standing positioned him to support resistance activities and charitable causes alike. British seizures of his vessels—most famously the Liberty—and customs disputes pushed him further into the Patriot camp.
Revolutionary Leadership
Hancock chaired the Massachusetts Provincial Congress and the Committee of Safety in 1774–1775 as tensions escalated. Elected to the Continental Congress, he became its President in May 1775. Though not a battlefield commander, he supported continental military efforts and symbolized unity and resolve.
Declaration and State Building
In July 1776, as presiding officer, Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence first and boldly, a patriotic flourish that entered folklore. After a period away due to ill health, he helped frame Massachusetts’s 1780 constitution and became the state’s first popularly elected Governor. During the 1787 ratifying convention, he proposed conciliatory amendments—often called the Hancock Compromise—that helped secure Massachusetts’s approval of the federal Constitution with a promised Bill of Rights.
Governor of Massachusetts
Hancock’s many gubernatorial terms emphasized public works, recovery from wartime debt, and social order. He was broadly popular, though often at odds with Federalist elites over taxes and rural unrest. He remained in office until his death in 1793.
Legacy
Hancock is remembered as a generous patron of the Patriot cause, a symbol of revolutionary defiance, and a durable state executive. His signature became shorthand for assent and identity—“Put your John Hancock here”—while his political instincts helped bridge radical protest and constitutional government.