Thomas Hancock (1727-1804)

The following was found at: http://www.algerclan.org/getperson.php?personID=I10519&tree=alger

Thomas was a pauper of the town of Longmeadow for several years. His loss was caused by not having trade with the mother country at the commencing of the Revolutionary War. He had invested heavily in the trade of gingshang, a root of a parenial sweet famous for its medical properties. It grew spontaneously in the eastern states and was dug, dried and shipped to the mother country making a profitable business in times of peace.

Ref: Family group record - Thomas Hancock

"Hancock and Adams Families" - author unknown - p. 7

"The Life of Levi Hancock" - copied from his own journal by Clara E. H.

Lloyd - p.1

"Mosiah Lyman Hancock Autobiography" - published by his daughters - p. 1

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Alger Family Historian - email: Alger@alum.mit.edu

Here's an interesting bit of family history found at: https://www.facebook.com/notes/talbot-ancestral-castles/skipton-castle/10150303903305839?ref=nf

Skipton Castle in North Yorkshire is one of the most beautiful and best preserved medieval castles in England. It was built more than 900 years ago and was granted to our ancestor Lord Robert Clifford in 1310 by King Edward II. Skipton first began as a wooden motte and baily castle in 1090 as was the case with most English castles that originated in the 11th century. The wooden castle was eventually replaced with a stone keep. Soon after Lord Clifford acquired the castle, he began heavily fortifying the castle with stoneworks and made many improvements and enlargements. Given the position of the castle and his lands in the Northeast of England, Lord Clifford became the first Lord Warden of the Marches and was charged with defending England's borders with Scotland. Lord Clifford had barely completed his work on the castle when in 1314 he was killed during the famous Battle of Bannockburn where King Edward II of England was defeated by King Robert "The Bruce" of Scotland. Skipton Castle remained in the Clifford family up until the end of the 17th century.

Today, the castle is still a private residence but it is also open for visitors and it is major tourist attraction in Yorkshire.

Excellent video about Skipton Castle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPLBI04wLWg

Castle website: http://www.skiptoncastle.co.uk/

Here's our descent from Lord Robert Clifford, the 1st Baron of Clifford and Lord of Skipton Castle, down to Grandpa Talbot. An asterisk is beside each ancestor associated with the castle.

1) Lord Robert Clifford, 1st Baron of Clifford, 1274-1314*

2) Idonea Clifford, Lady Percy, 1300-1365 *

3) Henry Percy, 3rd Lord Percy, 1320-1368

4) Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, 1341-1407

5) Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy, Knight, 1364-1403

6) Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland, 1392-1455

7) Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland, 1421-1461

8) Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland, 1449-1489

9) Eleanor Percy, Duchess of Buckingham, 1474-1530

10) Mary Stafford, Baroness of Abergavenny, b.1495

11) Mary Neville, Baroness Dacre, 1520-1565

12) Margaret Fiennes, 11th Baroness Dacre, 1540-1611

13) Thomas Leonard, 1577-1638

14) John Leonard, 1615-1676

15) Rachel Leonard, 1665-past 1697

16) John Hancock, 1688-1775

17) Thomas Hancock, 1727-1804

18) Thomas Hancock III, 1763-1844

19) Alvah Hancock, 1796-1847

20) Cyrus Mortimer Hancock, 1841-1905

21) Ann Eliza Hancock, 1864-1950

22) Ethel Hatch, 1884-1949

23) Archie William Talbot, 1918-1985