Summer Patriots and Aristocratic Leaders: Are they Antithetic or Complementary? Consider John Hancock

Portrait of John Hancock by John Singleton Copley, c. 1770-72

Massachusetts Historical Society

Question: Can aristocratic personages make good- even great- statesmen and politicians?

Think Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his Hudson Valley estate owner/ neighbor Robert Morganthau , Averill Harriman, Alexis de Toqueville. And even John Hancock.

Hancock (1737- 1793) is best known for being the first of 56 founding fathers to sign the Declaration of Independence and his signature is the largest on the document.

According to wikipedia, he is known as "merchant, statesman and prominent patriot of the American revolution."

In fact in 1764, when his Uncle Thomas died, John- at age 27- John inherited perhaps one of the most successful businesses in the 13 colonies: a thriving manufacturing and shipping business, boats, slaves, a manor and thousands of acres of land.

It was called the House of Hancock.

So what did he do with this treasure? He continued to run the business, and like Jefferson he dressed as aristocrat which of course made him many enemies in the Boston area.

Did he squander this fortune? No. He continued to build his family fortune. This Harvard graduate became an ardent patriot and the security of a thriving business afforded him the opportunity to follow his natural passions
to advance the cause of liberty.

He became a statesman.

Here are some of his accomplishments: When the British sent in troops to enforce the infamous Townshend Acts of 1767 (which created new taxes on imports), Hancock negotiated with Governor Thomas Hutchinson and the British officer in command, William Dalrymple to remove the troops. He was successful.

Despite numerous attempts by the British Crown to interrupt his business, he remained steadfast. He 1769, he made a public speech in front of a large crowd in Boston remembering the Boston Massacre.

In 1774, He was elected simutaneously to the Second Continental Congress and to the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts.
Two years later, Hancock became President of the former assembly.

Though battling gout, Hancock continued public service by participating in drawing up his native state's Constitution.

He next served as Governor of Massachusetts for five years through 1793.

And this was a man who had to flee Boston into hiding because he was on the most wanted list by the Crown.

Hats off to this patriot.

The blogger was inspired by a C-Span In Depth interview with Gordon S. Wood the eminent Brown University Professor and historian. The program will be aired again this Saturday, September 11th.

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