Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California, by prof. J.M. Guinn
An early settler of San Joaquin valley, J. B. Hancock, now tax collector of Fresno county, is a native of Missouri and a descendant of old Virginia ancestry.
His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Hancock, was born in Patrick county, Va., of English extraction, and during early manhood settled in St. Charles county. Mo., when St. Louis was an insignificant French hamlet. The remaining years of his life were passed in St. Charles county and there his son, John Calvin Hancock, was born and reared. When choosing an occupation for life the latter selected the science of medicine, the study of which he prosecuted in the Louisville Medical College.
After his graduation with the degree of M. D., he opened an office in Columbia, Boone county. Mo., and there established a growing practice. His death occurred at an early age, when he was just beginning to reap the reward of years of study and devotion to his profession.
The wife of Dr. John C. Hancock was Serena Barton, who was born in Boone county. Mo., and died in San Joaquin county, Ca, leaving two sons, namely : Benjamin, a stockman residing on the Sycamore, Fresno county ; and J. B., of Fresno.
Mrs. Hancock was a daughter of Jonathan Barton, who was a native of South Carolina and a farmer of Kentucky, later becoming one of the earliest settlers of Boone county, Mo., and a pioneer in the Santa Fe trade. During 1849 he crossed the plains to California and took up the adventurous life of a miner. The country so attracted him that he resolved to settle in California permanently, therefore in 1852 he returned via Panama to Missouri for his family, who accompanied him across the plains the following year.
Taking up land near Stockton, San Joaquin county, he entered upon the occupation of stock-raising, in which his remaining active years were spent. At the time of his death he had reached the age of eighty-four years.
In the Missouri county where he was born May 13, 1842, J. B. Hancock passed the first eleven years of his life. During 1853, with his mother and grandfather, he crossed the plains, starting from Independence in April, crossing the Kaw at the present site of Lawrence, Kans., later crossing the Blue and Platte rivers, thence proceeding via Sweetwater, Devil's Gate, South Pass, Salt Lake, down the Humboldt river and through Carson Canyon, thence over the Sierras and on to the San Joaquin valley, where the party arrived in September, after a journey with their ox-teams of five months and three days.
In those days schools were few. The first which Mr. Hancock attended in this state was held in a canvas-covered tent in San Joaquin county and was of the old-fashioned subscription nature. Having little opportunity to attend school, he began to earn his own livelihood at an age when most boys are completing their educations, and at sixteen embarked in the stock business, selected a brand for his own use and took his part in all of the round-ups of his neighborhood.
Selling out his cattle interests in 1865, Mr. Hancock started east with a party of nine, traveling on horseback and using pack-mules for conveyance of supplies. At Fort Bridger they were stopped by troops and joined a company of fifty men from Idaho. Indians were hostile and the danger to white travelers great, therefore the expedition was heavily armed and ready for attack at any moment. After leaving Austin, Nev., they followed the Bitter Creek route and the overland trail, going from Julesburg to Nebraska City along the route now followed by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Notwithstanding dangers seen and unseen, Mr. Hancock arrived safely at Columbia, and from there went to Wisconsin, where he remained a year. Later travels
took him to other portions of the United States, but nowhere did he find a spot that suited him as well as California.
He therefore returned to the coast and in 1870 settled in Fresno county, where he first was employed at lumbering and then engaged in farming in the Dry Creek country.
Successive years of drought caused him to give up the land, after which he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in the Lone Star country, six miles southeast of Fresno, and began to raise fruit and raisins, also alfalfa. The entire tract being under irrigation and well improved was sold at an excellent profit. Another purchase of similar acreage he still owns, the land being divided between vineyard and alfalfa fields.
Since 1899 Mr. Hancock has made his home in Fresno, where he owns residence property on N street. He is a member of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. In politics he votes with the Democratic party.
In 1898 he was nominated for county tax collector by the Populists, endorsed by the Democrats, and won the election by a majority of three hundred and thirty. At the expiration of his first term he was nominated by the Democrats for the same position and elected by a majority of five hundred and twenty-five.
His wife, whom he married in Fresno county, was formerly Alice Donahoo, and was born in Iowa, whence she came to California in 1873 with her father, Peter Donahoo.
The six children of Mr. and Mrs. Hancock are as follows: Clarence, a farmer of Fresno county; Nellie, wife of Isaac Harris, of Fresno; Claude, who is engaged in farming in Fresno county; James L., a student in Fresno Business College; Albert Sidney and Hattie Serena.
Jonathan married Alice Jane Donahoo on 12 Nov 1875 in the Old Millerton Court House, Fresno Co, Ca. before the county seat moved to Fresno.
An early settler of San Joaquin valley, J. B. Hancock, now tax collector of Fresno county, is a native of Missouri and a descendant of old Virginia ancestry.
His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Hancock, was born in Patrick county, Va., of English extraction, and during early manhood settled in St. Charles county. Mo., when St. Louis was an insignificant French hamlet. The remaining years of his life were passed in St. Charles county and there his son, John Calvin Hancock, was born and reared. When choosing an occupation for life the latter selected the science of medicine, the study of which he prosecuted in the Louisville Medical College.
After his graduation with the degree of M. D., he opened an office in Columbia, Boone county. Mo., and there established a growing practice. His death occurred at an early age, when he was just beginning to reap the reward of years of study and devotion to his profession.
The wife of Dr. John C. Hancock was Serena Barton, who was born in Boone county. Mo., and died in San Joaquin county, Ca, leaving two sons, namely : Benjamin, a stockman residing on the Sycamore, Fresno county ; and J. B., of Fresno.
Mrs. Hancock was a daughter of Jonathan Barton, who was a native of South Carolina and a farmer of Kentucky, later becoming one of the earliest settlers of Boone county, Mo., and a pioneer in the Santa Fe trade. During 1849 he crossed the plains to California and took up the adventurous life of a miner. The country so attracted him that he resolved to settle in California permanently, therefore in 1852 he returned via Panama to Missouri for his family, who accompanied him across the plains the following year.
Taking up land near Stockton, San Joaquin county, he entered upon the occupation of stock-raising, in which his remaining active years were spent. At the time of his death he had reached the age of eighty-four years.
In the Missouri county where he was born May 13, 1842, J. B. Hancock passed the first eleven years of his life. During 1853, with his mother and grandfather, he crossed the plains, starting from Independence in April, crossing the Kaw at the present site of Lawrence, Kans., later crossing the Blue and Platte rivers, thence proceeding via Sweetwater, Devil's Gate, South Pass, Salt Lake, down the Humboldt river and through Carson Canyon, thence over the Sierras and on to the San Joaquin valley, where the party arrived in September, after a journey with their ox-teams of five months and three days.
In those days schools were few. The first which Mr. Hancock attended in this state was held in a canvas-covered tent in San Joaquin county and was of the old-fashioned subscription nature. Having little opportunity to attend school, he began to earn his own livelihood at an age when most boys are completing their educations, and at sixteen embarked in the stock business, selected a brand for his own use and took his part in all of the round-ups of his neighborhood.
Selling out his cattle interests in 1865, Mr. Hancock started east with a party of nine, traveling on horseback and using pack-mules for conveyance of supplies. At Fort Bridger they were stopped by troops and joined a company of fifty men from Idaho. Indians were hostile and the danger to white travelers great, therefore the expedition was heavily armed and ready for attack at any moment. After leaving Austin, Nev., they followed the Bitter Creek route and the overland trail, going from Julesburg to Nebraska City along the route now followed by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Notwithstanding dangers seen and unseen, Mr. Hancock arrived safely at Columbia, and from there went to Wisconsin, where he remained a year. Later travels
took him to other portions of the United States, but nowhere did he find a spot that suited him as well as California.
He therefore returned to the coast and in 1870 settled in Fresno county, where he first was employed at lumbering and then engaged in farming in the Dry Creek country.
Successive years of drought caused him to give up the land, after which he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in the Lone Star country, six miles southeast of Fresno, and began to raise fruit and raisins, also alfalfa. The entire tract being under irrigation and well improved was sold at an excellent profit. Another purchase of similar acreage he still owns, the land being divided between vineyard and alfalfa fields.
Since 1899 Mr. Hancock has made his home in Fresno, where he owns residence property on N street. He is a member of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. In politics he votes with the Democratic party.
In 1898 he was nominated for county tax collector by the Populists, endorsed by the Democrats, and won the election by a majority of three hundred and thirty. At the expiration of his first term he was nominated by the Democrats for the same position and elected by a majority of five hundred and twenty-five.
His wife, whom he married in Fresno county, was formerly Alice Donahoo, and was born in Iowa, whence she came to California in 1873 with her father, Peter Donahoo.
The six children of Mr. and Mrs. Hancock are as follows: Clarence, a farmer of Fresno county; Nellie, wife of Isaac Harris, of Fresno; Claude, who is engaged in farming in Fresno county; James L., a student in Fresno Business College; Albert Sidney and Hattie Serena.
Jonathan married Alice Jane Donahoo on 12 Nov 1875 in the Old Millerton Court House, Fresno Co, Ca. before the county seat moved to Fresno.
Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California, by prof. J.M. Guinn
An early settler of San Joaquin valley, J. B. Hancock, now tax collector of Fresno county, is a native of Missouri and a descendant of old Virginia ancestry.
His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Hancock, was born in Patrick county, Va., of English extraction, and during early manhood settled in St. Charles county. Mo., when St. Louis was an insignificant French hamlet. The remaining years of his life were passed in St. Charles county and there his son, John Calvin Hancock, was born and reared. When choosing an occupation for life the latter selected the science of medicine, the study of which he prosecuted in the Louisville Medical College.
After his graduation with the degree of M. D., he opened an office in Columbia, Boone county. Mo., and there established a growing practice. His death occurred at an early age, when he was just beginning to reap the reward of years of study and devotion to his profession.
The wife of Dr. John C. Hancock was Serena Barton, who was born in Boone county. Mo., and died in San Joaquin county, Ca, leaving two sons, namely : Benjamin, a stockman residing on the Sycamore, Fresno county ; and J. B., of Fresno.
Mrs. Hancock was a daughter of Jonathan Barton, who was a native of South Carolina and a farmer of Kentucky, later becoming one of the earliest settlers of Boone county, Mo., and a pioneer in the Santa Fe trade. During 1849 he crossed the plains to California and took up the adventurous life of a miner. The country so attracted him that he resolved to settle in California permanently, therefore in 1852 he returned via Panama to Missouri for his family, who accompanied him across the plains the following year.
Taking up land near Stockton, San Joaquin county, he entered upon the occupation of stock-raising, in which his remaining active years were spent. At the time of his death he had reached the age of eighty-four years.
In the Missouri county where he was born May 13, 1842, J. B. Hancock passed the first eleven years of his life. During 1853, with his mother and grandfather, he crossed the plains, starting from Independence in April, crossing the Kaw at the present site of Lawrence, Kans., later crossing the Blue and Platte rivers, thence proceeding via Sweetwater, Devil's Gate, South Pass, Salt Lake, down the Humboldt river and through Carson Canyon, thence over the Sierras and on to the San Joaquin valley, where the party arrived in September, after a journey with their ox-teams of five months and three days.
In those days schools were few. The first which Mr. Hancock attended in this state was held in a canvas-covered tent in San Joaquin county and was of the old-fashioned subscription nature. Having little opportunity to attend school, he began to earn his own livelihood at an age when most boys are completing their educations, and at sixteen embarked in the stock business, selected a brand for his own use and took his part in all of the round-ups of his neighborhood.
Selling out his cattle interests in 1865, Mr. Hancock started east with a party of nine, traveling on horseback and using pack-mules for conveyance of supplies. At Fort Bridger they were stopped by troops and joined a company of fifty men from Idaho. Indians were hostile and the danger to white travelers great, therefore the expedition was heavily armed and ready for attack at any moment. After leaving Austin, Nev., they followed the Bitter Creek route and the overland trail, going from Julesburg to Nebraska City along the route now followed by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Notwithstanding dangers seen and unseen, Mr. Hancock arrived safely at Columbia, and from there went to Wisconsin, where he remained a year. Later travels
took him to other portions of the United States, but nowhere did he find a spot that suited him as well as California.
He therefore returned to the coast and in 1870 settled in Fresno county, where he first was employed at lumbering and then engaged in farming in the Dry Creek country.
Successive years of drought caused him to give up the land, after which he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in the Lone Star country, six miles southeast of Fresno, and began to raise fruit and raisins, also alfalfa. The entire tract being under irrigation and well improved was sold at an excellent profit. Another purchase of similar acreage he still owns, the land being divided between vineyard and alfalfa fields.
Since 1899 Mr. Hancock has made his home in Fresno, where he owns residence property on N street. He is a member of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. In politics he votes with the Democratic party.
In 1898 he was nominated for county tax collector by the Populists, endorsed by the Democrats, and won the election by a majority of three hundred and thirty. At the expiration of his first term he was nominated by the Democrats for the same position and elected by a majority of five hundred and twenty-five.
His wife, whom he married in Fresno county, was formerly Alice Donahoo, and was born in Iowa, whence she came to California in 1873 with her father, Peter Donahoo.
The six children of Mr. and Mrs. Hancock are as follows: Clarence, a farmer of Fresno county; Nellie, wife of Isaac Harris, of Fresno; Claude, who is engaged in farming in Fresno county; James L., a student in Fresno Business College; Albert Sidney and Hattie Serena.
Jonathan married Alice Jane Donahoo on 12 Nov 1875 in the Old Millerton Court House, Fresno Co, Ca. before the county seat moved to Fresno.
An early settler of San Joaquin valley, J. B. Hancock, now tax collector of Fresno county, is a native of Missouri and a descendant of old Virginia ancestry.
His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Hancock, was born in Patrick county, Va., of English extraction, and during early manhood settled in St. Charles county. Mo., when St. Louis was an insignificant French hamlet. The remaining years of his life were passed in St. Charles county and there his son, John Calvin Hancock, was born and reared. When choosing an occupation for life the latter selected the science of medicine, the study of which he prosecuted in the Louisville Medical College.
After his graduation with the degree of M. D., he opened an office in Columbia, Boone county. Mo., and there established a growing practice. His death occurred at an early age, when he was just beginning to reap the reward of years of study and devotion to his profession.
The wife of Dr. John C. Hancock was Serena Barton, who was born in Boone county. Mo., and died in San Joaquin county, Ca, leaving two sons, namely : Benjamin, a stockman residing on the Sycamore, Fresno county ; and J. B., of Fresno.
Mrs. Hancock was a daughter of Jonathan Barton, who was a native of South Carolina and a farmer of Kentucky, later becoming one of the earliest settlers of Boone county, Mo., and a pioneer in the Santa Fe trade. During 1849 he crossed the plains to California and took up the adventurous life of a miner. The country so attracted him that he resolved to settle in California permanently, therefore in 1852 he returned via Panama to Missouri for his family, who accompanied him across the plains the following year.
Taking up land near Stockton, San Joaquin county, he entered upon the occupation of stock-raising, in which his remaining active years were spent. At the time of his death he had reached the age of eighty-four years.
In the Missouri county where he was born May 13, 1842, J. B. Hancock passed the first eleven years of his life. During 1853, with his mother and grandfather, he crossed the plains, starting from Independence in April, crossing the Kaw at the present site of Lawrence, Kans., later crossing the Blue and Platte rivers, thence proceeding via Sweetwater, Devil's Gate, South Pass, Salt Lake, down the Humboldt river and through Carson Canyon, thence over the Sierras and on to the San Joaquin valley, where the party arrived in September, after a journey with their ox-teams of five months and three days.
In those days schools were few. The first which Mr. Hancock attended in this state was held in a canvas-covered tent in San Joaquin county and was of the old-fashioned subscription nature. Having little opportunity to attend school, he began to earn his own livelihood at an age when most boys are completing their educations, and at sixteen embarked in the stock business, selected a brand for his own use and took his part in all of the round-ups of his neighborhood.
Selling out his cattle interests in 1865, Mr. Hancock started east with a party of nine, traveling on horseback and using pack-mules for conveyance of supplies. At Fort Bridger they were stopped by troops and joined a company of fifty men from Idaho. Indians were hostile and the danger to white travelers great, therefore the expedition was heavily armed and ready for attack at any moment. After leaving Austin, Nev., they followed the Bitter Creek route and the overland trail, going from Julesburg to Nebraska City along the route now followed by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Notwithstanding dangers seen and unseen, Mr. Hancock arrived safely at Columbia, and from there went to Wisconsin, where he remained a year. Later travels
took him to other portions of the United States, but nowhere did he find a spot that suited him as well as California.
He therefore returned to the coast and in 1870 settled in Fresno county, where he first was employed at lumbering and then engaged in farming in the Dry Creek country.
Successive years of drought caused him to give up the land, after which he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in the Lone Star country, six miles southeast of Fresno, and began to raise fruit and raisins, also alfalfa. The entire tract being under irrigation and well improved was sold at an excellent profit. Another purchase of similar acreage he still owns, the land being divided between vineyard and alfalfa fields.
Since 1899 Mr. Hancock has made his home in Fresno, where he owns residence property on N street. He is a member of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. In politics he votes with the Democratic party.
In 1898 he was nominated for county tax collector by the Populists, endorsed by the Democrats, and won the election by a majority of three hundred and thirty. At the expiration of his first term he was nominated by the Democrats for the same position and elected by a majority of five hundred and twenty-five.
His wife, whom he married in Fresno county, was formerly Alice Donahoo, and was born in Iowa, whence she came to California in 1873 with her father, Peter Donahoo.
The six children of Mr. and Mrs. Hancock are as follows: Clarence, a farmer of Fresno county; Nellie, wife of Isaac Harris, of Fresno; Claude, who is engaged in farming in Fresno county; James L., a student in Fresno Business College; Albert Sidney and Hattie Serena.
Jonathan married Alice Jane Donahoo on 12 Nov 1875 in the Old Millerton Court House, Fresno Co, Ca. before the county seat moved to Fresno.
Family Members
Siblings
Half Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
