Thomas Hancock | |
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| Born | July 16, 1703 |
| Died | August 1, 1764 (aged 61) |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, politician |
| Spouse | Lydia Henchman (m. 1730) |
| Parent(s) | John Hancock Sr. Elizabeth Clark |
| Relatives | John Hancock (nephew) |
Thomas Hancock (July 17, 1703 – August 1, 1764) was an American merchant and politician best known for being the uncle of Founding Father and statesman John Hancock. The son of an Anglican preacher, Thomas Hancock rose from obscurity to become one of the wealthiest businessmen in colonial Massachusetts, accumulating a 70,000 pound fortune over the course of his lifetime and becoming the proprietor of his own mercantile firm.
Born in Lexington, Massachusetts, Thomas Hancock became apprenticed to Boston bookseller Samuel Gerrish as an indentured servant at the age of 14. After the contract expired in 1724, Thomas Hancock eventually opened his own bookstore before expanding into the fledgling colonial publishing sector as well. In 1730, Thomas Hancock married Lydia Henchman, daughter of a business partner, the publisher and bookseller Daniel Henchman.
After his marriage to Lydia, Thomas Hancock entered into a partnership with prominent Boston merchant and slave trader Charles Apthorp, eventually rising to become one of the leading merchants in the city. Thomas Hancock soon expanded his business interests into a broad variety of mercantile sectors, becoming the proprietor of the House of Hancock, which exported rum, whale oil and fish, built ships, and imported books and luxury goods.
In 1752, Thomas Hancock formally became involved Massachusetts politics after abstaining from political affairs for most of his life, taking a seat on the Governor's Council. On August 1, 1764, Thomas Hancock suffered a stroke while entering the council chamber and died. After Hancock's death, his last will and testament deeded all properties owned by the House of Hancock to his nephew John Hancock and his personal mansion to Lydia.