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John Hancock, Sr.

1671 – 1752

American priest

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About John Hancock, Sr.

Lived 1671 – 1752 (aged 81). John Hancock, Sr. was a christian minister and clergy.

John Hancock Sr. (March 1, 1671 December 6, 1752 ) was an American clergyman and politician who was the paternal grandfather of John Hancock, one of the Founding Father of the United States. Hancock graduated from Harvard College in 1689 and was ordained that year. He taught at the Grammar School at Cambridge, Massachusetts starting in 1691. In 1692 he was engaged as the preacher at Medford, Massachusetts, where he lived and served until November 1693. He was invited to preach at Lexington, Massachusetts in 1697, and remained the pastor there for 55 years, until his death in 1752. His sons: Col. John Hancock Jr. (1702–1744), was also a minister and was father of the politician John Hancock. Thomas Hancock (1703–1764) was a merchant in Boston who built the Hancock–Clarke House for his father.

On 22 April 1728, Isaac Powers of Littleton, Massachusetts sold an enslaved boy named Jack to Hancock. He is buried at the Old Burying Ground in Lexington, Massachusetts.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Harvard University, Harvard College
Positions held
Harvard University Librarian
Also known as
Rev. John Hancock

Family & relationships

Child
John Hancock Jr.
Child
Thomas Hancock (merchant)

People in John Hancock, Sr.'s life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Hancock, Sr.'s

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Hancock, Sr.?

American priest

When was John Hancock, Sr. born?

John Hancock, Sr. was born on 1 March 1671 in Cambridge.

When did John Hancock, Sr. die?

John Hancock, Sr. died on 6 December 1752 in Lexington, Massachusetts.

What was John Hancock, Sr.'s occupation?

John Hancock, Sr. was a christian minister and clergy.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Hancock, Sr.

· Wikidata: Q6237548

· DBpedia: John Hancock Sr.

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Hancock, Sr.. https://biography.guide/john-hancock-sr/

MLA: "John Hancock, Sr.." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-hancock-sr/.

Chicago: "John Hancock, Sr.." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-hancock-sr/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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