Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-07-08

e, JULY 8, 1886
His eyes are blue, and have benignant and
mild expression when in repose, but inspiring
when in danger. His manner is digni6ed and
knightly, and he is courtesy itself. He is al
ways magnetic, and draws men to him by his
kindness and gentle interest in their affairs
His sympathies are easily aroused, and he
becomes intensely concerned for the SORROWS
and misfortunes of others, striving in every
way to relieve them, as though their troubles
we're his own. Hancock's kindness to his
subordinates always won not only their love,
but also their confidence, and caused them to
rely on him as a frier1 as we'll as a COM
mander. He gave a mn good opinion of
himself, and made each che feel he was Of
more Importance than he ever before suspect.
ed. 1t was this which caused him to .have
such power over his officers and men in bat
tie, and made them prefer rather to die than
forfeit the good opinion of their leader.
Gen. Hancock had two children, Russell
Hancock and Ada Elizabeth Hancock. The
latter died in New York, Of typhoid fever,
when 1S years of age. She was,a young lady
Of. great promise. Russell Hancock, the
Generals only con, is living and is planter
in Mississippi
A volume would not contain All account of
all the heroic deeds of a man like Hancock.
glorious soldier, steadfast friend, USE
full citizen, he is all that is noble, manly and
brave in poor fallen humanity. Thousands
upon thousands of his old soldiers will gladly
vote for him, and almost every citizen in the
land will think twice before refusing his suf-
frage to such candidate as Winfield Scott
Hancock, the patriotic soldier, accomplished
gentleman, consummate general and fair
minded statesman.
his ANCESTRY.
General Hancock comes from Anglo.Sax.
on stock, the ancestral line on the maternal
side leading back to the English and Welsh,
and on the paternal to the English, Irish and
Scotch. His fathers family were originally
Episcopalians and Friends and his mothers
Baptists. His mothers family have resided
in Pennsylvania from the time of William
Penn, and have been living in what is now
Montgomery County for the last $50 years.
In Hatfield township, in that County, may
now be seen the old family homestead, with
the figures 1854 on the gable.end of the more
recent part the older part, built long before,
falling into decay. Among the incidents re-
lated of his mothers family is one ilustra-
ting the dangers to which the early settlers
were exposed. During the French.Iudian
wars before the revolution, in the absence OF
the men on campaign, the Indians attacked
the house in which they then resided and
drove the women to the attic, which they de-
Tended with spirit, chopping the fingers of the
savages with hatcbets as they climbed up to
kill or capture them. The Indians finally
set fire to the dwelling, but the neighbors
came to the rescue, extinguished the flames,
and saved the family.
The General is direct descendant of the
Hancocks who came to this country in the
early period of its settlement, and during the
Revolutionary War his ancestors on both
sides were engaged, either on sea or land, in
the struggle for liberty and independence.
His grandfather on his fathers side was cap.
tured at sea, claimed as British subject, and
imprisoned in Dartmoor prison, England.
His great-grandfather and grandfather on
his mothers side served in the Continental
Armies. The former died soon after the
end of the Revolutionary War in consequence
of exposure in the field. The latter went
into the Revolutionary ranks when boy of
Is years of age, and Eve times, as member
of different regiments, returned to the field.
During the war, when at Tarrytown, Md,
his command was called upon to escort Bur-
goypes prisoners, captured at Saratoga, to
Valley Forge. For his services in the Rev.
olution he received a pension until his death.
General Hancock's father was native Of
Philadelphia, and as boy of Is sought the
field on the banks of the Delaware when
the British threatened the city during the
war Of 1912. He was afterwards known as
lawyer of repute and a citizen of sterling
character in Montgomery county, Pa, hav'
ing moved to the County seat at Norristown
when the subject of this sketch was only
four years old. 1t was at Swede's Ford on
the site of Norristown, that Washington had
crossed the Schuylkill in his campaign of
Valley Forge, and it was here, in full view
of the historic hills, that young Hancock's
early years were passed. Born and raised in
patriotic atmosphere, with heroic blood in
his veins, his martial spirit and love of justice
soon gave promise of the brilliant future he
was destined to command. As boy he was
noted for his impartiality when appealed to
as an arbiter in schoolboy disputes, and for
his native pride of character.
General Hancock is the senior Major Gen.
eral of the army, his commission dating from
July 26, 1885, The commission of General
Scho6eld dates March 4, 1869, and that of
General Mcdowell November 25, 1872. Of
the six brigadiers, Generals Ord, Augur and
Crook, were made such after Hancock became
Major General.
THE PLATFORM.
CORRECT TEXT OF THE DECLARATION OF
PRINCIPLES ADOPTED AT CINCINNATI.
The Democrats of the United States, in
Convention assembled, declare:
l. We pledge ourselves anew to the consti'
tutional doctrines and traditions of the Demo-
cratic party as illustrated by the teachings and
example of long line of Democratic states
men and patriots, and embodied in the plat
form of the last National Convention of the
party.
2. Opposition to Capitalization and to that
dangerous spirit of encroachment which tends
to consolidate the powers of all the depart.
ments in one, and thus to create, whatever the
form of government, real despotism. No
sumptuary laws; separation of Church and
State for the good of each; common schools
fostered and protected.
8. Home Rule; honest money, consisting of