The daily gazette., 1880-06-26
HANCoCK's HOME.
MEN WHO PLAYED SOLDIER WITH HIM
WHAT HIS T0wNsMEN PREDICT.


lff f ed,
MEN WHO PLAYED SOLDIER WITH HIM
WHAT HIS TewNsMEN PREDICT.
Soon after General Hancock assum-
ed command of the Military Division
of tie Atlantic he is reported to have
said to a friend: ''Now, if the govern
ment will only remove my headquar
ters to Philadelphia I viii be able to
realize the desire of my heart by maxi
ing my residence in Norristown, the
home of my childhood. .f .f 80.
Could General Hancock yesterday
have Witnessed the very general Joy,
without re gard to party, that prevailed
Norristown when the news reached
there of his nomination for the Presi-
dency, he would have had occular de-
monstration that the home Of his child
hood was proud of the bright manhood
OF the STRIPPING youth it had sent forth.
Along the streets, in all the public
places, in private offices, and every
where in and about the town party
feeling was laid aside in the general
rejoicing over the nomination. Old
men who had about reached the allot-
ted "three score and ten" forgot their
long years of bitter political strife as
they shook hands and discussed their
boyish recollections of "Winfield Han
cock" 1t was no longer General
Hancock to them, but old Ben Han
cocks boy "Winfield." r... .,
The old two story stone house near
the Montgomery Cemetery, that has
been so dilapidated condition for
years that it has not been habitable,
where General Hancock's childhood
days were spent, became at once a
place of importance, and during the
day not a few who had passed it for
years without giving thought to the
old structure stopped to gaze upon it.
The academy where he was taught and
old Eliphalit Roberts and the Rev.
Samuel Aarons, the teachers who pre-
sided therein, though long since pass
ed away, all came in for their need of
praise. ...,.
A large body of Democrats conven-
ed in the hall of the Democratic
County Association, where the an
nouncement of the nomination was re-
| ceived with the widest demonstra-
tions of delight. Flags were hoisted
ON the building and displayed from the
windows, while an impIomptu meet
ing was organized and addressed by
John w. Bickel, Horace G.. Boyer and
others. On the river front five hun
dred guns were fired, and as night
came on many buildings were illumi-
mated. At the associations headquar-
ters, in the evening, meeting was
held, after which the members, headed
by a band, marched to the houses ol
such prominent men as James Boyd,
Judge Henry P. Ross, G. r. Fox, Geo.
w. Rogers, Charles Hunsicker and DR.
E. L. Acker. .-
THE BOYS HANCOCK PLAYED WITH.
b. r. Chain, a chum Of General Han
cock in his boyhood, says;
have known him for over forty years
and boy and man | am glad to CLAIM
him as friend. Iu 1928 he came IRON
Montgomery township, near MontgOm
eryville, about ten miles from here, u
this town, with his father and mother
and twin brother, Hilary. He was thei
about tour years old. The family wen
to reside in a two-story stone house, still
stand, but very dilapidated. This hous
at that time was one mile west OF town
on the old Ridge pike. 1t Is now in tn
city limits, near the cemetery. He hrs
went to school to Ephaiet Roberts, II
the academy, which then stood whes'
.he present. market house now stands
From nv earliest acquaintaDc will
him we boys acknowledged him AS I
kind OF leader. He was quiet but firm
in all he undertook. l remember tina
his tastes earlier ran in soldier direction
He used to get rs boys back Of 'th'
academy, and, imprOvlsing cooked hat
of paper and guns and swords Of sticks
nut us through all manner of man@u
vres, that to our bOyish ideas we tn
acme of military perfection.
at that time Benjsmin +. Hancock
his father, was in poor circumstances
and II was a struggle for him 20 gai
sustanance for his family. AS busines
improved in his profession as q lawyer
he moved into town and occupied
three->tory brick house on Swede stree
close TO Lafayette street, having ni
Office in a small brick building adjoin
ing. Winfield and his brother, Hilary
OF that time looked 20 much alike tina
it was hard to distinguish one from th
other across the street. His father ant
mother were Baptists of the stricJes
school and kept their children in thei
earlier years under the most rigid mora
training. The consequence was that u
| to the time Winfield went TO West POln
through the appointment of the Hor
Joseph Torrance, who then representa-
this district in Congress, he had no vices
He was then in his seventeenth year, wa
tall for his age, but very slender. III
never forgot his old friends and after b.
graduated he would visit them at times
never assuming any superiority, but ol
| the footing established in the boyhoot
days His life after leaving West Poin
has become historical and needs no repe
tition from me. In regard to his relig
ious predictions, he is nOt connected
with any denomination. While th'
General was quite young his father AM
mother CONNECTED themselves with tn
Baptists in this town, and the General
then a small boy, attend d the Sunda
school Of that church. his father bein
superintendent.
Colonel James Boy d, the Nestor Of tn
Norristown bar, says:
General Hancock will make capita
President. He is man of dehberat
mind, not given to act under impulse
He considers all his acts at any ant
| au,ru ota1a knnw IL tn ha n fact tina