Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-30
A Brief Life.HistOry.

der indeed as well as in name, and
the more his record is searched the
more of credit will be divulged.
His immediate ancestors were stall
wart early settlers in Pennsylvania.
Benjamin Franklin Hancock, his
father, was of mixed English, Scotch
and Irish Hood. His progenitors
were of excellent Revolutionary ie-
Town. His mother was of Pennsyl-
vania descent, too. The General
himself may have inherited desirable
Quaker, Episcopalian and Baptist
qualities, for those religious faiths
were represented in his grandfathers
and grandmothers. He was born in
what had been the family residence
of the Hancocks for a century, in
fairfield township, Montgomery
county, Pa, in picturesque old
House, with 1764 carved as an age
mark on its newest half, and the
more ancient tracings of time on the
other, building on which the cuts
Of Indian tomahawks had recorded
an attack in the early French-Indian
wars.
A grandfather on the fathers side,
during the revolution, was captured
at sea, claimed as British subject
and taken to England for imprison-
ment. A great-grandfather on the
mothers side died from exposure on
the field. His mothers father re-
ceived special pension for gallan-
try in the Continental army. The
Generals father became soldier in
1912, though only 16 years old, and
returned to the field five times by
re-enlistment. Heroic blood was
thus bequeathed to the man who is
to be the next President of the
United States of America.
A PATRIOTIC BoyHooD AND EARLY MAN.
The rearing place of the Democrat
10 candidate was Norristown, Pa,
whore as boy he daily saw the scene
Of Washington's gallant crossing of
the Schuykill, in the crucial cam
pan Of VALLEY Forge, Incentives
to patriotism were not wasted on
his boyhcod. He was born in 1924
(hence he is now Sc years old), and
in 1929 be was chosen to read the
Declaration of Independence at a
county celebration of the Fourth Of
of july, In the following year,
when he was sixteen, he entered the
United States Military Academy at
West Point, his spirit and ability
having recommended him for that
preferment. Among his cadet COM
panions were the lads who subse-
quent]y became Gems. Longstrcet.
Burnside, Hill, Mcclellan, Grant,
Jackson and Reynolds. Nature had
balanced his mental and physical
qualities well. and he became, with
out special effort, recognized leader
of his comrades. He was graduated
in 1S44, and was at once assigned to
the Sixth Infantry. He was yet
hardly more than boy, being only
twenty; but he had no chance to
figure as soldier on parior carpets,
being despatched at once to the
Western frontier to fight Indians.
His hardening service in the Indian
Territory lasted several years and
earned him a promotion to a Second
Lieutenancy.
The war with Mexico gave young
Lieut.. Hancock an opportunity to
distinguish himself. He went to
Mexico with his regiment, and
fought at San Antonio, Cherubusco,
MoliDo del Rey, and the City of
Mexico. Throughout the campaign
he was brave and useful enough to
be awarded at the close of the war,
the brevet of First Lieutenant "for
gallant and meiitOrlous conduct on
certain specified occasions. At Con-
treras and Cherubusco he behaved
in the handsomest Manner" to use
the language of an official report.
He served awhile as Adjutant, and
was in 1856 made Assistant Adjutant-
General of the Department of the
West. While filling the position at
St. Louis, he married daughter of
Mr.. Samuel Russell. leading NOR
chant. At about the same time he
was promoted to Captaincy. This
was distinguished honor for man
i! 81 years old. He served in Southern
Florida during the Indian War OF
1S56-57, and then went to Kansas
for delicate as well as active duty.
His next service was in the military
expedition to Utah, under Harney,
and afterwards he road overland to
California, where he was stationed
for the next few years.
MILITARY HoNORs WON.
Gen. Hancock Was again and again
conspicuous in spirited engage
ments. After that of Malvern Hill
he was created Major-General OF
Volunteers, and breveted successive
ly Major. Lieutenant.Colonel and