HANCOCK, Andrew Ramsey
Andrew Ramsey HANCOCK, of Lacon, president
of the Sparland Coal Company, is one of the best known men in
Marshall county, having been prominently before the people for a
quarter of a century, and very active in the councils of his
political party, the democratic, having served as chairman of
the county central committee, and is at present secretary of the
same. He is not only well known locally, but throughout the
state, having for many years attended every state and national
convention of his party. A native of Marshall county, born in Hopewell township, November 23, 1848, he has
here resided his entire life. His father, William W. HANCOCK,
was a native of Dublin, Ireland,
and came to the
United States when a young man
of twenty years. For a time he resided in
Pennsylvania, and later removed to
Dayton, Ohio, where
he remained until the latter part of the ‘30s, when he came to Marshall county, and here
resided until his death. Soon after coming here he formed the
acquaintance of Elizabeth ORR, with whom he was united in
marriage, and with whom he happily lived until separated by
death. She was a daughter of James and Sarah ORR, natives of
Maryland, and pioneers of Marshall county, the family
locating in Lacon township, just north of Lacon. Her father died
in 1867, at the age of seventy-eight, being born in 1787. Of the
family only one now survives.
On coming to Marshall
county, William W. HANCOCK worked for a time by the day and
month until he had saved enough to purchase a small piece of
land in Hopewell township, to which he removed and
where he resided until his death. To his original purchase he
subsequently added other tracts until he had a fine farm of six
hundred and eighty acres, which he placed under a high state of
cultivation. He was an excellent farmer, a good judge of stock
and made a specialty of fine cattle. In addition to his home
farm, he was the owner of three hundred and sixty acres in two
farms located elsewhere. When he made his first purchase his
capital consisted of six hundred dollars, the savings of years.
By strict economy and careful attention to his business, he was
enabled to place himself in comfortable circumstances and died
the possessor of a fair share of this world’s goods. His death
occurred in 1890, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife
survived him one year, dying in 1891. They were the parents of
six children: Ann Louisa married Morgan BOYS, and died in 1865,
at the age of twenty-seven years; James Washington, while making
his home at Lacon, is a storekeeper in the United States
internal revenue service at Peoria; William Emmett resides in
Lacon; Andrew R. is the subject of this sketch; Alpheus died at
the age of nineteen years, and Ira F. resides in Lacon.
In politics, William W. HANCOCK was a
democrat of the old school, and was well posted in the political
and general history of the country, and knew how to express
himself clearly and forcibly upon all questions of public
interest. He cared nothing for the honors or emoluments of
public office, but did care for the principles of his party, in
which he had the greatest faith and confidence. For years he
served as supervisor of his township and also school treasurer,
and was such at the time of his death. At the
Baltimore
convention in 1860, at which Stephen A. Douglas was nominated
for the presidency, he served as an alternate delegate. He was
strictly a temperate man, using no liquor or tobacco in any
form. Reared in the Episcopal faith, in later years he attended
the Presbyterian church, and died in the faith of a blessed
resurrection. He was always an active, pushing and hard working
man, and kept his business intact until the last, giving
personal attention to every detail.
Andrew R. HANCOCK, our subject, remained at
home until he attained his majority, assisting in the farm work
from the time he was old enough to “drop corn” or follow the
plow. His education was received in the public schools, but he
has always been a great reader and observer of passing events,
and is therefore one of the best posted men in the country. It
may be said that he inherited a taste for political warfare, and
from the time he cast his first vote in the spring of 1870 he
has been prominently identified with the political history of
his county and state. For two terms he served acceptably in the
office of supervisor from his township, and in 1880 was
nominated for the office of sheriff. Notwithstanding at this
time the county had a republican majority of six hundred, he
entered the canvass with a determination to win. The large
republican majority was not only overcome, but he received a
majority of one hundred and forty-eight votes. Re-nominated, he
was elected by over five hundred majority. During his term
several important murder trials occurred, and in the discharge
of the duties of the office he displayed great ability. His
abilities were recognized by the State Sheriff’s association by
his election as president of that body, an office which he
filled in a most acceptable manner. About this time he served
one year as deputy
United States marshal. After
serving his second term as sheriff, he was nominated for the
office of county treasurer, but was defeated by a small
majority.
It must not be considered from what has
already been said that Mr. HANCOCK is a politician pure and
simple, for the fact of the case is he is recognized as one of
the leading business men of the county, having for the past
seven years been president of the Sparland Coal Company, and
giving the business his personal attention. The company employs
about one hundred miners and has a daily output of one hundred
and twenty-five tons. Its main shaft is located near the
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad
at Sparland, and the company is now working its third vein,
which is thirty inches thick. In addition to his duties in
connection with the coal business, Mr. HANCOCK is engaged in
buying and shipping stock, and supplying stock feeders with
young animals. He has a fine farm of one hundred and sixty
acres, five miles from Lacon, and also owns one hundred and
forty acres of the old homestead. In looking after his various
interests it can be conceived that his time is fully occupied.
Mr. HANCOCK was married December 16, 1880,
to Miss Phoebe A. MYERS, a daughter of John and Mary (WRIGHT)
MYERS, of Roberts township. Her father, who now resides in Peoria, came to this county with his parents
before the Black Hawk war, which occurred in 1832. His father,
also named John, died here when past seventy-eight years of age,
and the old homestead is yet owned by him. Two children have
been born to Mr. and Mrs. HANCOCK – Tracy and Lura – both yet
residing at home. Mrs. HANCOCK is a woman of domestic tastes and
habits, a member of the Congregational church, and is well known
and universally esteemed.
Fraternally, Mr. HANCOCK is a Mason, a
member of Lacon lodge, No. 61, F. & A. M.; of Lacon council, R.
A. M.; of Peoria commandery, No.
3, K. T., and also the Shrine at
Peoria. In Masonic work he has taken an
active part, and is well posted in the history and work of the
order. He is a lover of fast horses, and is at present president
of the Lacon Driving association. As a citizen he has the best
interests of his town and country at heart, and at all times is
ready to give his influence in behalf of any good work.
Extracted March 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois,
1896.
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