Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


HENRY M. HANCOCK.� A Californian by adoption who has become a 
leading spirit in the community in which he lives and prospers, accomplish- 
ing much good for the public at large and both earning and receiving the 
gratitude of his fellow-citizens, is Henry M. Hancock, the president of the 
Riverdale Cooperative Creamery. Of more than ordinary interest to the 
student of American history is the fact that he is a direct descendant of John 
Hancock, the illustrious patriot who, on July 4, 1776, was the first member 
of the Continental Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence. Henry 
M. was born at Vincennes, Iowa, on New Year's Day, 1852, and grew up 
in that state until his twenty-fifth year. Then he was married, in eastern 
Iowa to Miss Rebecca Fickel, who was born near Charleston, Iowa ; and after 
their marriage, they moved to Western Iowa. There they rented a farm in 
Mills County, and for two years devoted themselves to agriculture. 

They next moved to Kansas and bought 240 acres of school land, and that 
they farmed for twenty-five years. They had seven children: Ayres G, who 
died in December, 1917, aged forty years, lived at Mesa, Ariz.; he left two 
children, Grace, and Cecil, both being brought up at Mr. Henry Hancock's, 
where their mother also resides. Mary is the wife of John Ginn, the dairyman 
who lives four miles west of Riverdale, and who has two children. (Ayres 
and Mary were both born in Iowa, while the rest of the children were born 
in Kansas.) John Roy died at Riverdale, unmarried, at the age of thirty-five. 
Charles, also single, is the main stand-by of his father. William died, un- 
married, when he was twenty-five years old. Grace became the wife of Wil- 
liam Henton, the real estate dealer and constable of Riverdale and she died 
in 1917, leaving three children � Tina, Ralph and Hazel. And Fred, the sev- 
enth in the order of birth, is a farmer who married Miss Nina Henson of 
Riverdale, now the mother of one child, Velma. 

The late J. Q. Hancock, of the Laguna de Tache grant, brother of Henry 
M., was prospering at his new location and wrote for Henry to come out to 
visit him in 1903 ; and late that fall he made his first visit to this place. He 
liked the country so well that he decided to locate here. Accordingly, at 
Christmas, in 1904, he moved here with his family and two car-loads of stock, 
implements and household goods. He bought of J. Q. Hancock 240 acres 
which he still owns. He has greatly improved the property and made it his 
California home. He also owns 570 acres near Tranquillity, Fresno County. 

Mr. Hancock's father was Daniel Ayres Gillett Hancock, a native of 
Indiana, while his father, Daniel, was born in Maryland. Mr. Hancock is one 
of Riverdale's most progressive citizens. He gave the right of way through 
his ranch to the Hanford & Summit Lake Railway in 1911, and then actively 
engaged in getting that company to build its road through Riverdale, and to 
put in a switch to the Riverdale Cooperative Creamery which he had been 
instrumental in establishing here. As has been in part stated, he was one of 
the Creamery's chief promoters and stockholders, and is still its president. 
The plant represents a cash outlay of $50,000, and $25,000 in improvements, 
in the shape of buildings and machinery, are being added. 

Notwithstanding the repeated affliction through the death of their chil- 
dren, Mr. and Mrs. Hancock have preserved a brave and cheerful spirit, and 
no couple could be more highly esteemed by their neighbors, or receive a 
larger measure of good will and best wishes. Mrs. Hancock shares her hus- 
band's interest in schools and other public institutions.