A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hancock, John (a)
HANCOCK. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 18; h-p., 34.)
John Hancock (a) entered the Navy, 8 April, 1795, as A.B., on board the Britannia 100, Capt. John Holloway, bearing the successive flags of Admirals Lord Hotham, Sir Hyde Parker, Chas. Thompson, and Sir Peter Parker; in which ship he participated in the actions of 13 July, 1795, and 14 Feb. 1797, off Capes Rioux and St. Vincent. In Feb. 1798 he removed to the Alarm 32, Capts. Edw. Fellowes and Robt. Rolles, on the West India station, where, during a continuance of three years, he appears to have been instrumental to the capture of a large number of the enemy’s vessels. He then became Master’s Mate of the Galgo 14, Capts. Rich. Hawkins and Michael Dodd, employed in the Channel and off Newfoundland, but, being discharged in Dec. 1802, he did not again go afloat until Jan. 1806, when he joined, in a similar capacity, the Lion 64, commanded at first by Capt. Rolles, and afterwards by Capt. Hen. Heathcote, with whom he served in the East Indies until the early part of 1808. In April, 1809, after an intermediate attachment to the Coquette, Capt. Robt. Forbes, and Royal William, Capt. Hon. Courtenay Boyle, Mr. Hancock was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Rhodian 10, Capts. Geo. Moubray and John Geo. Boss. His appointment to that sloop being confirmed by commission dated 24 April, 1811, he continued to serve in her on the West India station – participating intermediately in the capture of two French privateers and of upwards of 20 American merchantmen – until wrecked, off Port Royal, Jamaica, in Feb. 1813. His subsequent appointments were – 15 Oct. 1813, to the Dasher sloop, Capt. Wm. Henderson, also in the West Indies, whence he invalided in March, 1815 – and, 24 Feb. 1829, to the Coast Blockade, in which service, with his name on the books of the Ramillies and Talavera 74’s, Capt. Hugh Pigot, he remained until 1830. He has since been on half-pay.