Joseph Anderson Hancock (abt. 1828 - 1900)

Born about 30 Jul 1828 in Tennessee

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Elizabeth (Preece) Hancock — married 19 Jul 1860 in Travis Land District, Texas

Descendants

Died 3 Nov 1900 at about age 72 in Jollyville, Williamson, Texas, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Janis Denison [send private message] and Patricia Howe [send private message]

Biography

Joseph was born about 1828, probably in Jackson County, Tennessee. His family moved to Eagle, Pulaski County, Arkansas about 1833, and a child his age is shown in the 1840 census for only Hancock family in the county. Two of his sisters were married here, but when his father died in 1846, the family seems to have scattered. That, combined with the death of one sister in 1850 makes finding any of this family in that census most challenging.

In 1860 we find Joseph in Travis County, Texas, newly married and living adjacent to his wife's extended family. His in-laws, the Preece family, spent a contentious civil war in the mountains outside of Austin as part of a small unionist resistance in the larger confederate area. It is not clear how Joseph felt about the conflict, and we believe he did serve in the confederate army. His family cannot be found in the 1870 census, although we have no reason to believe that they moved from the area, since all the children born during this time period say they were born in Travis County, Texas.

Old plat maps of the area north west of Austin (near Round Rock) show Joseph's name on land adjacent to his brother in law, Richard Lincoln Preece on the Colorado River west of Steiner Ranch.

He passed away on Nov 3 1900, and is said to be buried in the Preece cemetery outside of Austin next to his wife, but primary documents for this burial location have not been found.

Joseph's birth location is uncertain, as census records and the death records of many of his children to not agree. Locations given include Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, and Illinois. Our best guess is that he was born in Tennessee and moved to Arkansas as a young boy.

Research notes

DNA links indicate that Joseph is closely related to Emily Hancock 1811-1868 (m Thomas Crowder Jones) and Permilia Hancock 1819-1849 (M John Mills). Both women were married in Pulaski County, Arkansas between 1830-1840 and provide clues to Joseph's ancestry. Descendants of Joseph Anderson Hancock, Permilia (Hancock) Mills, and Emily (Hancock) Jones match at levels to link them as siblings. Additional DNA work links these descendants with the Hancock families of Jackson County, Tennessee and Laurens County, South Carolina.

Sources

• "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:S5SV-23T : accessed 10 August 2019), entry for Joseph A. /Hancock/; file (2:2:2:MM3M-75X), submitted 11 May 2011; Joseph A Hancock- Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965; Record Collection:-Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KFXW-4WP

• https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GY1S-S3QG?i=89&cc=1983324

• Hancock Family Bible in the possession of Robert Howe: Lists Death of Joseph A Hancock died Nov 3 1900. Age 72 years 3 (or possibly 8?) months and 14 days. (this give birthday of July 20 1828)

• 1860 United States Federal Census, publisher, ancestry.com Year: 1860; Census Place: Precinct 6, Travis, Texas; Roll: ; Page: ; Image: . Transcript. Birth date: abt 1830 Birth place: Tennessee Residence date: 1860 Residence place: Austin

• 1880 United States Federal Census, publisher, ancestry.com Year: 1880; Year: 1880; Census Place: , Travis, Texas; Roll: T9_1329; Family History Film: 1255329; Page: 112.4000; Enumeration District: 125; Image: Transcript. Birth date: abt 1830 Birth place: Arkansas Residence date: 1880 Residence place: Travis, Texas, United States

• http://www.austintxgensoc.org/data/1996.4.pdf see page 206 for list of Preece cemetery burials, including Joseph A Hancock, husband of Mary Elizabeth Preece, with no birth or death date attached.