Myth and memory: the legacy of the John Hancock house
Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
John Hancock, a man of Revolutionary-era national fame and Massachusetts
state prominence, lived in the Hancock house on Beacon Hill in Boston for the
majority of his adult life. This house, constructed in 1737 by John Hancock’s uncle,
the prominent Boston merchant Thomas Hancock, stood until 1863. The memory and
legacy of John Hancock persists through the commemoration of his possessions and
the efforts to recreate the demolished building. Both Hancock’s possessions and the
reinventions of his home serve as iconic impressions of colonial Massachusetts, and
tangible connections to a Founding Father.
This thesis traces the creation of the Hancock house, with an emphasis upon its
architectural significance and its interior furnishings. After the house’s demolition,
several attempts were made to recreate the structure. These efforts, both successful
and unsuccessful, are analyzed for their significance in sustaining the memory of the
Hancock legacy. Furniture from the Hancock house further commemorates John
Hancock; these objects are venerated for their provenance in public and private
collections and have served as “Revolutionary Relics” since their earliest organized
display in 1876. Evaluating connections to colonial history and the reinterpretation of
the Hancock house, this thesis demonstrates John Hancock’s understudied but
persistent legacy throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.