NOTES:
He was a member of the Virginia Company. The Virginia Company
was a group of businessmen who
were granted a charter by in June, 1606 by King James I.
The purpose of the Virginia Company was to
establish an English settlement in the Chesapeake area of North America.
They planned to mine gold, cut timber, and undertake various other projects, which they believed would make them richer than they already were.
According to a record contained in an old Hancock family Bible, William
left England in 1619, aboard the ship
"Margaret of Bristol" bound for America. He was coming to America in
search of lumber for his shipbuilding
business. Leaving his family behind in England, William sailed out
through the Bristol Channel on Thursday,
September 16, 1619. The "Margaret" dropped anchor in Chesapeake Bay on
November 30, 1619. Then on
December 4, 1619, William stepped off the "Margaret" and onto American
soil at a site on the north shore of
the James River, about halfway between present-day Williamsburg and
Richmond, Virginia. The Berkeley
Hundred Plantation was built at this location. It is still there today,
but none of the original houses are still
standing.
Berkeley Hundred Plantation is a huge plantation consisting of many
homes. It resembled a small village. It
was also the site for the first official Thanksgiving Day Service held
in America, which William Hancock
attended. Berkeley Hundred Plantation was the home of many of the first
Govenors of Virginia, and later
home to many early American Presidents.Thorpe's House" at Berkeley Hundred Plantation was home to several of
the English gentlemen who were
associated with the Virginia Company. This is where William lived. It
was owned by Captain George Thorpe.
Captain Thorpe put much confidence in the Indians and wanted to convert them to a more civilized way of life. During the winter of 1621-1622, it seemed he was making progress.
The Indians seemed more friendly and were frequent visitors to the plantation and other surrounding settlements. The settlers were convinced that their Indian troubles were over. Little did they know, it was all a trick.
In the early morning hours of March 22, 1621/22, which was Good Friday, groups of Indians drifted into the
settlement of Berkeley Hundred. They were unarmed, but soon armed
themselves with guns and knives that were easily accessible in most homes. They then attacked the settlers.
William Hancock, along with about 300 others were massacred. It was said the settlers were so surprised, they never had a chance to defend themselves.
In 1630, William's oldest son and heir, Augustin, came to Virginia to
claim his father's vast estate. Simon came to America in 1635 and settled in what is now Princess Anne County, Virginia. William came to America about 1638, and settled in Virginia.
Children
Augustine HANCOCK b: ABT. 1605 in England
Simon HANCOCK b: ABT. 1610 in England
William HANCOCK b: 1615 in England