History of Hancock, Massachusetts, USA

Hancock, Massachusetts
Berkshire county. This is a mountainous township, on the line of the state of New York, the source of the Housatonick, and the residence of a family of "Shakers." It lies 129 miles W. from Boston, 15 N. by W. from Lenox, and 5 E. from New Lebanon, New York. Incorporated, 1776. Population, 1837, 975.

There are one cotton and three woolen mills in the town and some manufactures of leather, boots, shoes, iron castings, and wooden ware. The value of 5,445 fleeces of wool, sheared in 1837, amounted to $11,544.

As we are so near the lovely valley of New Lebanon, its tepid springs, and a large family of our friends, the Shakers, we must be permitted to cross the line a moment, "just to take a look."

New Lebanon, New York, is in the county of Columbia, and situated in a delightful valley, surrounded by cultivated hills, which present scenery greatly variegated and peculiarly pleasing.

A community of Shakers, of between 500 to 600, own about 3,000 acres of...

Before its incorporation, this long strip of land was called Jericho, because walled in by mountains; but its present name was given in honor of the patriot, John Hancock, then President of the Provincial Congress, and afterwards Governor of Massachusetts.

The township is sixteen miles long, and about two broad, but it was not so narrow until the running of the boundary line gave part of it to New York.

The Shakers have a flourishing village at the south part of Hancock, and the citizens generally live by farming. Distance from Lenox, 15 miles ; from Boston, 129.

Hancock, a post-township of Berkshire county, Massachusetts, about 130 miles W. by N. from Boston. Population, 789.

HANCOCK, a township of Berkshire co., in the state of Massachusetts, 143 m. W of Boston, bounded on the W by the state of New York. It has a mountainous surface, and is drained by Kinderkook creek and Housatonic river. Pop. 922.

One of the latest excitements is that of an elopement among the Shakers of Hancock, Mass. The parties were Ira Lawson, a leading man of the church and Eliza Van Valen, one of the 'fairest of the fair.' Lawson was allowed to keep the bank account of the society, and it is said he took away with him all he could lay his hands on. As the Shakers are not recognized by law, nothing can be done with him. With this understanding the Shakers will have no trouble to fill his position.

Hancock is a long, narrow, and mountainous township in the northern half of the western side of Berkshire County, and 158 miles west of Boston. Pittsfield, on the Boston and Albany Railroad, and Lebanon Springs, and Montreal (in Stephentown), on Harlem Extension Division of the Vermont Railroad, are the nearest stations. This town is bounded north by Williamstown, east by New Ashford, Lanesborough and Pittsfield, south by Richmond, and west by New Lebanon and Stephentown in New York. Its length is 16 miles north and south. and from two to three miles east and west. The assessed area is 20,696 acres. Of this, 9,683 acres are devoted to forest, which here consists chiefly of beech, birch and maple.

Much of the land is too rough for cultivation, but the sides of the mountains afford excellent pasturage. On Kinderhook Creek (which, flowing southward, leaves the town at the middle of its western side) there is a long, narrow valley of singular fertility, where may be seen some of the...