The Newly Discovered History of Founding Mother Dorothy Quincy Hancock, Written by a Prominent Female Descendant, with Tales of Lexington, Marriage, and Husband John Hancock

Acquired by Raab From Quincy Family Heirs, Never Before Offered for Sale

 

“Soon after the fighting [at Lexington] began, Mrs. [Lydia] Hancock who was standing at the door, narrowly escaped being killed, as a bullet whizzed past her, and lodged in the barn. Dorothy Quincy meanwhile, was leaning out from a chamber window, watching the fight.”

In the 19th and early 20th century, a renewed interest in Colonial history spurred books and articles about the women of the Revolutionary era. Whether to aid in the publication of the books, “Dorothy Quincy: Wife of John Hancock” (1905) or “Ten American Girls From History” (1917), or simply to preserve her own family history, Anna Winifred Quincy Blanchard (1846-1923) took it upon herself to memorialize the stories that had been passed down through the generations with regard to John Hancock and his wife, Dorothy Quincy Hancock. It is not possible to directly determine the date of the manuscript but the handwriting and a knowledge of her life place it likely in the early 20th century.

The narrative is both historical and personal, with views of events from her perspective, not that of her male counterparts, and begins with Dorothy’s birth in Boston on May 10, 1747, briefly recounting her childhood. Dorothy (also known as Dollie) meets and becomes engaged to John Hancock “long before the Revolution.” However, the events of the day–including the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which Dorothy witnessed, and Hancock’s swift removal to Philadelphia–delayed their wedding. As may have Dorothy’s new acquaintance with Aaron Burr, a “Handsome young man, with a pretty fortune.” Dorothy and John Hancock were married on Aug. 28, 1775 in Fairfield, Connecticut.

The couple then left for Philadelphia, where John Hancock served as president of the Continental Congress during the signing of the Declaration of Independence. According to this account, Dorothy had helped John during this time: “Her husband having no clerk at this time, she assisted him in the details of his work, in after years, she was very proud of telling of the many packages of officers’ commissions that she had sent away, and of how she had trimmed with her own small scissors, the rough edges from the bills of credit issued by Congress.”

The couple had two children, neither of whom survived beyond childhood.

Much attention in the manuscript is given over to details related to the clothing worn by these historical figures, their homes, and the food they enjoyed. The manuscript concludes with Dorothy’s death on February 3, 1830, praising her “gracious loveliness” above all else.

Selections from the manuscript: 

On the Battle of Lexington: “Hancock was President of the Provincial Congress, which was then in session at Concord, and while there, he was accustomed to frequently visit the home of his cousin, the Rev. Jonas Clark of Lexington. On account of the trouble with the soldiers, Mrs. Lydia Hancock did not wish to remain at her home in Boston, after her nephew, who was now master of the house, had left. Accordingly she decided to depart and accompanied by Dorothy Quincy proceeded to the home of his niece, Mrs. Clark at Lexington where on the 18th of April, they joined John Hancock and Samuel Adams.

The night of their arrival, Paul Revere sounded the memorable alarm that the British were approaching, one object of the expedition being the capture of the [few?] patriots. When Hancock heard of this, he announced his intention of going out by the Meeting House and joining the minutemen on the common in this fight with the British. Accordingly he spent most of the night polishing up his gun and sword, and putting his accoutrements in order. However, he was finally dissuaded from carrying out his plan, after much urging and entreaty. Mr. Adams clapped him on the back, and said, “This is not our business, we belong to the Cabinet.” Lest [to?] delay their departure prove dangerous the two men set out for the house of the Rev. Mr. Jones at Woburn in Burlington district, while Dorothy and Mrs. Hancock remained under the care of Mr. Clark.

Soon after the fighting began, Mrs. Hancock who was standing at the door, narrowly escaped being killed, as a bullet whizzed past her, and lodged in the barn. Dorothy Quincy meanwhile, was leaning out from a chamber window, watching the fight.

When the battle was over, and the British had gone on to Concord, Mrs. Hancock and her charge followed the fugitives to Woburn, bringing with them, at Mr. Hancock’s request, a very fine salmon that he had ordered, before his departure. However, as they were about to sit down to dinner, an excited messenger brought a false alarm that the British were coming, and the two patriots were conducted by Cuff, the negro slave, through the woods to the home of Amos Wyman in an obscure corner of the town of Billerica.

Here they remained some hours, and on their return to the ladies, Dorothy informed her lover that she would set out for Boston on the morrow. To this he replied, ‘No madam, you shall not return, as long as there is a British bayonet in Boston.’ Retorting with spirit she declared ‘Recollect Mr. Hancock I am not under your control yet. I shall go to my father to-morrow.’ Yet in the end she was persuaded to stay and remain under the care of his Aunt, so that three years elapsed before she saw the city again.”

On John Hancock and Dorothy Quincy Hancock’s Wedding: “It had been planned that it should take place in the old Quincy Homestead at Braintree and on that account, one room, the large north parlor, had been adorned with new wall paper bought expressly from Paris, and appropriately figured with the forms of Venus and Cupid in blue, with pendant wreaths of flowers in red. To this day the paper is on the wall in a very good state of preservation. The wedding (after all) was not celebrated here, for as the British were still in Boston, it was feared that if Hancock came to Braintree, a raid would be made on the place for the purpose of capturing him. There were Tories also, in the neighborhood, who would gladly have furnished information, regarding his movements, and under these circumstances, it was thought best to have the ceremony performed in Fairfield….

The fan carried by Dorothy Quincy on this occasion was from Paris, painted with appropriate designs, the frame being of ivory exquisitely carved. It is still in existence in a perfect state of preservation and highly prised by its possessor, who is a great grandniece of Madam Hancock.”

On the Hancocks’ Dress and Style: “The Governor wore diamonds on great occasions. Once he ordered from England a whole piece of crimson silk velvet of richest quality, from which he had made a coat and vest. His wife refused a dress off the piece, as too heavy for her slender figure. This coast is now among the revolutionary relics in the old State House.
Dorothy Hancock was said to possess superb beauty, she was also thoroughly high-bred and of courtly manner. Her superior intellect showed itself in her conversation. She dressed with care and a dignified propriety, rather than with a desire to display. She was once heard to say, she would never forgive a young girl who did not dress to please, nor one who seemed pleased with her dress.”

On Entertaining Count D’Estaing and His Officers: “While the French fleet was in Boston harbor, Count d’ Estaing and other persons of note paid their respects to Governor Hancock and in return the latter sent a note to the Admiral inviting him to breakfast with thirty of his officers. The invitation was accepted, with the request that he might bring all of his officers including the midshipman. Permission was granted, but not without considerable anxiety as to how three hundred guests could be accommodated.

In those days there were no caterers and confectioners, or any of the resources of the present time. It was summer, and carts and wagons were procured to go into the country and secure the various fruits and vegetables that would be required. All the families in the neighborhood were also asked to contribute. Twelve pounds of butter were spread on the bread alone. It was found however that sufficient milk for the demand could not be obtained from the whole vicinity of Boston. Here was a dilemma, but Madam Hancock proved herself equal to the occasion. Boston Common at that time was used as a place of pasturage for cows, and Madam for a moment looked out upon it in hesitation, then she ordered the servants to take pitchers, mugs, and bowls and proceed to milk all the cows, and if anyone interfered to send them to her. It was a novel proceeding and afforded amusement to the public, but it was successful and no one was offended.”

On Dorothy’s Meeting with Lafayette During His Farewell Tour: “When Lafayette visited this country for the second time, in 1825, Josiah Quincy who was Mayor of Boston, sent word to [Dorothy] that the Marquis wished to pay his respects to her.

This information was received with much pleasure. Although an old lady at the time, she made a grand toilet and seemed as anxious to look well as she had been in her younger days. Her dress was of [steel?] colored satin trimmed with black lace, and on her cap was pinned a Lafayette badge of white satin. She sat in state on a sofa under a great portrait of Governor Hancock and on either side of her were two of her friends, Madam [?] and Madam Williams. The room was decorated with flowers and the hostess had ordered some of the revolutionary wine from the old Beacon Street cellar.

At the appointed time, the Marquis escorted by the Mayor, drove up to the house. He was a little old man in nankeen trousers and vest, a long blue coat and ruffled shirt, and he leaned on a cane for he was lame. On entering the room, he bowed and smiled with all the grace of a true Frenchman.

As he approached, the three old ladies rose and curtsied with great dignity. Lafayette bowed first to the Governor’s picture, then bending low to [Dorothy], he took and kissed her hand. The amusing part of this incident lies in the fact that she wore a white kid glove with his likeness stamped on the back, so that the gallant old gentleman kissed his own face.”

Autograph manuscript signed, undated but early 20th century, by Anna Quincy Blanchard. The manuscript runs 26 neat and numbered pages, providing a biographical sketch of Blanchard’s famous relative, Dorothy Quincy Hancock. It begins: “Looking back over a century and a half, to the old Colonial Days, we recall many fair women who were remarkable, not alone for their beauty, but for the high positions they were called upon to fill, and the grace and dignity with which they occupied them. Of all this number, there is none perhaps whose name suggests more of romantic and historic interest than does that of Dorothy Quincy, wife of Governor John Hancock.” 

Anna Winifred Quincy Blanchard was born in 1846 in Roxbury (Boston). Her father, Silas Atkins Quincy, was likely a descendant of one of Dorothy’s siblings. Anna married Edward Richmond Blanchard in 1865 and died in Providence, Rhode Island, on May 17, 1923.

Kept in the Quincy family for more than a century, the manuscript is almost surely unpublished and unknown to scholars. A full transcript is available upon request.