Individual 11: Frank Thomas Hancock

Individual Record 11

Name} Hancock, Frank Thomas

Family History} Hancock

Title}

Race} White

Sex} Male

Birth: Date} Fam 18 Dec 1869

Place} Sturminster Marshall, Dorset, England

Marr.: Date} Exa 23 Sep 1891

Place} Thedford, Lambton, Ontario (Link)

Marr.: Date} Exa 3 Oct 1904

Place} Napa, Napa, California (Link)

Death: Date} Exa 10 Apr 1951

Place} Community Hospital, San Mateo, San Mateo, California

Burial: Date} Exa 13 Apr 1951

Place} IOOF Cemetery, Half Moon Bay, San Mateo, California

Grave Marker} Yes

Source 1}	709 = 1871 GBR cen
Source 2}	937 = Passenger list
Source 3}	100 = 1891 CAN cen
Source 4}	169 = Tax record
Source 5}	12 = Marriage rec
Source 6}	757 = Marriage rec
Source 7}	1597 = 1901 CAN cen
Source 8}	119 = Obituaries
Source 9}	25 = 1910 USA cen
Source 10}	758 = Geog history
Source 11}	689 = Letter
Source 12}	85 = Family hstry
Source 13}	84 = Town directy

Parents: } Thomas Hancock & Mary Anne Howells
Relationship No.} 20

1st Household No.} 131 = Alcester, Dorset, England

Occupation 1} Carpenter
Occupation 2} Farmer

Religion/Church} Salvation Army

Spouses: Prime} Fisher, Mary Ellen (Ella)
Hicks, Caroline Maud (Carrie)
Total Number of} 2

Source 14} 139 = Family hstry
Source 15} 1600 = City directy
Source 16} 210 = Marriage rec
Source 17} 170 = Invitation
Source 18} 299 = 1920 USA cen

Source 19} 747 = 1930 USA cen
Source 20} 1601 = Voter registg
Source 21} 1615 = 1940 USA cen
Source 22} 1616 = 1950 USA cen
Source 23} 11 = Death certif

Source 24} 861 = Death record
Source 25} 756 = Obituary
Source 26} 83 = Cemetery rec
Source 27} 1588 = Cemetery rec

Notes: Frank Thomas Hancock was born 18 Dec 1869 in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset, England. He was the third of ten children of Thomas Hancock and Mary Ann Howells. At the age of 3, he left England with his parents and siblings on the S.S. Arragon, and arrived in New York on 9 May 1873. His family settled on a farm on Lot 31 of Ontario's Bosanquet Township, East Lampton. In the 1895 Assessment Roll, Frank is listed as the owner of Lot 30 of the Bosanquet Township.

In the 1891 CAN census, Frank, 21, was living with his family in the village of Thedford, East Lampton, Ontario, and was listed as a farmer. (Family sources say chickens.) He married Mary Ellen Fisher on 23 Sep 1891 in Thedford, Lambton, Ontario. They had four children then moved to Point Edward where their last child was born.

In the 1901 CAN census, Frank, 30, and his wife Ellie, 29, were living in the village of Point Edward, West Lampton. Frank was now a blacksmith, and the family was listed as Methodist. Also living with them was his brother James Hancock. It was here that their fifth child was born. They later moved to Wallaceburg, Ontario, where they were active in the Salvation Army. Frank, Ella and their eldest daughter Ethel came down with Typhoid fever. Ella died 26 Sep 1902 at age 31.

Immediately thereafter, Frank with his five young children, from 10 years down to 20 months, made the long move to California. After a brief stay in Corning with his parents, he settled in Napa and became a carpenter. Three of his daughters were sent to live with other families.

Frank married his second wife on 3 Oct 1904 in Napa. In the 1910 USA census, Frank T. Thomas, 37, and his wife Carrie M., 26, were living at 124 North Street, Napa. Listed as a carpenter, he was renting the house. Living in the household were Wilfred C., 17, an electrician, Gertrude, 14, Clifford H. 4, and Arthur S., 1. The last two sons were his by Carrie.

But Frank was attracted to the planned new community of El Granada, San Mateo, California, which was very heavily promoted as a paradise beginning with the commencement in June 1908 of Ocean Shore Railroad service from San Francisco. Sometime after April 1910, Frank rented a new house, built in 1909, at 338 Almeria Avenue in North El Granada and moved his family there from Napa.

Frank bought property, probably an undeveloped lot, in El Granada that was recorded on 2 Jun 1911 (Block 202, page 145). In the 1920 USA census, Frank, 48, listed his occupation laborer - odd jobs. He was then renting property at "458" in the Denniston Precinct. He was listed as an Alien and not naturalized. The other residents included his wife, Caroline, 34, and their two sons, Clifford, 12, and Arthur, 11.

In the 1930 USA census, Frank, 60, and Carrie, 44, were living on owned property at an unrecorded address in El Granada. Frank was listed as a carpenter, house building. Living with them was "grandson Robert Hancock, 1". He was actually Harry Robert Dobbs, Frank's nephew.

In the 1940 USA census, Frank, 70, had become a naturalized citizen, had completed third grade, and now owned his home in El Granada. Carrie, 54, had completed tenth grade. Living with them was a grandson, Robert, 11, fifth grade. Living nearby was their son Clifford and his family.

In the 1950 USA census, Frank, 83, and Carrie, 66, were living on Almeria, El Granada. He was listed as unable to work, and she as keeping house. Frank continued to reside in El Granada until his death on 10 Apr 1951 in the San Mateo Community Hospital. He is buried in the IOOF Cemetery, Half Moon Bay, San Mateo.

People talked of the faith of an old-timer named Frank Hancock who lived in a gray house on the hill and "watched a dream city fade away, but he goes around with a smile now, because he sees interest in his locality resurrected."