Generation 1. Nathanial Hancock

2. Thomas Hancock

3. John Hancock

4. Thomas Hancock

5. Thomas Hancock

6. Solomon Hancock

7. George Washington Hancock

George Washington Hancock, son of Solomon and Alta Adams Hancock, was born the 8th day of March 1826 in Columbia, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. He was the sixth child of his parents and at the time of his birth his father was thirty-three years old and his mother was thirty-one.

When he was very young the family moved from the place of his birth to Chagrin, in the same county and state, on a farm where the next few years of his life were spent. George was but four years old when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized. His parents and grandparents accepted the gospel and were among the first converts of the Church and were baptized in the year of 1830, a few months after its organization.

Immediately after his baptism George's father, Solomon Hancock, left to fill a mission for the latter-day Saints Church and his mother, Alta, was left with the care of the six small children and to mourn the loss of their two first born.

The father returned from his mission late in the fall of 1831 and in the following year he moved his family from Chagrin, Ohio to Jackson Co. Missouri and settled on the Big Blue river, six miles west of Independence, the gathering place of the saints. They encountered many hardships and endured severe sickness and the death of two more of their children on this journey. George was also very ill and nigh unto death, but through the blessings of the lord, the destroying angel passed by and his life was spared.

After reaching the Big Blue river they planted a garden of corn and in the spring of 1833 they built themselves a house. Mob violence soon fell upon the Mormons at this time and after suffering severe persecutions and burnings the people of this place, on the tenth of Nov. 1833 fled from their home to Van Buren Co.. George, with many of the children, walked barefoot over burnt prairie's suffering the gnawing ache of hunger, bleeding feet and chilled bodies from exposure of the wintry winds and storms.

On Nov. 13, his youthful eyes beheld the misery and the mercy of God in confounding the pursuing enemies as a meteoric drama shot forth stars from the heavens, falling as hail to the earth. The mob fled terrified, while the handful of saints rejoiced. They were pursued on the following day and once more deliverance came in the form of a terrible hailstorm, blinding the eyes of the pursuers, while the saints were protectingly sheltered in a cove of a hanging rock. Here their healthy appetites were appeased by the cooked meat of two raccoons, and the next day this little group of thirty saints again took up their journey unmolested and arrived in Van Buren Co. Missouri.

The Hancock's stayed at this settlement until the next spring and in April 1834 they crossed the Missouri river and settled in Clay Co. Missouri. While here his loyal young heart quickened its beat as he beheld with pride Zion's Camp marching through Clay County, on its way to redeem Zion, with his two uncles, Joseph and Levi in its ranks. At this time George, being eight years old, was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints by his uncle Levi Ward Hancock .

In the fall the father, Solomon Hancock, started on another mission going east, leaving his wife, Alta, with four surviving children of their family of ten. George had known little during his youthful years of life but hunger, want, and hardships . The brightest spot of his life was his mother's love and her sympathetic care, and her courage and cheer. On Jan. 31, 1836 while his father was still upon his mission, the greatest tragedy of all came into his life-- his mother, having been very ill, died on this day and George was left motherless with only his two brothers and a sister to share his grief. The family consisted of Eliza, sixteen; Joseph, fourteen; Charles, thirteen; and George ten.

With sorrow only their young hearts knew they laid their mother in a grave in this strange and unfriendly land. The children were left to the mercy of friends until their father returned, which was some months after, bringing their mother's niece, Phebe Adams, who became their step-mother.

Phebe gave the children good kind motherly care and tenderly reared them through the perils of mob persecutions to manhood and womanhood and in her old age received their blessings.

In 1836 the family once more were forced from their home in Clay Co., leaving the fresh grave of their dear wife and mother and moved to Caldwell Co. Missouri, and there helped to establish the city of Far West, the gathering place of the saints. There they bought land and built them a home and enjoyed peace and prosperity for a time. In 1838 the violence of the mob broke out again and the Hancock family passes through those trying days of the Missouri was and the cruel persecutions of their enemies. They finally fled from their home and possessions, valued at $1500, leaving all and again stained the soil of Missouri with their bleeding feet as they walked over its dreary prairie to a little settlement in Adams Co. Ill.. There they lived on rented land until 1839 when they moved again going to Commerce Co., Hancock Co. Ill. which place afterward became Nauvoo, the beautiful, with the body of the saints.

In 1841 they bought land from the state of Ill. and settled in Lims, later called Yelrome in Hancock Co. near the city of Nauvoo. At this place for a time they enjoyed peace and plenty by the labors of their own hands. George was now fifteen years old and at this place afforded his first and only schooling which lasted but three months.

Tragedy and sorrow came to this boy once more however, when on the 27th of June 1844 their prophet and friend whom George loved dearly, Joseph and his brother Hyrum, the beloved patriarch were martyred at Carthage Jail. George was a mourner with thousands of saints who viewed their remains in the Nauvoo Mansion House for the last time. This was a time of great anxiety and one of watchfulness by day and one of sleeplessness by night.

In Feb. 1845 mobbers once more terrorized the people of Ill. and threatened the lives of the saints in the settlement of Yelrome.

Like the beasts of prey the mobbers stealthily stole in the shadow of darkness and were not apprehended. When morning disclosed their losses the thieves themselves made the first accusations, accusing the saints of their thefts, thus arousing prejudice in the minds of honest residents against the innocent Mormons.

The president of this settlement, Isaac Morley, having been accused of theft and his life threatened, fled in grave fear to Nauvoo. President Brigham Young advised him to remove his family to Nauvoo and there to remain. The mobbers then proceeded to tear down and burn barns and houses belonging to the saints and went from one settlement to another and committed the most inhuman acts of vandalism.

0n the 12th of Sept. 1845 George's father was put in charge of the settlements of the Hancock Co. and George and his brother shared many experiences with their father in his attempts to regain order and safety for the saints. On this condition George wrote a rhyme:

On the tenth of Sept. 1845

The mob commenced their burnings

The Mormons fro to drive

They came to Morley's settlement

Determined to go through

To drive the saints of God

To the city called Nauvoo

On Nov. 20 1846 during the night the mob applied the torch to the Hancock barns and George and his father and brother hastened to put out the fire, but were soon fired upon and in self defense were forced to take up arms and participate in the battle which took the life of one of the saints, Brother Edmund Durfee. The mob was scattered only a time and as persecutions and burnings continued, Brigham Young sent a message from Nauvoo for the families living in these settlements to prepare to leave and come to Nauvoo. Over a hundred teams were sent from Nauvoo to bring the people away and the mobbers were left to apply the torch as they choose.

The Hancock's stayed in Nauvoo only about five weeks. The Militia had been sent to suppress the rnob and a compromise had been made whereby all Mormons might remain unmolested until the spring of 1846, during which time arrangements for the sale of all property should have been completed and at the expiration of this time all Mormons remaining would be expelled from the settlement and their property confiscated.

The Hancock family returned to their farm to make a home for those who came to father their crops and to sell what they could of their possessions. On the first of April 1846 they took a last look at their hard earned home, realizing but a small part of its cost and turned their faces westward, making a road through the wilds of Iowa, and joined the Saints at Council Bluffs, in Pottawattamie Co., Iowa.

At this time Brigham Young and his associates in the Church made plans for the saints to go west far beyond the savagery of. a civilized community where the worship might be enjoyed in peace and the Gospel of Jesus Christ could grow to the magnitude and greatness for which it was destined.

The courage and confidence of the saints at this time may be understood, as we reflect upon the word of their mouthpiece, Brigham Young, "Come calm or strife, turmoil or peace, life or death, in the name of Israel our God we mean to conquer or die trying. We mean to open up the way for the salvation of the honest in heart for all nations or sacrifice everything in our stewardship, and if we fail in the attempt, having done all we could, our Father will not leave his flock without a shepherd.

In view of this determination a camp was organized to go to the unknown west for the purpose of locating a resting place for the saints. On 29 June 1846 George's Father was called on this mountain mission and also to assist in securing money and volunteers to go with him. Solomon in company with Parley P. Pratt and Ezra T. Benson left his home and family and went to Mount Piagah, returning the 4th of July 1846, having secured eighty-four volunteers to go as pioneers and $50.00 to help pay the way.

Hope was inspired in the hearts of the Hancock family in the anticipation of a home of peace where nights might be spent in the blessed relaxation of undisturbed slumber and the waking hours in the realization of day dreams of happiness with a home to shelter them, a fire to warm them, and food to nourish their starving bodies.

Their longing eyes turned westward peering into the future as their hopes seemed about to be realized. At this time, in view of the many losses of the saints and their present reduced circumstances a representative of the Church was sent to Washington D.C. to apply to the government for some compensation to assist the saints in their contemplated exodus. There the Mormons were represented as "true hearted Americans" and the petitioner stood ready to pledge himself as their representative to answer any call the government might make upon them in their country's defense. Half were refused, but as the United States at that time was engaged in war with Mexico the representative was taken at his word and Captain Allen was sent at once to Mount Piagah where on the 26 of June he made known his mission, and a call of 500 Mormon men to give active service were enlisted.

After a conference with the Church council, Captain Allen went to Council Bluffs where on the 1st of July it was determined by Brigham Young that the requested Battalion should be raised and this was the answer: "We will take our young men first and if there is not enough we will send our old men, and if necessary we will send women. We will furnish our quota if it takes every one of the twelve apostles to do so.

Just as a new sun seemed to be dawning upon the horizon of their hopes the call from the government came to these destitute saints to furnish a battalion of 500 volunteers to serve one year in the United States army to engage in the Mexican war, and at that time the Mountain Mission was abandoned. It has been recorded that "like all other grave situations confronting the saints this one was met with calmness and determination, promptness and order." Their leader, Brigham Young, advised men to volunteer that by doing so the United States president and all the world might know of their love, sincerity and loyalty to their country.

The people were in dire circumstances, refugees from mob violence no homes but covered wagons, no clothes, and a scant supply of food. A year before it would have been easier to have enlisted 2000 men in 24 hours than now to enlist one hundred men in a week, said their prophet, "but we will raise our number now." The number was raised only because of the council and efforts of the leaders of the church and the confidence in which they were held for the people of that time and no reason to believe or trust in the officers of the Nation. This is verified in the words of Captain James Brown after the war, "I do not suppose there is an individual in the Battalion who had he been left to his own thoughts and feelings, independent of council, would have enlisted. I would have felt very reluctant under the circumstances had it not been for the council of my brethren whom God authorized to dictate the affairs of his Kingdom." An American flag rescued from the wrathful mob of former days and secretly tucked away with their most precious relics was hurriedly produced. It was masted to a pole and under its stars and stripes, on the 13th of July 1846 enlisted commenced. George and his brother were among the first to sign their names to serve their country as volunteers to this call. On the 16th of July the enlistment was completed. Five hundred men and boys had enlisted to fight the battles and defend the rights of those at whose hands they had suffered hunger, mobbings, burnings, and driving, being deprived of homes and property.

Captain Allen took the Battalion under command. Teamsters had been withdrawn for this campaign and much heavy work fell upon the women and children and the aged and infirm. George, now a youth of twenty, and his older brother, Charles, twenty-three, with no preparation left their father in his 53rd year with a family of seven and his aged mother, living in a covered wagon. On 18 July under the cottonwoods, President Young called the Battalion together and blessed them and exhorted them to live up to the ideals of their religion and in no way compromise with things of the world. He exhorted them to be loyal to their country and to their God, that through their loyalty they would be able to alley prejudices of the people. He told them that this call would prove to be a temporal salvation of Israel. "Through your services to our country," he said, "Indian lands for residences will be granted to the Mormon families left on the banks of the Missouri river, a stretch of fifty or sixty miles in length and thirty or forty miles on its east side. Food will be produced on its farm lands and gathered to carry with the saints on their contemplated move west."

He advised volunteers to be conservative with their means to send home all they could spare and this would prove to be as manna from Heaven for the saints. He promised protection and help to the families of these volunteers and promised to see them safe in the Rockies, fed and cared for even by the last crust divided with them. In power and majesty he blessed them with the promise that if they would live their religion at all times, under all. circumstances they would not have to fight anything but the wild beasts. "None of you will fall into the hands of your enemies," he said. You will pass over battlefields and there will be battles in front of you and battles in the rear, on your right and on your left, but you will not be harmed and your enemies shall flee before you." This promise was fulfilled and after the war was over William Hawks bore testimony to its fulfillment in these words.

I want to bear testimony that the President promised the Battalion that inasmuch as they would go forth and do right there should not be a ball shot at them, and I can say for one, that I realized the truth of that saying; I have experienced it--I have seen those words fulfilled and that promise to the very letter, when placed in the midst of my enemies with nothing but these little Mallets (fists) to defend myself with and they were well armed with bows and arrows, knives and rifles, but they burnt the priming, the powder flashing in the pan and not a gun aimed at me went off and their arrows broke.

Brigham Young further promised them "In the name of Israel's God if you will do these things, trusting in God and uncomplaining you will come back alive." I am willing to bet my right arm that this will be true, promised their prophet" and when your time of service is over you will be discharged at a distance of about eight hundred miles from the place where the body of the church shall be located, and your names shall be held in honorable remembrance to the latest generation." The distance between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles is today 748 miles. On 19 July a farewell ball was given to honor and cheer the departing soldiers. A bowery had been constructed for shelter and the dance floor consisted of hard earth tromped down by anxious feet. Violins, horns, tambourines and sleigh bells were assembled. The dance started at an early hour and lasted until the sun dipped behind the shore line of the Omaha hills.

Courage was inspired in the hearts of both the volunteers and their families and when the parting came it was one of cheer as they marched away to the tune of "the girl I left behind me" played on the fife by Levi Ward Hancock, George's Uncle who enlisted in Company E.

Five hundred wagons were left without teamsters and as many left without fathers or brothers. On 20 July 1846 the line of march was ordered and these two youths Charles and George, assigned to Company C and their Uncle Levi, the musician of Co. E equipped but with one blanket each and no tents again traversed the plains of Iowa and Missouri and marched to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, 2000 miles away encountering terrible storms and heavy rains and deep mud. The weather was very warm and the men in poor physical condition to start with and at once they became exhausted. The second day out a rain fell during the forenoon and in the afternoon they traveled but four miles in mud. They crossed the Nishnabotany river at Hunsaker's Ferry and camped near Lindon in Missouri.

Captain Allen was in favor of moderate marches but some of the other officers having horses to ride urged long marches. Thus many began to fail at almost the beginning of their journey. On 25 of July they found themselves out of flour and many retired to bed fasting, while others made a meager meal of parched corn. No flour was obtained for two days afterwards, during which time a distance of thirty-eight miles was traveled in the heat and dust of a July sun. They crossed the Nodaway river and camped at the town of Oregon and there flour was delivered to them. On 29 they passed St. Joseph Mo. and camped one mile outside the town. On the 30 they passed through Bloomington and camped on a small creek where the wind commenced to blow and continued until trees fell in all directions around the camp. The howling of the wind and the crashing of trees as they fell the vivid lighting and the roar of thunder made the scene one of terror, but not one tree fell in camp. Surely God was with the Mormon boys. The next day they passed through the town of Weston and from there they marched nearly five hours to cross the river opposite Ft. Leavenworth. It took them nearly five hours to cross the river and get to the garrison. They arrived at Ft. Leavenworth on the 3 of August. Tents and arms were furnished to Company C. and on the 5th of Aug. they were paid $42.00 each in advance for the year for clothing money. The Mormon volunteers used their old clothes and sent the greater part of their pay back to the saints, which proved a heat benefit to the saints in their distress.

Col. Allen, their honored and beloved commanding officer was taken ill after their arrival at Ft. Leavenworth and was forced to remain. Captain Jefferson Hunt was ordered to advance in command of the company.

On 23 July 1846 at Ft. Leavenworth Colonel James Allen departed this life and a great sorrow and consternation fell upon every man of the Battalion for they had learned to love him for his tolerance and sympathy although he was not of their faith. Well might they have been concerned for later Lt. Smith was placed in command, at whose hands many suffered severe treatment. On 12 of Aug. in the heat of summer they started from the fort on their long march over unknown trodden trails to the great Pacific enduring the broiling sun, heavy rains and fierce winds and "save for a few officers detailed from the regular army of the United States, not a man had been a soldier unless in the ride train bands which held annual musters. On 15 Aug. They reached the Kansas or Kaw river and were ferried across the river on flat boats by half civilized Shawnee and Delaware Indians and a day or two later encountered a severe hurricane. Tents were blown away, wagons overturned, and rolled in the weeds, men fell on their faces and clung to the brush to keep from being blown away and were badly bruised and frightened. After reaching the Arkansas river they traveled up the river about one hundred miles and then crossed it at a point where the road branched: one road leading up the river to Bent's Fort and the other to Santa Fe. they took the road to Santa Fe and journeyed on twenty-five miles across a dreary desert and suffered intensely with excessive heat and want of water. Their teams shared in their suffering too. Finally they came to a pond of water but it was full of insects where Buffalo had gathered to defend themselves from the flies. The water was discolored and had a most disgusting appearance, however. No luxury was ever more thankfully received and the men drank of this awful water and filled their canteens and flagons, as bad as it was.

The next day they continued on across the dry parched desert and then made a dry camp but started at 4 o'clock the next morning and traveled on ten miles and encamped where they obtained brackish water by digging holes in the sand. All during these long marches the sick were at the mercy of a fiendish surgeon who ordered the sick marched before him to the tune of "Jim along Joe" and administered to them powders of calomel and arsenic from an old rusty spoon. If the sick declined to swallow his dose, the medicine was forced down them to the accompanying of blood curdling oaths from the wicked murderous doctor.

A hospital wagon was attached to each company but one would have to be unable to walk before given use of this wagon. At roll call the quack doctor, George B. Sanderson of Platte Co. Missouri, an enemy of the saints, then ordered a dose of calomel or arsenic for every complaint, administered out of his old spoon by his first aid, a colored boy. To add to the hardships of the men they were reduced to two-thirds rations and each day either from calomel, poor rations, or filthy water, made thick as gruel by the Buffalo wallowing in it, sickness increased and their condition was pathetic. Thus with poor equipment, short rations and sickness they marched over the hot desert sands of Kansas, and on eleven hundred miles to the mountains of Santa Fe, New Mexico, having been two months on this toilsome journey over a trackless wilderness, suffering with chills and fever and the tyranny of a quack doctor. They arrived the 12 October.

On this march George fell prey to the inhuman practices of Dr. Sanderson and at once became sicker from the effects of the medicine and went and laid down in the back of a wagon. It being too hot to travel during the day the Battalion was on march during the night and when night came on George's devoted brother, Charles, stole up behind the wagon where George was lying and took him in his arms and carried him away out of sight of the train of wagons. He held him in his arms all night, praying for him and for strength for both of them to go on. After some time both of them fell asleep. In the morning when then awoke they were refreshed and well and they praised God for his blessings to them and then hurried on and overtook the wagons, and from then on George had no more sickness.

Upon their arrival at Santa Fe, Col. George Cook took command of the Battalion and of them wrote "Some are too old, some are too feeble and some are too young. They are undisciplined, much worn by traveling on foot and marching from Nauvoo with clothing scant, no money and their mules utterly broke down. Their animals are scarce and inferior and deteriorating every hour for lack of forage. The Battalion broke camp at Santa Fe and traveled six miles to Agua Frio and then down the Rio Grande Del Norte and camped on the 10th of November. On the 11th, they marched about 15 miles and where water and grass was plentiful. On the 13th they turned off to the right and left the Rio Grande Del Norte and traveled in a southwesterly direction. On Sunday, the 15th of November, an old white ox which had been seen at least a dozen summers and which had been driven all the way from Fort Leavenworth, having given out the day before a few miles back, was brought into camp, dressed and issued as rations. He was a mere skeleton and his small amount of remaining flesh was more like sickly jelly than raw meat.

The valley in which they encamped on this day they named "White Ox Valley" and the little rivulet they named White Ox. *(Copied to here and sent to family 10-7-95)

The condition of their larder by this time may be imagined from the lines of Levi Ward Hancock, descriptive of their plight

"We sometimes now lack for bread

are less than quarter rations fed

and soon expect, for all of meat

Naught less than broke sown mules to eat."

On the 16, they came to a spring in a narrow canyon which they named Cook's Spring" which name it still bears. On the 17 they reached the copper mine road leading from the mine to Yamos. Along this they marched 18 miles over a gradually ascending prairie to Ojo De Vaca or Cow Spring, with courage undaunted they marched on, poorly clad and food diminished, crossed to the Continental Divide and on the 28 they reached the back bone of North America. Here they found plenty of deer, bear, and antelope and small game in the Sugar Loaf mountains. Grass was tall and at places tracts for the wagons were made by marching files of men ahead to tramp down the grass in ruts wherein the wheels might run. In places from the top of the Divide the wagons were lowered with ropes by hand to the bottom of the canyons while the animals were driven below. While crossing this mountainous region the Battalion had gone without water for 48 hours and each day their food grew less. On Dec. 2 they reached the ruins of the rancho San Bernadino and here the first wild cattle were found. They traveled to a stream called Ash Creek and there one of their number Elisha Smith, dies and was buried. The night was made hideous with the howls of large wolves. Descriptive of this event Levi W. Hancock wrote:

When our army had camped beside the green grove

Where the pure water ran from the mountain above

When our hunters, returned from chasing the bulls

We listened to the howls of the loathsome roving wolves.

When the guards were all stationed to their points around

On the top of the hills where the wild bull is found;

The wind blowed higher and approached us so cold

As we listened to the howls of the loathsome roving wolves.

Then the groans of the dying was heard in the camp

And the cold chilling frost was seen on the tents

Then the thoughts of our hearts can never be told

As we listened to the howls of the loathsome wolves.

Then we dug a deep grave and buried him there

All alone by the grove, not a mark to tell where,

We piled brush and wood and burnt over his grave,

As a cheat for the red man and loathsome howling wolves.

We arose in the morning as soon as 'twas day.

The fifes and drummers had played reveille,

Soon the mules were brought up, our baggage to pull

We then bid good-by to the loathsome howling wolves.

From Ash Creek they marched 17 miles northwest and camped without food or water. Patiently they journeyed on to the San Pedro valley then a distance of ten miles to San Pedro Creek and then 6 miles down the stream. In the valley of the San Pedro on the 11th they camped in a canyon. Here they found grass tall and thick. Wild animals bedded in this grass. Unaccustomed to the intrusion for this was the first trail made through this country, the wild bulls resented any infringement upon their privacy. The soldiers who went out in advance of the command passed along the bluffs on each side of the stream and came upon hundreds of wild cattle. As the wagons and mules marched upon them it was a challenge for conflict. The animals gathered on the line of march to gratify their curiosity and marched toward the train of wagons and soldiers as if bent upon finding who dared to intrude upon their quiet retreat. Their terrible forms and majestic appearance was impressive. Every man alone loaded his musket and the battle was on. The roar of guns heard from one end of the line to the other mingled with the roar and bellows of the wild bulls was terrorizing. One of the team mules was gored to death, several tossed into the air and the two pack mules were killed. Wagons were damaged and the sick were frightened. Hideous bellows and roars were resounded, men yelled and screamed and confusion prevailed. Some threw themselves down and allowed the beasts to run over them, others fired and dodged behind mesquite brush to re-load their guns, while the beasts kept coming at them. Others climbed up small trees and others on top of the wagon tops. Amos Cox, a member of the Battalion, was thrown about 10 feet into the air with a gore cut in his thigh from which he suffered all his life. Albert Smith of Co. B. was run over by a wounded bull and had three ribs broken. The bulls were finally subdued and those not killed is not known but probably sixty were either killed or wounded. One writer records 81 were killed and many more wounded. The encampment pressed on to the Tucson fort, arriving on the 14 Dec. tarrying for a brief bloodless battle in taking the ancient Pueblo.

When they arrived at Tucson, Arizona, Charles Hancock had two shirts. He traded one for a quart of corn and then divided it equally with his brother George. They ate but a few kernels of corn a day and thus kept from starving. On the 18 they continued their journey and from this time they went for many days without water. They traveled over a heavy desert where the wagons had to be pulled through the deep sands by the men with ropes. Men became so weak for want of water that they could not go on but were left by the road side. Lt. Rosecrans, who now was Capt. of Co. C. left his men and rode on in advance and into the hills in search of water. Fortunately he found a hole some distance from the road. He filled their canteens, mounted his mule and rode back to the famished men where he found them along the trail in squads of two or three without water, or blankets or a fire and unable to go on. He gave them what water he had which revived them and then led them to the spring. They resumed their march about 3 a.m. and on the 20 came to water and camped. During this time George carried a bullet in his mouth for days to cause the saliva to keep his mouth wet so he would not choke.

The Gils river was finally reached and on the 21 of Dec. they here made asphalt. On the 22 they marched 10 miles more and arrived at the Pima Indian village. The 23 and 24 were spent in the village of the Maricaopa Indians and Christmas day was spent marching from the Maricaopa Village and camping Christmas night again without water. The next day they marched 23 miles and encamped near the Gila river. At this time, beef secured in the wild bull region has exhausted and the grass was scanty and the animals fared badly. After their brief rest the Battalion continued upon their march down the Rio Gila where, on the 1st of Jan 1847 to lighten the load of the weary half starved mules a barge was made and 2500 pounds of provisions were launched on the river. The improvised boat was shipwrecked in the numerous sandbars and the contents lost at a time when rations had been reduced to a few ounces per day per person.

On the 9 of Jan. the great Colorado river was reached which ferried across one raft. This was a sight to see. Company C's wagon got stuck on the sand bar in the river and the Colonel refused to allow other companies to wait or render aid but left the boys to their plight. The worn out men got in to the water and helped the broken down team extract the wagon from the sand. Nine miles farther on, however, the wagon was abandoned because the team was unable to pull the load another rod. From the banks of the Colorado river they crossed the Colorado desert where wells were dug for water and rations were reduced to a minimum. From the Colorado river the march became the hardest and the most trying of any they had experienced, both for men and beasts. Here were the heaviest sands, the hottest days, and the coolest nights. The men were half naked and suffering for want of both food and water and better clothing. They were nearly barefoot and instead of shoes some used rawhide wrapped around their feet or they stripped the skin from the leg of an ox and sewed up the end with sinews and used this as a shoe. Cast off clothing was used to shield them from the burning sand during the daytime and to keep their feet warm at night. When their feet became so swollen and sore they could go no farther Charles and George found some old dry cattle bones with which they made a covering for their feet by putting their heels in the sockets and strapping them on as shoes. In this condition on the 19 of Jan. they came to a halt for before them were the mountains that seemed impossible to go over. A rugged ridge some 200 feet high loomed before them and their route lay up a dry ravine through the openings in the solid rocks and the passage was at least a foot narrower than their wagons. No tools were saved from their shipwreck but a few axes, a small crowbar and a spade or two. With these implements the passage was hewn out and the wagons unloaded and carried through, being tipped in a way to admit them through the narrow passage. Both men and teams were exhausted and they again camped that night without water. The night was very cold but before the sun rose the morning of the 20 they again received orders to march on. At this time the last of the flour had been given out and their rations were gone and there was yet many miles to travel. Hoofs and bones had been reboiled to sustain life, their rations now reduced to a spoonful to be divided in to 7. Men looked like death, their mouths were black past recognition with a staring glare as if death was close at hand. Their clothing was so tattered it would scarcely cover them, but the men staggered on. They soon came to an exceedingly rough rocky descending road to a little valley and in the valley to San Philip, a deserted Indian village.

Lying enemies had spread false tales of the Mormon Battalion to the villagers. They were represented as savages who would commit unthought of crimes; they thought nothing of slaying and eating the natives. Upon the arrival of the soldier boys they found the village almost deserted; the people had fled to a distance taking with them their cattle and provisions, leaving only a few of the old and infirm residents. Upon the arrival of the boys the remaining residents were surprised at the courteous treatment of the soldiers and in sympathy to them for their present starved condition they have them corn. Many ate to excess and became ill. At night a rustling noise was heard in the bushes; the guard called a halt, but no halt was made but kept coming stealthily along. A shot rang out in the dark.

A heavy thud resounded. It was an old devoted cow coming back in search for her deserted calf. The intruder was killed and dressed and the meat saved the lives of the sick soldiers. At this time orders were received for the Battalion to march to San Diego instead of to Los Angeles. On the 21 they reached Warner's Rancho and here had their first full meal except at Tucson and the wild bull country since the reduction of rations on the Dio Del Norte more than two months before. At this rancho there was a hot spring of a temperature of about 175 degrees F. Here the men washed their faces and hands but the water was too hot for which to bathe. After such refreshment the soldiers took up their march with renewed hope and upon many a lip there was a song of praise for their deliverance in nearing their journey's end. While on the march to San Diego they passed through the San Luis valley and crossed the San Luis river and traveled down the river. On the 27 of Jan they reached the San Luis Rey mission about noon and about one o'clock, one mile below the mission they ascended a bluff where to their extreme joy they got their first look at the Pacific Ocean, which seemed only a few miles away. Joy and cheer filled their souls but not unmixed with sorrow. Their hearts turned to the banks of the Missouri river, to their fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers, wives, and sweethearts and their children and friends; all without shelter and under the threat of massacre by the Indians; all under the same powers they were now serving, each not knowing of the others sufferings, deaths, grief's and anguishes or their joys and hopes. During this time word had reached the saints at Council Bluffs that the Battalion had met with ill fate and every man had perished. George's father, Solomon, and his wife, Phoebe, were stricken with grief upon this tragic news and sought the lord in comfort. They received to the satisfaction of their souls through the inspiration of the knowledge that their two boys were safe and would come back alive.

On Jan 29 1847 the Battalion with George and his brother reached the shores of this great western sea and planted there for the first time the American flag. This great march was at last completed, being the longest march on foot ever recorded in the annuals of history. Of it one historian had written, "This march completed, created one of the most picturesque features of American military annuals." Upon reaching the Mission of San Diego on Jan 30 1847 their proud commander, Lt. Col. George Cook issued the following memorable order.

The Lt. Col. commanding; Congratulations to the Battalion on their safe arrival on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, and the conclusion of their march of over 2,000 miles. History may be searched in vain for an equal march of infantry. Half of it had been through wilderness where nothing but savages and wild beasts are found, over deserts where, for want of water, there is no living creature. There with almost hopeless labor we have dug deep wells which the future traveler will enjoy. Without a guide who had traveled before we have ventured into the trackless tableland where water was not found for several marches. With crowbar and pick and ax in hand we worked our way over mountains which seemed to defy ought save the wild goat and hewed a pass through a chasm of living rock more narrow than our wagons.

"Thus marching half naked and half fed and living upon wild animals, we have discovered and made a road of great value to our country. Arrived at the first settlement of California, after a single days rest, you cheerfully turned off from the route to the point of promised repose, to enter upon a campaign and meet as we supposed the approach of an enemy and this too without even salt to season your sole existence of fresh meat.

Thus volunteers, you have exhibited some high essentials qualities of veterans. On Jan 31 1847, the Battalion remained in camp at Dan Diego and in the evening orders were issued for them to return to the San Luis Rey Mission. Feb. 1 they marched for San Luis Rey where they arrived about noon on the 3rd. Here they remained until the 19th of Feb. drilling, cleaning, and keeping in readiness for call. On the 18th of Feb., Company A, C, D, and E were ordered to Pueblo de Los Angeles 126 miles from San Diego. These companies took up their line of march on the 19th and arrived about noon on the 23rd. Here they found the lowest type of degraded civilization. At this place the Battalion cleaned up the streets and beautified their campground on the shores of the Pacific, were drilled and disciplined every day until the 11th of April when this order was received; "(1) Co. C. Mormon Battalion, will march tomorrow and take post in the canyon pass of the mountains, about forty-five miles eastward of this town. Lt. Rosecrans, its commander, will select a spot as the convenience of water, feed and grass will admit of and, If necessary, effectually to prevent a passage of hostile Indians with or without horses. He will erect a sufficient cover of logs or earth. It will be his duty to guard the pass effectually, and if necessary to send out armed parties, either on foot or mounted to defend the ranches in the vicinity, or to attack wandering parties of wild Indians. (2) The assistant commissary of substance will take means to provision this post until further orders," Lt. Col. Commanding, George Cook.

Again the volunteers took up their march and George and Charles with Co. C. under the Command of Lt. Rosecrans went north to Cajon Pass near where San Bernadino now stands. To guard the pass from Chief Walker and his band of Utes. During their stay at Cajon Pass they not only were alert for the Utes and Spaniards but word came to them from the commanding officer to be on the alert for a surprise attack from the volunteers from Missouri still their enemies although serving under the American flag in the same cause for the protection of all American subjects. The Missourians had prejudiced the Spaniards as well as the Indians against the Mormon boys and had incited them to robbery, cruelty and murderous conduct, but to no avail, none of the Battalion boys were harmed by their enemies. On 22 April however, Lt. Pace with 27 noncommissioned officers and men were assigned to go to Cajon Pass and relieve Co. C. and Co. C was ordered to "March with all diligence to Los Angeles" Military headquarters. Co. C. left at once and on the 9th of May Gen. Kearney arrived at Los Angeles from Monterey and on the 10th he addressed the Mormon Battalion. He dwelt at some length upon their arduous journey, their patriotism to the government and their obedience to orders. No Commander ever did or ever could eulogize or give greater amount of praise to any corps of veterans than was given this little band by the commander of the army of the west. He sympathized with them in the unsettled condition of their people, but still thought the boys should re-enlist for another year. In conclusion he said he would take pleasure in representing their patriotism to the President of the U. S. and in the halls of Congress and give the Battalion the justice and praiseworthy conduct merited. The boys took part in the celebration (first) ever held in Los Angeles on the 4th of July. At sunrise the entire command assembled in the fort which the Battalion had helped build. The star Spangles Banner was played by the New York volunteers band while the colors were being raised. Nine cheers were given for the stars and stripes and then Hail Columbia was played by the band, after which 13 guns were fired by the first dragoons. The companies then marched back to their quarters. At 11 a.m. the command was again called out under arms and the dragoons and the Battalion paraded inside the fort. The Declaration of Independence was read and then Hail Columbia was again played by the band. Col. Stevenson then gave a speech giving the fortification the name of Fort Moore in honor of Capt. Moore who had died. The band they played Yankee Doodle followed by patriotic song by musician Levi Hancock of the Battalion and then a march was played by the band. The Mexican trouble was about over and their time of service for the Battalion had expired. The officers of the army tried in every way for a re-enlistment but the general inclination of the boys was to follow the advice of Father Pettegrew who showed the necessity of returning to the Prophets of the Lord before going any farther.

On the 16th of July 1847 at 3 o'clock the five companies of the Battalion were formed according to the letter of the company with A In front and E in the rear, leaving a few feet of space between. The notorious Lt. A. J. Smith then marched down between the lines in one direction and back between the lines, then in a low tone of voice said, "You are discharged." This was all there was to the ceremony of mustering out of service this veteran corps of living martyrs to the cause of their country and religion. Thus the Mormon Battalion-- a ram in the thicket-- discharged.

On the 17 and 18 the companies drew their pay of $96.00 for the years service and in four days, on the 20th had been organized to travel home in companies of hundreds, fifties, and tens, the modern Israelitish custom. Thus organized they left the shores of the Pacific in Los Angeles on the 24th of July 1847 by coincident on the same day the Mormon Pioneers entered the valley of Great Salt Lake. Thus the prophecy made by Brigham Young was fulfilled. Not a shot had been fired at the Mormon boys-- their greatest battles were fought with wild beasts and hunger and the Battalion had been honorably discharged "about 800 miles from where the saints were then located."

The members had conducted themselves in such a manner that it called forth attention and admiration of the whole United States and is a chapter in the history of this Nation which cannot be ignored by the bitterest enemy and today as if by way of monument the Sante Fe railroad marks the old trail of the line of march of these fearless Mormon volunteers. Their hardships endured from Council Bluffs to San Diego is but one chapter in this arduous march-- equal hardships were endured on their return trip from Cajon Pass to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, nor was this the end of the chapter for George, for the story of his hardships continues to the banks of the Missouri River back again over the trail to Council Bluffs.

From Los Angeles, George and Charles in company with their fellow comrades journeyed once more up the coast of the Pacific to Cajon Pass and on through this mountainous region north to Sacramento, which at that time was but a fort, and then on to Sutters Fort where gold was discovered. George brought home gold from Sutters Fort and had a ring and bracelet made from it. After leaving the Fort, on the 24 of August 1847 they received the first word from the saints they had had since leaving their loved ones more than a year before. The messenger brought the news that the saints were settling in the valley of Great Salt Lake and that 500 wagons were then on the way to their new location. One can hardly imagine the mixed feelings of hope and fear, joy and thankfulness of these gaunt worn soldiers at such news. With this news their eager feet pressed on over the hills and deserts of California, climbing lofty peaks, enduring thirst again, sore feet, tired bodies and weary brains hoping and praying for deliverance. From the grass of the cold lofty Sierra mountains, they crossed the southern part of Idaho in feverish search of the Oregon Trail on and on to Fort Hall and turned their course south to the valley of the Rockies. On this homeward trip they encountered grave hardships; their food supply became exhausted and to sustain life they took the pieces of old raw hide from their saddles and scrapped and boiled it into soup. Some of their comrades died on their return and with sorrowing hearts and yet not knowing when the same lot would befall them the worn plodders buried the dead and pressed on eager to forget the past. Their trail crossed the last camp of that ill fated Donner party, which scene haunted their waking hours as well as their sleep. Such was the horror of the scene that these boys felt that death would loose its dread if they could blot from their minds this tragedy and the existing evidence of their final fate. Food and water became exhausted. Hope was gone and life was slowly leaving their wasted frames. On this vast stretch of Salt land death walked by their side and mocked their ceaseless hunger and stared into their unseeing eyes. Finally a spark of faith was fanned in the soul of George and he begged his companions to renew their hope and seek God with him on their knees. George, the 21 year old youth knelt with his companions and offered up a prayer for deliverance and asked God to spare them that they might again be united with their loved ones At the close of the prayer he said, "Now open your eyes and look ahead and you will see water. All eyes were eagerly focused, their waning vision and in the distance a little green speck appeared through the blinding whiteness of the desert salt. If they could but r each the spot of vegetation they knew there would be moisture and so they hastened their weary feet but with slow progress and after many hours of weary travel they finally reached the maple bush and beheld a spot of green grass. They threw their exhausted bodies to the ground and with their hands dug into the soft earth at the root of the bush until they came to soft mud. Lying on the ground they pressed their parched tongues to the life giving cool mud and thanked God for moisture. When somewhat refreshed they arose and surveyed their surroundings. Not far away a little spring of water was trickling into a tiny pond. On the banks of this pond wild birds from the desert had come to drink. As if these birds had been sent they fearlessly stayed and were easily killed with sticks. They were quickly dressed and cooked over a fire and eaten by these gaunt youths and they were refreshed and strengthened and felt that their prayers had been heard. The boys remained in this spot for two days and ate and drank and rested and prayed and then resumed their journey. They had little preparation to make with no packing to do when getting as their only possession was a mule. This one lone mule escaped the fate of his fellow beasts of burden for they had either died of thirst or starved or in the name of human sympathy had been killed on the way. This mule was their favorite and a pet of all the company and so was at this time turned loose on the desert with but small chance to long survive on the scant grass and water at this spring. The boys continued their journey on foot over desert and mountains and after many weary marches with scant food finally reached the Oregon Trail, and traveled south to Fort Hall and on south with increasing hope and courage until at last they reached the valley of Great Salt Lake. Upon their arrival in the valley they camped in an old shack rudely constructed by some former traveler and on the morning as they awoke to their great surprise stood the old faithful mule with his head at the door of the shack. He had faithfully and patiently followed his friends to their destination to the valley of the Rockies. They thought he would surely die, but he did not as he lived six years from that time and proved to be a useful and faithful servant and was loved by all during his remaining days.

George and Charles finally reached Salt Lake the first part of October 1847, tired worn and emancipated and disappointed to find their parents not yet in the valley. The boys decided that one of them should go back to Missouri and help the family across the plains the following spring and the other one should remain and plant crops and make a home for the Hancock family upon their arrival. The boys drew cuts to determine who should go and who should stay. It fell to the lot of George to go back to Missouri and Charles to stay in the valley. George, therefore, left his brother in Salt Lake and on the 10th of October 1847 after but a brief rest from his long, toilsome journey of nearly 800 miles and with a small group of companions he pursued his way back over the mountains in falling snows and again across the great desert, depending upon his rifle, the only remnant of the war. Suffering with cold and hunger and a mental torture for the welfare of his father 's family. The impression which tortured George's mind night and day was that his father would not be there to greet him. He finally reached his home, if it could be called a home on the 12 December 1847 with his greatest fears realized. His dearly beloved and honored father had passed away 10 days before and had been buried on the banks of the Missouri River near Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie Co. of Iowa.

Upon his arrival George possessed but one dollar. He paid this for an ax and then went into the woods and cut down trees and build a log house and move his stepmother and family of five small children from the wagon which had been their only home and which had sheltered them from the wintry blasts of 1846 (1845?) and the burning sun of the summer of 1847 (1846?).

In the spring of 1848 George met and fell in love with Betsey Jane Fackrell daughter of James and Amy C. Fackrell, Mormon refugees from Bertrand, Michigan, who were now living with the saints at Council Bluffs. After a few brief months of courtship George and Betsey Jane were married on 14 May 1848 in the Bertrand branch camp of the Latter-day saints in Pott. Co. Iowa. At the time of their marriage George was 22 years old and Betsey was 24. George took his bride to the Hancock log cabin home and the next day, 15 of May, Betsey's family started upon their journey across the plains. George spent the next year in hard labor preparing an outfit so he could go west and join the saints in the spring.

On the 24 of March 1849 this little cottage was made glad because of the arrival of a baby boy. They named the baby Charles in honor of the affection George bore for his brother, Charles. When the babe was about 2 months old, the family left their little log cabin home and in company with his father's wife and five children started upon their westward journey. With their earthly possessions loaded into a wagon which was drawn by a team consisting of a cow and a steer, they traveled over plains, rivers, mountains, and deserts and finally arrived in the valley of Great Salt Lake the last of September 1849.

Betsey's father, James Fackrell Sr., owned a great deal of land in Woods Cross so the first of Oct. George and Betsey journeyed on to Woods Cross and there bought land and built them a log cabin. The next spring they planted crops and a garden and reaped a good harvest which provided well for his small family. On the 22 of Feb. 1851 their second child was born, a girl whom they named Betsey Jane after her mother. After this child's birth the mother was very ill and when the babe was but three weeks old the mother died Erysipelas.

Thus at the age of 27 Betsey left two children and her heart broken husband with but a memory of 3 happy years spent together. George tenderly laid away his young wife in Salt Lake City Cemetery in Platt 3 Block 12. Their two motherless babies were cared for by kind friends and neighbors and finally George secured the services of his Uncle Thomas Hancock's widow, Annie Hancock, who had come into the valley with her two fatherless boys, John and Daniel. Thus George's home was maintained and his children cared for until 4 April 1852, when he married his 16 year old cousin, Amy Experience Hancock. Amy was the daughter of Joseph and Experience (Wheeler) Rudd Hancock and was born 12 May 1835 near Liberty, Clay Co. Missouri.

Unto George and Amy 12 children were born of whom only 3 grew to maturity. Alta Marie, who married J. L. Townsend; Solomon and Asael. After his marriage to Amy, George took up his life, sharing the activities of the community and was prominent in all public projects. On March 9, 1852 Brigham Young, the Governor of Utah Territory, appointed him Captain of Co. B. of Regiment Infantry of Davis Military District. In this office he served in honor until he moved to Payson in 1856. (2 years previous to this time in 1854 he was called to go with Orson Hyde to help survey the line between California and Utah.

On the 6 and 7 of Feb. 1855 the first general festival of the Mormon Battalion members was held in the Social Hall in Salt Lake City and upon that occasion all the members of the Battalion who were in the territory who could possibly attend met with the first presidency of the Church in a social gathering. President Heber C. Kimball addressed them and the following is taken from his speech: "This world was not made in a day, neither will our victory be obtained in one day, but it will take many years for it is a great work. I want to see you all honor yourselves and make your priesthood honorable in the sight of High Heaven. I wish to see you honor God and your calling as you did in the campaign when you went to California. I verily believe and know that you did then, generally speaking, and I know that resulted in the salvation of this people and had you not done this we should not have been here. I want to tell you, gentlemen, that we will have times and seasons yet, and you will be brought into closer quarters than you were on those occasions. I feel to warn you of these things. Do not sell your guns, but if you have not good ones, get some and rub up your swords and be ready, but fear not, for the Lord will prepare a ram in the thicket and he will save his people and overthrow the wicked if it takes everyone of these boys who were in Zion's Camp and the Battalion to do it. It was said in a revelation given to the prophet Joseph Smith, that we then offered a sacrifice equal to that of Abraham offering up Isaac (Zion's Camp) and Isaac's blessing shall be upon your brethren. Our prayers are lifted up day and night in your behalf and you will be blessed indeed, every man and every woman.

But every man that lifts his hand against you shall fall, and every nation and every president and king that lifts their hands against you and this people cannot prosper but the curse of the Almighty will rest upon them. These are my views and feelings upon the subject, May God bless you forever, amen."

President J. M. Grant was the next speaker and these are parts taken from his speech. "I have read many narratives of the valor of men and the service they have rendered to their country; but I here see a set of men who have stood in defense of their country, under the most heartrending circumstances that human beings could be placed in; men having families and friends to leave on the open prairie; you not only saved a large tract of land for this country but you saved this people from being pounded upon by the militia of several states, for heartless villains had concocted plans to have all of this people murdered while upon the western frontiers. Yes, brethren, had it not been for this Battalion a terrible massacre would have taken place upon the banks of the Missouri river. Notwithstanding your hardships and the difficulties you passed through rendered service to the people of God that will ever be remembered, and such service as will bring blessings upon your heads in time and eternity. If your friends fell by the wayside and if you lost your families, your wives or your children and you sustain the people of God, you can depend upon a reward for all that you suffered, for you are the sons of God. You have done a good work and I say God bless you. When Isaac went to the alter he was called a lad and was 25 years old (and some of you are not much older now) he went cheerfully because he knew it was right, but he had no more of a task to perform than this Battalion for you had to live upon what you could get, eat hides, blood and all, and you had to eat your mules and walk over the scorching plains and go days and nights without water. I would as soon have carried Isaac's burden as yours. The burden laid upon you was hard to bear and it was harder than there was any need for it to be.-- We love the rights of the constitution guarantees to every citizen. What did the prophet Joseph say? When the constitution shall be tottering we shall be the people to save it from the hand of the foe. . You have been called upon to defend the Church of God and your country. I came here to Say-- thank you for your services in that Battalion."

A dinner was then enjoyed after which President Brigham Young spoke and the following were part of his talk. "I now behold a part of the men who left their wives, children, fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, cattle, horses, and wagons upon a prairie in a wild savage country and took up arms and marched forth in defense, you men have constantly had a goodly share of my faith and prayers and sympathies from the time you volunteered. At the departure of the Mormon Battalion I am sure that no set of men or people have ever had more faith exercised for them than this people had. Perhaps also there have been no people on the face of the earth who according to their knowledge possessed more faith than these men when they left their families at Bluffs. The brethren that went into the Battalion went as good hearts and spirits, according ho the extent of their understanding, as ever men went upon missions to the world and they manifested a readiness to do anything required of them, these men now before me were the saviors of his people-- when I think of them the feeling bursts in my heart. God bless them. I bless you now and pray every good thing to bless you. I see your motto, the Mormon Battalion-- a ram in the thicket. Yes, and well caught. They made every sacrifice required-- they offered their lives to save this people from the evil designs by their enemies. They did everything that was required by the government of the United States and I am sorry to say that some few of them lost their lives in the sacrifice. I will tell you one thing, brethren and sisters, which is as true as the Lord Almighty lives, if the Battalion had done as I told them in every particular, there would not a single man have fallen in that service; I know that such would have been the result. Most of them did live and act well; but they had the world, the flesh and the devil to contend with and no wonder some should manifest their weakness in those times. Brethren, you will be blessed if you will live for the blessings which you have been taught to live. The Mormon Battalion will be held in honorable remembrance to the latest generation, and I will prophecy that the children of those who have been in the army in defense of their country will grow up and bless their fathers for what they did at that time, and men and nations will rise up and bless the men who went into the Battalion. As the Lord lives, if you will but live up to your privileges you will never be forgotten. Worlds without end will be had in honorable remembrance forever and ever." Is it any wonder that the posterity of George Washington Hancock proudly says, "He is a member of the Mormon Battalion."

On the 6 of April 1855 at the annual conference of the church held in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, 53 elders were appointed to go on missions for the Church. George Hancock was one of those called. He was called on a special mission to assist in surveying a route from Utah to California. Like former calls made upon him by his church he responded cheerfully. During his absence his beloved wife, Amy, was left with the responsibility of his 2 motherless children and the care of her own 2 babies. Before his return death called their baby son, George Jr. from them and Amy was left alone in her sorrow. In March 1856 President Brigham Young called George to go down to Payson, Utah to make work for the emigrants who were settling in this place and to employ them and to handle their wares. This call was filled and George moved his family and established himself in Payson where he spent the rest of his life.

On the 20 of April he became a member of the 2Oth Quorum of Seventies and in May 1857 when the 46th Quorum of Seventies was organized at Payson and Santaquin he became one of its presidents with James B. Bracken, John Thomas Hardy, Benjamin P. Stewart, Wm. B. Maxwell. Payson, at the time George moved there, was a small town with a mud wall surrounding part of it built as a fort for the protection for the people against the Indians. The growth of Payson in the early days was largely due to the thrift and industry of George Hancock in establishing enterprises and employing the emigrants and help them to get started in life. During the Battalion days he had acquired a good understanding of the Spanish language, and also the language of the Indian and this helped him with his future dealings with the Indians. When he moved his family to Payson he built them a house and opened up a store in half of it. The house was the largest house in the settlement, therefore all the church authorities and Indian chiefs who visited Payson were guests at his home. He was the first and only merchant in Payson at that time.

He soon became overstocked with hides and in order to avoid serious loss he built a tannery and set emigrants to work who understood tanning. It was not long before he became overstocked with leather so he hired a skilled Englishman to open a shoe shop and make shoes. He then built a harness factory and hired a harness maker to make harnesses and saddles. He also built and operated a glove factory and later a hat factory. His business enterprises grew until at one time he employed 20 shoemakers to make shoes and fine riding boots, about 6 men making saddles and harnesses, 2 men making saddle trees and covering, them with rawhide, several men tanning the hides and making leather. From the buckskin he bought from the Indians he employed several men and women in making fine gloves and hats from the furs. He owned and operated a lumber yard, a grist mill, and later a creamery and a canning factory. He built the first electric light plant in Payson and donated land for the opera house and helped to build it and operate it. At the time of his death he was engaged in a coal and lumber business. All through his life he found employment for the poor and many owed him their first start in life. He was a firm believer in President Brigham Young and obeyed his call and prospered.

While operating these various enterprises it was now always easy to dispose of his products. He, therefore fitted up two freight wagons and teams and drivers and when his supply was greater than the demand he sent them on a selling tour. The market for most of these goods was in California. He kept a tavern or stopping place for travelers on their way to the gold fields and sold his goods to these prospectors. Sometimes he sent trucks into Idaho and Nevada.

Upon one of these trips to Nevada and when gold was discovered there he went himself and took his young nephew, Charles Hancock Jr. with him. They had 2 wagons of flour, dressed pork, and other merchandise and went as far as Pioche. There he sold his load for $460. He tucked the money, save for a few dollars for expense money, away and started home. He drove the head team and Charles drove the team behind. As he jogged along the road he saw in the distance men moving behind huge rocks. He knew at once their intentions and stopped his team and got out of his wagon and went behind the rear wagon as if to examine the wheels. As he did so he said to the boy, Charles, that there were robbers ahead. What do you think we had better do? The sleepy boy said, "What?" At this time, not wanting to wait, the robbers dashed from behind the rocks mounted their horses and galloped toward the defenseless victims. George, seeing their approach put his hand into his pocket and let the few dollars he had down the leg of his trousers into the wagon wheel track and shuffled his feet, stamping it into the dust. When the five masked bandits drew up their horses, flourishing their revolvers and demanding their money and valuables. George realizing their lives were in peril, surrendered all he possessed, but the gold dollars hidden in the wagon track and covered with dust. One of the bandits struck him over the head with the butt of his revolver, cutting a ghastly hole in his head from which he suffered all the rest of his life. The robbers then knocked young Charles down and covered him completely with blankets and threatened his life if he opened his eyes or moved for one hour after their departure. They cut the harness lines and tied George's hand and foot to the wheel of the wagon and left him in an unconscious condition under the scorching sun to bleed and die. They also cut the tugs of the harness and turned the horses loose and then mounting their horses rode toward Pioche.

When George recovered consciousness he could not persuade Charles to untie him or render any assistance, so great was the boy's fear, until he thought the hour was up. George was faint from loss of blood and the intense heat and it was with difficulty they made their 6 miles to Pine Valley to Cyrus Hancock, George's cousin's place. Upon reaching there George fell in a faint. Cyrus came to his rescue and carried him into the house and rounded up his horses and helped him on his way home. One of these pieces of money saved was a gold dollar coined in 1860. George carried this dollar for good luck all the rest of his life until just before he passed away he gave it to his daughter, Betsey. She wore it on her watch chain for many years until prior to her death she gave it to her granddaughter, Virginia Shurtliff, in whose possession it is now kept as a sacred relic. During the Johnson Army invasion the saints moved south in 1857. The Hancock home was a place of refuge for many on the unfortunate people. His house was full and his yard was full of tents pitched and on his fields wagons were drawn and in them homes maintained and he and his family were a source of comfort and help to the weary driven travelers.

At this time George was serving as constable of Utah County. In this work he was involved in many Indian troubles as a peacemaker and his life was often in great peril. He did a great deal of trading with the Indians, trading merchandise for furs and buckskins. When the Indian affairs became too troublesome to solve he would invite them to his store and let them have blankets and provisions on credit, of which he never lost a cent as the Indians were very honest with their dealings with him. In this way he could keep them contented for a time. He would also take them to his home and feed them at his table and was always sought as a peacemaker between them and the white men. The Indians gave his great respect and consulted with him in their difficulties and called him their "White God."

Because of the office he held as constable he was away from home a great deal of his time and his life was in constant danger. During these trying days of the Johnson Army trouble, lawlessness prevailed and to some degree the people were prone to take the law into their own hands and execute justice as they saw fit. During the move south impostors took shelter under the cloak of religion and professed sincerity while in reality they lived by unlawful and dishonorable acts.

About this time George was serving as guard in protecting the people from organized cattle thieves operating in the settlements in the southern part of the state, many in California. The people were losing stock every night and special guards were stationed at different high points overlooking the town. A lot of the stock was kept in a large corral. One night 2 boys planned to steal some horses out of this corral, but one boy became frightened and gave the plot away. So the guards were watching for them and George was one of the detailed men. One of the boys came to the enclosure in the night and George and another guard (Geo. Patten) started after them. The boy fired his gun at them. Mr. Patten & George pursued the boy as far as Salem where they caught him and brought him back to Payson. When they reached there a large mob had gathered and great excitement prevailed. While they were holding this boy, George one arm and Patten the other, someone in the crowd shot the boy in the back. No one at that time seemed to know who it has as there was so much confusion and excitement at that time as the mob had already been to the shack of a woman who had been in ill repute for a long time and who was the mother of this boy outlaw. The mob had been so enraged and incensed that they had torn down the dugout or shack over the head of this woman and had killed her while Patten and George were after the boy. At the time of all this nothing was done to apprehend the guilty party or persons involved, but 32 years later, just before the assembly of the National Legislative Congress which met in December, when National prejudice was at its peak on the anti-poligamy, the case was recalled. As one reporter recorded it the Deseret News of November 22, 1889. "The anti-Mormon bloody shirt must be washed in front of the National Legislative Congress which meets in December and in the absence of no live coals concerning the Mormons, the dead coals are fanned into Life."

A son Asael Hancock living in Payson gives an account of this trouble. He says, "One night a messenger came to our house and called my father to the door and said are you George Hancock, and he answered yes. I have a paper for you to read. Mr. Hancock invited him to come into the house so he could read it better in the light but he preferred to have him accompany him to his hotel. He was then taken from his home under arrest where he was kept all night in a home about 5 blocks away and made to sit up all night in a chair while these men played cards with the woman who owned the place and drank whiskey. This place was an inn which had a bad reputation. In the morning he was taken to a jail at Provo. Mr. Patten and gotten word of this and left that night for Nephi and later went on to Mexico to his ranch. This woman and her son had been in ill repute for a long time, her husband had killed an emigrant at Kanesville, Iowa in the early forties by striking his head with an iron bar. George's brother, Charles, was at this time a bishop and had seen that this family had been furnished with food many times. But the mob had been incensed and aroused while the guardians of the law were busy protecting the people from cattle thieves. This woman also had a daughter who grew to womanhood and always came into George's store after the trouble and always said she considered George innocent of any of the trouble. Quoting from one of the papers "There is a good reason to regard the arrest of Mr. Hancock as a work of malice." He is an aged man and a highly respected citizen and has given many active years of service.

While George was interviewed at the jail he emphatically said, "I am not guilty." He was confined in jail without bail for a period of 4 months waiting trial and the courts refused to hear his case, but fanned it before the public eye in every newspaper as "Mormon criminal". Being brought to justice after 32 years when in reality he was at all times available in the little town of Payson, engaged in public enterprises. The case was taken before the Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah and after one year a new trial was held and Pres. Cleveland reviewed the evidence and the case was dismissed. The testimony of one of the witnesses was questionable and the other witness at the time was serving a sentence of 2 years for an immoral crime. So George was finally vindicated. George showed his wonderful character and influence for good while he was confined in jail. He had such a peaceful and spiritual influence and commanded such great respect from the prisoners that they kept themselves cleaned and washed up and George said a blessing for them on all the food served to them.

While he was thus confined his son, Asael, was brought home from Tintic where he was working to look after his father's store and to see him in his trouble. About that time he telegraphed to Asael that a man had been to see him and had offered him $4,000 for his store building. Asael was renting the upstairs at that time for $:200 per month and asked his father to hold out for a better price. Asael had been given power of attorney in his father's affairs. After much dickering back and forth Asael finally sold the property for $8,000 cash. This enabled his father to pay off the mortgage on his home and gave him $6,000 to start again in business. He then started a creamery forming a company. But it proved failure as the people would often put water in their milk and with other discouraging features they gave it up. Going back to the year 1847, after the woman and her sons had been killed. George continued his useful and active life in full confidence of his fellowmen and the authorities of the church, and having no guilt upon his conscience pursued his life in the usual manner, helping and serving all who came across his path. His only regret was that his beloved church would come into the limelight through this trouble.

At conference 1871 George was called upon to fulfill a mission to the eastern states and was set apart by Lorenzo Snow. After he had successfully fulfilled this mission and was returning home he brought a carload of hogs as he had heard there was a scarcity of pork at home. He brought them as far as Lehi. The railroad was only built that far so he had men help him drive them on the road from there to Payson. He got a good price for them which was a big help to him financially, later his merchandise business increased so much he was able to build a nice store building where he carried on his business. It was well stocked with dry goods, groceries, hardware, etc. He brought in stoves by the carloads from the east. In later years he built a lovely home, about the year l875. This home is still standing and was purchased by Asael his son. Then the cruel years that followed grieved and aged him far beyond his years and involved him financially and taxed his strength and tried his soul. The injustice of it all in the guide of justice. On the 9 March 1897, a host of his relatives and friends met at his home to celebrate his 71st birthday and this report of it was given in the Desert News. "By request he sang songs composed by Patriarch Levi W. Hancock, his uncle, and also related many, experiences while serving in the Battalion. He told of their march to Sante Fe and California and upon their release, to Fort Hall and Thence south in search of the pioneers and how he found them in Salt Lake Valley in 1847. He told them of his trip back east through the snows of winter with but a few companions, crossing the mountains and plains, exhausted by privation finally reaching the settlements of Missouri, having been sustained nearly all the way by game from his rifle, seeds and corn bartered by Indians and now and then gristly mule meat and raw hide strips cut from the pack saddle and cooked over the camp fire without salt and from the wayside shrubs in place of vegetables and bread. The family were so interested they begged to hear more and stayed on listening until one o'clock in the morning. George Hancock bore his testimony to the truth of Mormonism and the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith whom he had know so well. He said "I have seen 500 of the strength of Israel volunteer into active service. I have seen the saints settled in a new land in the desert of the mountains. I have see the crusade of Johnson's army and its departure to the southern states at the great rebellion of the Civil War. I have witnessed the building and dedication of the Salt Lake Temple. I have known all five of the presidents of the church and have seen the growth of the church from its very beginning. I have gone through so many trials but I still love the Gospel of Jesus Christ." He urged his children and grandchildren to be faithful to the cause for which he went through so many privations and in which his heart still throbbed in full fellowship and sympathy.

George W. Hancock was 5 feet 8 inches tall - weighed 133 pounds, chest measurements 45 inches. Eyes were blue and his hair was jet black. He possessed a cheerful disposition and was agreeable company, well informed and intelligent with a fair education for his day. It is said that he had but 3 months of schooling in his life but this did not keep him from studying. He and his brother, Charles, after a hard day's work, would gather birch bark to make a light by which they could study. He had been a hard worker and passed through so many experiences which made him older than his years. Although he had been wealthy and prosperous at one time he suffered great losses but lives to pay every debt he owed but dies a poor man, leaving only about $500 in cash and his home and the memory of a life well lived and a posterity that is proud to bear his name. His life may be called a grand success.

Of him his daughter, Betsey Jane wrote "My father was a good man and I wish my son to emulate him." What greater tribute could be paid a father then that?

His daughter, Alta, wrote of him from Albuquerque, N.M. January 6, 1925 "Father spent his life and substance in helping the poor and needy. He tried to create employment for all in their own trade, yet with all these cares and business worries he never shirked his religious duties. He was a kind husband and father. He would not eat unless every child was at the table for the blessing and prayer. The best I can say of my father is that he was one who loved his fellowmen."

The funeral services were held in the Payson Tabernacle on Monday, November 18, at 10 a.m. and he was buried in the Payson Cemetery.

The stone erected by his daughter, Betsey Jane, marks his grave and bears this inscription:

George W. Hancock

Died November 15, 1901

He was one of the Mormon Battalion

Not dead but resting

Rest in Peace.

P.S. (An incident in George's life in Battalion days, at the time they had encamped and named the place White Ox Valley) one night George felt impressed to get away from camp as the company was in such dire distress so he crawled for about a mile on his belly so the guard could not see him, praying to God for help. He saw a buffalo and shot it, he then ran back for help to bring it in. The Company were all so rejoiced that they did not punish him.

George W. Hancock died last Friday morning at about 6 o'clock. He was confined to his bed but a short time although he had been ailing for the past few weeks. Born March 6, 1926. Baptized by Levi W. Hancock 1834 in Clay Co., Missouri moved from there to Far West, Caldwell Co. and then to Nauvoo in 1839.

Left Nauvoo April 1 1846 westward, Mormon Battalion July 16, 1846. Discharged on July 16 1847 at Los Angeles, In company of about 100 of the Battalion boys he traveled across the country to Salt Lake City arriving Oct. 1847. In November 1847 he started back to Council Bluffs. Reached there about New Years. Two years later returned and settled in Davis County. He was called to go with Orson Hyde to survey the line between Utah and California in 1854. In 1856 he was called to Payson. Charles B., a brother was to the funeral, also his daughter Betsey.

The material for this sketch was taken from:

On Sept. 1862 at the county fair, leather was exhibited by George Hancock from his tannery and a dressed goat received a grand prize.

On the 22nd of April 1868 the acting Governor of the Territory of Utah, Edwin Higgins, appointed George Hancock as Major in the 2nd Battalion Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division Nauvoo Legion (The militia of said territory) in Utah.

On July 12 1869 at Pondtown, encampment with Brand Brig. Gen. A. K. Thurber, and election was held and George was elected Junior Major in 1st Reg. Col. McClellen command.

Oct. 9 1869 a Zion's camp reunion was held in Social Hall in Salt Lake City and George and his brother Charles joined as representatives of the Saints who were driven out of Missouri. Memories brought back those days of hardships and suffering and they gave thanks for their present blessings and for their deliverance.