Joseph Hancock

Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 2, p.611

Joseph Hancock, a member of that gallant band of 1847, was a hunter of exceptional ability, so much so that he had often been called "Nimrod," (mighty hunter) by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Springfield, Massachusetts was the birthplace of this pioneer where [p.612] he was born to Thomas and Amy Ward Hancock March 17, 1800, the sixth in a family of nine children. Joseph and his wife, the former Betsey Johnson, were baptized by Elder Daniel Stanton into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mayfield, Ohio. She died a few months after her baptism leaving several small children. After her death Joseph moved to Kirtland, Ohio with the children where they were cared for by a sister, Clarissa Alger. Joseph was a brickmaker by trade and engaged in this occupation until he was called to join Zion's camp. During the subsequent migrations of the Church to Nauvoo, Illinois he followed his leader faithfully.

Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 2, p.612

In the spring of 1848 [1847] Joseph, then in his forty seventh year, was called to be one of the vanguard to the regions of the Rocky Mountains. He gladly accepted this mission, leaving his wife, Experience Wheeler Rudd, and family, while he shouldered a musket and started on the westward trek. Along the route eleven men were selected as foot hunters among them Joseph Hancock. A notation from the movements of the camp on May 2nd states "that the weather was cold in the pioneer camp, half an inch of ice having formed on the water. During the night a buffalo and calf had come near the camp and the guard had wounded the calf in the hind leg; it was caught alive but afterwards killed. Joseph Hancock killed a buffalo over the bluff behind the camp and had to stay with it all the previous night to protect the carcass from the wolves. He had made a fire and scattered a little powder around the buffalo to keep off the wolves. Three of these, smelling the blood, visited him during the night, but were awed by the sight of the fire. Joseph shot one of them and the rest got away. After fencing his game with stakes he started for camp but could not find it. He, therefore, lay down on the prairie for the night and came into camp early the next morning. After he had eaten breakfast he started out in company with four others to bring in the meat on horseback, as no wagons could get over the bluffs to it. They found the wolves had devoured much of it but the balance the brethren brought along into camp. On the way back they added two antelope to the supply of fresh meat. The pioneers then busied themselves cutting up the buffalo meat into strips, partly drying it over the fire to preserve it for future use. The hides were cut up into ropes stretched with stakes. This made twelve buffalo which the hunters had killed in one day which was considered a very good showing, especially as the men were nearly all strangers to that mode of killing."

Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol, 2, p.612

As the pioneers neared their journey's end and had arrived at East Canyon the meat supply was practically exhausted. Joseph Hancock left the camp early one morning in search of game. He climbed to the top of a high ridge which loomed up in the distance in the clear mountain air, weary from his climb over sharp rocks and dense underbrush, he reached the summit and there for the first (p.613) time was able to see a portion of the Great Salt Lake Valley. On top of this ridge, late in the evening he was successful in killing a large elk. To make it lighter he removed the entrails and then, with difficulty, he finally got the elk on his back and tried to walk. As he continued on he came to a creek which was too deep to wade, but a short distance away was a dam made by some beavers. He attempted to cross but the dam broke through and he found himself astride a large log with his legs in the water. He was thus relieved of his burden as it slipped from his tired shoulders, in the fall, onto the log at his back. Joseph was so exhausted that he leaned his head resting it upon the elk and went to sleep. The company had passed by during the day not seeing the hunter from the road below and had camped at the fork. At day break he resumed his journey and soon discovered some of the men from the camp who helped him bring the elk in and prepare it for the hungry travelers.

Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 2, p.613

On July 26th, Joseph Hancock and Lewis Barney went into the east mountains of Salt Lake Valley to explore for timber. They returned on the 28th and reported an abundance of good timber, principally pine, balsam, fir, and cottonwood, but they also said it would be difficult to get out. President Young encouraged the brethren to explore the surrounding country and predicted: "Explore all you like but you will come back converted that this is the place. "

Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 2, p.613

In the division of property, Joseph was given a lot not far from the temple site as his inheritance and soon after he returned to Missouri for his family; but through sickness and poverty he was unable to bring them back for two years and his property was given to someone else. When he finally returned he was given a tract of land near Provo, Utah.

Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol, 2, p.613

In the spring of 1852 Mr. Hancock left Utah for California. During his absence he was accused of leaving the Church but President Young said, "No, Joseph will never leave the Church, he will come back." After ten years in California and the East he returned to Utah where he lived three years. The latter part of 1867 he returned to Council Bluffs and there visited his children. In 1882 he again returned to Utah. In all his travels he was a faithful member of the Church defending it on every occasion against unbelievers. On July 5, 1893 he passed away and was interred in the Payson cemetery. -Aurura Hancock Duncan

Printed from the Pioneer Heritage Libraryä in the LDS Family History Suiteä