Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1891 — White County’s Boss Patriarch. [ARTICLE]

White County’s Boss Patriarch.

The 103rd birthday anniversary of Micaja Hancock was celebrated last Friday, a week, at his home near Monon, and the Monticello Herald observes the event by giving a two column biography of the old patriarch, accompanying the sketch with an excellent picture of the subject. This centenarian is a grandson of John Hancock, the signer of the Declaration of Independence, and was bom in Sussex county, Delaware, January 9,1788. He served in the waroFlßl2. He came to this State, in 1844, settling in Wabash county, wlience.he removed in 1850 to White county. He raised a family of eight

children, four of whom are still living, and all of whom, with the exception of one, lived to be oyer 50 years old. His living children are William and Shelby, near Monon, aged 72 and 64 respectively, and Mrs. Eliza Powell and Mrs. Maria Cooper, of Wabash, aged 66 and 56 respectively. Since the death of his wife in 1856, the patriarch has lived with his son Shelby, near Monon. His grand children and great grand children now living number upwards of 100, besides several great, great grand children. The centenarian re-

tains a remarkable degree of vitality and in favorable weather amuses himself by walking to Monon, a distance of six miles, and back alone. His great weight of years does not prove burdensome to him. He seems to enjoy existence, relishes his food, sleeps well and declares that he will live for some years yet and hopes to see the dawn of the next century. His greatest physical infirmity is the almost total failure of his hearing and eye-siglit. His mental faculties are normal, however, and he takes a keen interest in life.