Hancock Village History | Chestnut Hill Realty

Hancock Village - Revolutionary Roots

From its roots as a community to house veterans returning from World War II to the naming of its streets and buildings after our Founding Fathers, Hancock Village in Brookline (MA) is steeped in history at every turn. Today, Hancock Village is a 1300-unit contemporary apartment community with deep connections to its rich history.

The story of Hancock Village – Past, Present and Future – and is told in the pages of this book:

The streets and buildings within Hancock Village are named after signers of the Declaration of Independence with ties to New England. Here are short bios on each of these signers. Links to more information on these Founding Fathers, as well as select readings and local historical sites are included below.

Hancock Village

John Hancock (1737-1793)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented Massachusetts in the Continental Congress

John Hancock is one of America’s best-known Founding Fathers thanks to his oversized signature on the Declaration of Independence. His large signature was appropriate considering that Hancock was president of the Continental Congress when the Declaration was signed. Despite being one of the wealthiest men in the colonies, Hancock risked his life and fortune in the name of American liberty. Hancock served as the first and third governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

In 1946, the John Hancock Life Insurance Company collaborated with the Town of Brookline to develop workforce housing for veterans returning from World War II. The property was named Hancock Village, befitting the stature of one of our nation’s most prominent Founding Fathers.

John Adams Building

John Adams (1735-1826)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented Massachusetts in the Continental Congress

John Adams served as the second President of the United States (1797-1801) after serving as the nation’s first Vice President under George Washington. Born to descendants of the Mayflower Pilgrims, the Braintree-born, Harvard educated lawyer was one of five Patriots to write the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Adams died on July 4th, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. His eldest son, John Quincy Adams, served as the country’s sixth president.

Josiah Bartlett Building

Josiah Bartlett (1729-1795)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented New Hampshire in the Continental Congress

Josiah Bartlett was an American Founding Father, physician, statesman and delegate to the Continental Congress for New Hampshire. Born in Amesbury, MA, Bartlett moved to New Hampshire in 1750 to practice medicine. In 1765, he became active in colonial politics, serving in the New Hampshire legislature from 1765-1775, when he became a member of the Continental Congress. In 1776, Bartlett signed the Declaration of Independence immediately after John Hancock. In 1790, Bartlett was elected president of New Hampshire until his title soon changed to governor.

Benjamin Franklin Building

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress

Ben Franklin is well known for his many vocations, including writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. He was among the leading intellectuals of his time. As minister to France, Franklin helped negotiate and draft the 1783 Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War. A prominent figure in early American history, the Boston-born Franklin also served as a delegate to the convention that produced the U.S. Constitution. He was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence at age 70.

Ellery Court

William Ellery (1727-1820)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented Rhode Island in the Continental Congress

Born in Newport, William Ellery graduated from Harvard College at the age of 15. First a merchant, then a lawyer, Ellery became active in Rhode Island's Sons of Liberty, helping to antagonize and subvert representatives of the Crown. Signing his name on the Declaration of Independence second only in size to John Hancock's signature, Ellery knew he would be marked for retribution by the British. After seizing Newport in the Revolutionary War, the British Army deliberately sought out Ellery's home and burned it to the ground. Ellery survived, became a vocal advocate for the abolition of slavery and died in 1820 at the age of 92.

Gerry Road

Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented Massachusetts in the Continental Congress

Born in Marblehead, Elbridge Gerry was a politician and diplomat who served as the fifth vice president of the United States under President James Madison. As a member of the Democratic-Republicans party, he served as the eighth governor of Massachusetts. During his second term, tensions mounted when Federalist appointees were permitted to remain in office. Consequently, the Gerrymander Bill was created which redistricted the state in a way that gave the Democratic-Republicans more power. The political practice of gerrymandering is named after him.

Paine Court

Robert Treat Paine (1731-1814)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented Massachusetts in the Continental Congress

Robert Treat Paine was an American lawyer and politician. Born in Boston, Paine attended Boston Latin School and graduated from Harvard College. He served as the state’s first attorney general and as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Paine died at age 83 and is buried in Boston’s Granary Burying Ground.

Sherman Road

Roger Sherman (1721-1793)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented Connecticut in the Continental Congress

Born in the Province of Newton, Massachusetts, Sherman is the only person to sign all four great state papers of the United States: The Continental Association, Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. He practiced law in Connecticut and was a member of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Sherman served in Congress under the new Constitution, first as a representative (1789-1791) and then as a senator (1791-1793).

Thornton Road

Matthew Thornton (1714-1803)
Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Represented New Hampshire in the Continental Congress

Born in Ireland, Thornton was one of only eight immigrants to sign the Declaration of Independence. Living in New Hampshire, Thornton served as president of the Provincial Assembly and penned the state’s first constitution a year before the signing of the Declaration, making New Hampshire the first state to create a legal code separate from Great Britain.

Revolutionary Readings

Select readings about the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
These books and other writings about the founding of our country
can be borrowed from the Hancock Village Community Center.

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