His signature is famous, but the man John Hancock is barely known. After his death his papers became scattered, so that unlike his counterparts (Adams, Jefferson, Washington), Hancock became a figure known largely through the writings of others. Containing over 350 previously unpublished letters, volume 1 of this multivolume series follows Hancock from youth to manhood. After his education at Harvard, he joins the trading firm of his uncle, Thomas, and journeys to England in the 1760s to meet business partners while expanding his understanding of the world. Later, Hancock takes command of the family business while beginning to dabble in local and imperial politics.

Distributed for the Colonial Society of Massachusetts