Hancock's Chapel / Hancock Chapel United Methodist Church (Harrison County, Ind.) records

The Hancock family had ties to Tennessee. On March 30, 1819, in Wilson County, Tennessee, Mathew Hancock, the second son of John and Jane Hancock, married a young widow, Elizabeth (Hooker) Mills. Almost immediately after the wedding of Mathew and Elizabeth, the Hancock family of Johhn and Jance Hancock, their sons Samuel and Mathew and their brides moved to Harrison County, Indiana, near Fredericksburg. Records indicated that Mathew purchased land on May 24, 1819. John Hancock, built a school, a post office and a Methodist Church known as Hancock Chapel. The community was known as the Hancock Settlement. Hancock Chapel, a Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1820 on land purchased from Benjamin Kingf. The property was deeded to John Hancock, Samuel Hancock, Thomas Polson, John Boyce and Eli Wood as Trustees on March 22, 1820. Much of the land in the vicinity of Hancock Chapel was owned by the Hancock's and remained in the family for several generations. John and Samuel Hancock were farmers. They were not ordained Methodist ministers, but were licensed lay preachers. There were many small Methodist Churches similar to Hancock Chapel including ones near Fredericksburg and Woods Chapel. All these churches were served by circuit riding pastors who were ordained ministers. In the absence of ordained clergy, the churches were led by lay preachers. Sometime between 1880 and 1890, the original Hancock Chapel Church building burned beyond repair. The present one-room church structure is over 125 years of age. It has been remodeled inside and out over the years. New flooring, a lower ceiling and serveral coats of paint have changed its appearance. In addition a cemetery surrounds two sides of the church where many of the Hancock family members are buried.