Jack was called a “boy” when he was purchased by Reverend John Hancock from Isaac Powers of Littleton in 1728. However, Jack may have been a teenager at the time of his purchase, as Hancock paid £85, which is consistent with the sale of other teenage enslaved people of the time. The money was provided by the town of Lexington so that their minister could focus more on his religious duties and less on domestic labor. Being able to purchase an enslaved Black person was a sign of prosperity and a source of pride for the community.
A record of the Hanock family’s papers lists “To Beef and Mutton sent by Jack £5.9.9.” This note appears in an account between Reverend Hancock and his son Thomas, who was a merchant in Boston. Whether it refers to the same Jack is unknown, but he may have performed some tasks for the Reverend’s son.
Jack was likely responsible for many of the Hancocks’ domestic chores: farming, tending animals, preparing food, chopping wood, and carrying goods between Hancock households.
Unlike the white members of the household, whose lives were fully recorded, Jack’s life is not well illustrated in the documentary record. It is unknown where he was born, who his parents and siblings were, how old he was when he was enslaved, or how long he lived, but it is likely that he died while still enslaved.
Read about more Black residents of Lexington here.
Information provided by Sean Osborne.
