Capt. John Bancroft, II

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Capt. John Bancroft, II's Geni Profile

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Capt. John Bancroft, II

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Westfield, Hampden County, MA, United States
Death: June 27, 1793 (71)
Westfield, Hampden County, MA, United States
Place of Burial: Westfield, Hampden County, MA, United States
Immediate Family:

Son of John Bancroft, I and Hannah Bancroft
Husband of Mercy Bancroft and Miriam Bancroft
Father of John Bancroft, III and Hannah Bancroft
Brother of Ann Bancroft; Edward Bancroft; Ann Bancroft; Rhoda Fowler; Elizabeth Bancroft and 1 other
Half brother of Desire Bancroft

Managed by: Kenneth Joseph Bagg Neder
Last Updated:

About Capt. John Bancroft, II

BANCROFT, John of Westfield, b. 1722, d. 1793 (m. Mercy Ashley), capt. in French war; son of John of Westfield, b. 1679, d. 1748 (m. Keziah Bridgeman); ... (1)



from page 252 of The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volumes 10-11. "Descendants of Ambrose Fowler"

STEPHEN,4 (43) m. 1st, Rhoda Bancroft, 10 Aug. 1746; she d. 8 Jan. 1747-8, leaving one son, and he m. 2d, Mary Wells of Hartford, 1751. He settled in Pittsfield from Westfield about 1772, and afterwards the family removed to the State of New York. Rhoda Bancroft was sister of Capt. John B., who had a large estate in the N. W. part of Westfield. [Field's Pittsfield."]


From Historic Buildings of Massachusetts - Capt. John Bancroft House (1755)

John Bancroft, who was a captain in the French and Indian War, built the brick house that still stands at 530 Pochassic Street in Westfield.
Rev. John H. Lockwood, in his Westfield and Its Historic Influences (1922), writes of Capt. John Bancroft who, in 1755, built in Pochassic what was probably the second brick house in the present Hampden County, the old Day house in West Springfield dating from 1754. The Bancroft house was by far the more massive and pretentious of the two and is still a notable mansion. Captain John, its builder, was a prosperous farmer, owning slaves, like a few of his fellow townsmen of the time. He was very proud of his elegant mansion. A tale, which may be pure romance founded on his well known characteristics, has come down to our time, somewhat as follows: He was wont to sit within his commodious domicile and watch for passers by in order to gloat over their envious glances. One day, while thus engaged, he called out to one on the road, “Did you think that you had reached paradise?” Quickly came the stunning response, “Yes! I did think so, until I saw the devil looking out of the window.” Sic transit gloria mundi!
In 1776, during the Revolutionary War, Capt. Bancroft’s name was published on a list of those considered “enemies of their country” and the Committee of Correspondence and Safety confined him within the limits of his farm. He regained some of his status after the War, but research long after his death revealed that he had been selling secrets to the British throughout the Revolution.


from Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Dec 13 2016, 0:28:53 UTC

Inscription:
"Some hearty friend shall drop his tear On our dry bones, and say These once were strong as mine appear, And mine must be as they. Thus shall our moul'dring members teach What everyone should learn For dust and ashes Loudest preach Man's infinite concerns.


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Capt. John Bancroft, II's Timeline

1722
April 19, 1722
Westfield, Hampden County, MA, United States
1752
May 2, 1752
Westfield, Hampden, Massachusetts
1755
July 16, 1755
Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States
1793
June 27, 1793
Age 71
Westfield, Hampden County, MA, United States
June 27, 1793
Age 71
Old Burying Ground, Westfield, Hampden County, MA, United States