JOHN HANCOCKS ORIGINAL HOUSE

TheHarleyMan2

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I know maybe I should have put this in Indiana state section, but I also wanted to get others opinions outside of Indiana on advice and what others think.

A very good friend of mine who is from and lives in Indiana who's father passed away just a little over a week ago. Back quite a few years ago the city was going tear down John Hancocks, (YES, the John Hancock we all know), original home and his father saved it and bought it. The orginal cabin John Hancock was supposed to have ben born in is still there with the 5 story house built around it, of course over the years the cabin was expanded to a big fine mansion and from the outside to inside you would never even know the cabin is still there. Years later his dad also bought the house across the street from it that looks almost identical to John Hancocks house. These 2 homes are very much alike. My buddy knows I had gotten into metal detecting about 2 years ago and I told him numerous times we should detect the property as we may find something of old coinage. But he doesn't have enough time as both of us work on the road traveling the motorcycle rally circuit and I am in the Army part time, plus I am here in Texas. We, (him and I), don't want anyone else to search the house or property. I told him that there may be some stuff inside the house, floors, or walls with some stuff maybe very valuable that no one knew about maybe not even his dad. Being back in those days in 1700's, people hid their money. But we don't know how long John Hancock, (from our understanding), lived in the home all his life or just owned it as we do know he lived on the East Coast pretty much during his time and signed the Declaration of Independence.

Here is where the delima is. His step-mother called my buddy, (fathers son), whom was out of town for a show, called him 2 days later and told him his dad passed away. Yeah I know, "how sad nad screwed up"! Well even though his dad collected stuff, ie baseball cards, coinage, etc. His dad had the house up for sale across the street, but it would cost too much money for it to be upgraded and remodeled and wouldn't get much for the house even if it sold as there had been water leaks in the home over many many years and mold is on the inside of the house. Now his step mother told the realator last week to sell both houses and get what they can from it. My friends step mother changed the locks so my buddy hasn't been able to gain access to his dads home. He did find out that prior to his step mother calling him about his dad, (after he got back home to Indiana), had her children come to the house and get some things, (that was supposed to be hers), and changed the locks on the doors. I told my buddy he may want to contact an attorney on the matter because if he ignored it any longer, he could lose everything or more importantly, valuable things that rightfully belong to him.

He had to leave for a show and will be gone for 2 weeks and he can't do anything with an attorney until he can make some money and get back in town. I have several questions here that maybe somone could help with that I can pass on to my buddy.

1. Being John Hancock was born in the cabin adn built, (pretty much the first house in that town), before Mark Twain and others built homes down the street from him, and lived in the first house in that town in Indiana. Where would the most likely be places that someone like him would put valuables like gold & silver coins, or anything of value in the home if he wanted a hiding place for it and being John Hancock pretty much lived on the East Coast would much be left there at the original home?

I have been inside his dads home a couple of years ago visiting them and the tile around the fireplace has actual gold made into vines and flowers in with the tile. It is very beautiful and 17th century.

2. The other house across the street that my buddy lived in and was doing some work on the inside to remodel some of the damaged wood, etc, that had water leak damage and mold. I been in every part of that house with him, but at the time of being there I had not gotten into metal detecting or researching treasures or anything for that fact, at the time. and niether one of us mentioned anything about gold, silver, or treasure. Niether one of us had any information as to whom owned that house, but for the time frame it was built in the 1700's it had to have been someone very wealthy. I know if anything is hidden, it is going to be somewhere inside the house, basement, or maybe portions on the property, even though the property is small. Now he had moved out of the house about a year ago because him and his dad got on "NO SPEAKING" terms a little over a year ago and really hadn't talked much at all. (I don't know the whole story, I just know things got bad).

3. The major question here is, (I know, and he knows, he needs to get an attorney on teh house and personal property matter), but being his step mother was married to his dad for 30 plus years, and his dad had a will, but it is in the home. My buddy told me that his dad does have a will at the clerks office when he filed it as well. What legal right can his step mother do to keep my buddy out of his deceased dads house and can she legally change the locks, (even though she no longer resides there), to prevent my buddy going into his dads home? The step mother pretty much moved out and moved in with her daughter and wants no part of the house except sell it with everything in it and get money for it. So what are ones opinions on it?

4. Final and foremost I convinced my buddy there is something there within that house, (and the one across the street), that is of value maybe small, maybe great. Does anyone think that if he gets a locksmith, changes the locks, goes in his dads house and makes sure his dads valuables are still there. But also, does anyone think that if he had me come to Indiana and me and him search the house, metal detected the property for buried, hidden stuff from John Hancock or whoever else lived in the home back before his dad bought it, could his step mother be able to do any legal action against my buddy, "her step son" to prevent him from doing anything without her knowing he is searching the walls floors, basement and property for gold, silver, or anything else as long as he doesn't do any damage?
 

l.cutler

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I am confused, I believe Hancock was born, lived and died in Massachussetts.
 

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TheHarleyMan2

TheHarleyMan2

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l.cutler said:
I am confused, I believe Hancock was born, lived and died in Massachussetts.

That is what I thought, but a few years back when I helped my buddy move from Florida back to his home town in Greenfield, Indiana, he had the newspaper article, (framed on the wall), of his dad raising money to save the home and he ended up buying it. I don't remember the year the newspaper clipping was, but it had his dads and the home photo with an article on the history of the home and Greenfield. I did read the whole article and it was very interesting. I know it could not have been made up being it was about the house, what the city was going to do, and the history of Greenfield with the house. I asked my buddy about it when I saw the newspaper article on his wall and he said the article was true and first told me about it then. I know it could not have been wrong facts from the newspaper article, (as it was on the front page), about the house. I think maybe the article was sometime around the 80's when his dad bought the house.

When I talk to him next, I will ask him what year the article was printed on his dad and the house and I will update it here and maybe some can do a search on the newspaper archives on the home.
 

l.cutler

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All sources I can find list Hancock's birth as January 12, 1737 in Braintree Massachussetts. Regardless, sounds like a sticky situation. Maybe one of the lawyers on here can help you out.
 

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TheHarleyMan2

TheHarleyMan2

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I hear you L.Cutter!

From the article I remember reading said it was the very fist cabin in the area before the 1800's when the area started being populated and being a thoroughfare between the east going west was built around 1835. It was heavily traveled by wagon trains going west and livestock going to Cincinnati. In 1853, the first steam railroad was completed by the Indiana Central Railroad at the south edge of Greenfield. The railroad became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad System and later the Penn-Central.

After he had told me that and I prior to getting into metal detecting, I tried to get as much research done on his dads home a couple of years ago. Of course during that time frame I had been deployed and pretty much didn't research it anymore. He is going to try and get me as much info as he can when he gets back from his trip in a couple of weeks so I can do some ground woek for him with archives adn such through the internet. I do have plans on going there in a few weeks and will be there for a bit so we can fingure out what he has to or can do.
 

bazinga

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I live in Indy and will sometimes hunt over there in Hancock County. I cannot imagine there being any cabins dating back to 1737 there. Maybe it was another Hancock (possibly named John) that also happened to have the county named after him, possibly in the 1800s?
 

BuckleBoy

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Different Hancock. But it does sound like the house is old. Tough situation. My advice is this: don't add to the stress level.
 

iansmom

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I think would have your buddy go to Probate Court and pull a copy of his fathers will (it's public record). If it says anything about the house or belongs in it belonging to your friend then have him go to the local sheriff's office with a copy of the will and ask them what he can do legally to gain entry.
 

AzHal

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This is a sticky situation, I do not know how the laws are in your state. But here in Arizona we are a community property state. The title or deed to the property could possibly be Joint Tenantcy with right of survivorship. What this means is that if one party dies then the heirs of the party that died can not force the surviving party to sell the property.
However if there is chattel property/personal property and the person did not die in testate (with out a will) then the heirs of the estate are awarded the remaining property. There is a chance that if there was a will that it would have been recorded with the County Recorders Office. All information as far as I know that is recorded is public information and can be accessed at the recorders office and there may be a fee to do this.
Also if the deceased wrote out by hand a will it will supercede all previous wills and may or may not have to be witnessed. Anything hand written holds greater weight than a boiler plate (pre written manuscript) document.
I think you had mentioned about changing the locks, if the step mother is on the title she probably could have him arrested for trespassing, criminal damage, breaking and entering and who knows what else. And seeing the amount of time that they were married I bet it would be a safe bet to say she is on title of the property.
Good Luck
 

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TheHarleyMan2

TheHarleyMan2

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Thanks for the advice. I will pass it on to my buddy. As far as his step moms name. His dads name was on everything including the house.
 

spartacus53

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I loved the story, but this may be an episode right out of Sienfeld.. That is where George bought a car that belonged to Jon Voight, the only problem is that it belonged to John Voight.. It was still funny, a great case of mistaken identity. :laughing9:
 

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