[1] He was born on May 30, 1847, in Granby, New York, to Freeman Hancock and Mary Williams.

[2] In 1873, he commenced practice in New York City in the office of Bangs & North.

A few years later, he removed to Syracuse, New York, and opened the office of Gilbert & Hancock.

In 1879, he established the firm of Hancock, Beach, Peck and Devine in Syracuse.

He was married on June 7, 1882, to Martha B. Connelly of Wheeling, West Virginia, and had three children:[2]