Collection ID: apap252
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Collection context

Summary

Abstract:
The Clarence Eugene Hancock Papers document Hancock's time in the House of Representatives in the United States Congress. He was the representative of the 35th District of New York from 1927 to 1945 but came to represent the 36th district from 1945 to 1947 after New York State was redistricted. The collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, Congressional bills, transcripts of Congressional hearings, telegrams, and handwritten notes.
Extent:
2.0 cubic ft.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Clarence Eugene Hancock Papers,1929-1946. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Hancock Papers).

Background

Scope and Content:

Clarence Hancock was a New York State Representative in the United States Congress from 1927-1947. His collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, Congressional bills, transcripts of Congressional hearings, telegrams, and handwritten notes. Much of the correspondence is from constituents and fellow Congressmen, and discusses their opinions about a particular bill and the actions they want taken. The collection covers Hancock's official actions as a New York Congressional Representative from 1933-1946 and does not include personal papers or records of his legislative actions from 1934, 1936, 1938 or 1947. Please note that no papers about Hancock's work outside of Congress or the work he conducted as part of the Naval Affairs or Elections Committees are included in this collection. Some areas of interest in the files include the Equal Rights Amendment, Anti-Trust laws, Submerged Oil Lands, War and Emergency Powers, and Bankruptcy hearings.

The majority of the file names are names that Hancock assigned them based on handwritten slips of paper the archivist found within the original folders in the collection. If there was no paper indicating the file's name, the archivist chose a name based on the subject of the records. All the files are arranged alphabetically. Within the files, items are arranged based on the year of their creation.

Biographical / Historical:

Clarence Eugene Hancock was born in Syracuse, NY on February 13, 1885 to Theodore E. and Martha Hancock. After public school, Hancock attended Wesleyan University in Middletown Connecticut until his graduation in 1906. Hancock graduated from New York Law School in 1908 and was admitted to the bar in the same year. Once he was admitted to the bar, he began to practice law in Syracuse. From 1916-1917, Hancock served as a sergeant with Troop D of the First New York Cavalry, also known as New York National Guard, on the Mexican border. Hancock next served as a lieutenant with the 104th Machine Gun Battalion in the 27th division during World War One. After the armistice in 1918, Hancock was assigned to work as Assistant Division Judge Advocate and promoted to the rank of captain. Hancock continued to serve in the military until 1919.

After finishing his military service, Hancock returned home and became part of the corporation counsel of Syracuse from 1926-1927 and a trustee of Wesleyan University. During this period, Hancock ran in the Republican primary for mayor of Syracuse but lost the nomination. Then, during the 70th Congress, the current representative of the 35th district, Walter W. Magee, died in office leaving his position open. Voters elected Hancock to fill Magee's position in 1927 and he continued to serve as representative of the 35th district until 1945 when there was re-districting. Hancock was then elected as the representative of the 36th district from 1945-1947. While in Congress, Hancock served on the Judicial Committee, Naval Affairs Committee, and Elections No. 1 Committee. Along with this, he was chairman of the speaker's bureau of the Republican Congressional Committee and head of the Eastern Speaker's Bureau in 1936. Hancock was part of the opposition to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal plan.

Hancock did not seek reelection in 1946 for the next session of Congress because of a long time illness and the recommendation of his doctor that he should rest. After leaving Congress, Hancock returned to Syracuse to practice law but died in a hospital in Washington D.C. a year later on January 3, 1948. He was survived by his wife, Emily W. Shonk of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, whom he married in 1912, and son, John S. Hancock, born in 1914. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Syracuse.

The information provided above was gleaned from the following sources

Acquisition information:
The Clarence Hancock Papers were originally donated to Syracuse University on September 21, 1962 by Hancock's wife and son. The papers were transferred to M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections at the State University of New York, Albany in 2006.
Processing information:

Processed in 2013 by Samantha Brown.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged alphabetically. There are no series.

Physical location:
The materials are located onsite in the department.

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

Access to this record group is unrestricted.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

PREFERRED CITATION:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Clarence Eugene Hancock Papers,1929-1946. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Hancock Papers).

LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives
Science Library 350
1400 Washington Ave
Albany, NY 12222, United States
Link to repository site
CONTACT:
518-437-3933