Editing Hancock, Maine (section)

==History==

It was first settled in 1766 by Philip and S. Hodgkins from [[Georgetown, Maine|Georgetown]].<ref name=Coolidge>{{Cite book  | last = Coolidge  | first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield  | title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge  | year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| page = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n185 151]| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.  }}</ref> Formed from portions of [[Sullivan, Maine|Sullivan]], [[Trenton, Maine|Trenton]] and Plantation No. 8, the town was incorporated by the [[Maine State Legislature|state legislature]] on February 21, 1828<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.city-data.com/city/Hancock-Maine.html|title= Hancock, Maine|publisher= City-Data.com |access-date=August 26, 2012}}</ref> and named for [[John Hancock]], signer of the Declaration of Independence.<ref name="MAGDE">{{cite book |last= Maine League of Historical Societies and Museums |editor=Doris A. Isaacson |title=Maine: A Guide 'Down East' |year=1970 |publisher=Courier-Gazette, Inc. |location=Rockland, Me | pages = 275 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=2148 |title= Profile for Hancock Maine, ME|publisher= ePodunk |access-date=August 26, 2012}}</ref> It had two [[water power]] sites to operate [[watermill|mills]]—the Kilkenny and Egypt streams. There was one [[gristmill]], four [[roof shingle|shingle]] mills and four [[lath]] mills. Other products included [[barrel|staves]], [[lumber]], [[boot]]s, [[shoemaking|shoes]], [[wagon]]s and [[sleigh]]s. Many inhabitants were engaged in [[seafaring]], particularly [[fishing]] at the [[Grand Banks]].<ref>{{Citation
  | last = Varney
  | first = George J.
  | title = Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Hancock
  | place = Boston
  | publisher = Russell
  | year = 1886
  | url = http://history.rays-place.com/me/hancock-me.htm
  | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130201024911/http://history.rays-place.com/me/hancock-me.htm
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = February 1, 2013
  }}</ref>

During World War II, German spies [[Erich Gimpel]] and [[William Colepaugh]] landed by submarine in Hancock, then traveled to [[New York City]]. These spies would eventually be captured, tried, and sentenced to death before their sentences were commuted and they were eventually released.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/nazi-spies-come-ashore/|title = Nazi Spies Come Ashore - America in WWII magazine}}</ref>