The apparent one-hit wonder of the U.S. Founding Fathers, John Hancock is largely known today solely for inscribing the first and largest signature at the bottom the Declaration of Independence — an act that resulted in his name becoming a synonym for the legally identifying scribbles we apply to checks and other important forms today. It may seem curious that Hancock’s name stands front and center among the signatures on this most cherished document of American history, ahead of far more...
