John Hancock and Samuel Adams had a huge falling out
Samuel Adams, a politician and brewer, first thought highly of John Hancock. Here was a strong, ambitious man who was the main source of income for several hundred families. Adams used his clout to assist the businessman in 1766 in getting a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. There, Hancock became one of the colony's most outspoken critics of Britain very fast.
Hancock earned a lot of credit for the March 20, 1766, repeal of the despised Stamp Act. Soon after, a large group of Adams' supporters—whom he referred to as the "Sons of Liberty"—flew to the hero's house. Hancock, who was overjoyed, delighted the audience by giving away 125 gallons of Madeira wine.
Sadly, the warm Adams-Hancock relationship quickly cooled. Hancock, who had coveted the position of commander-in-chief of the continental army, believed that Adams had tipped the scales against him after George Washington was chosen to lead the army in 1775. Hancock was serving as the Second Continental Congress's acting president at the time. Adams and the rest of the Massachusetts delegation angered him by rejecting a resolution that would have thanked Hancock for his service after he left that position. Once Hancock was elected governor of his home state and Adams often supported his rivals, things only got worse.
However, the feuding couple did reconcile in 1787 to support the new U.S. Constitution. Additionally, when Hancock passed away, Lieutenant Governor Adams assumed the office of governor. The day of Hancock's interment was solemnly celebrated as a state holiday on the directive of his friend-turned-enemy.
