Milkweed Farm
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Milkweed Farm
Fruit and Vegetable Farm in Chilmark, MA
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built in 1865

This property - including the house and barn - has a history that predates Milkweed Farm by a long stretch. According to articles found in the Vineyard Gazette and MV Times as well as some stories told by locals, Freeman Hancock built the house in 1865. He was the grandson of Captain Samuel Hancock, a master mariner in the Transatlantic trade in the late 1700s and then owner of the surrounding pasture. In 1904, Freeman’s son, Dana Hancock, inherited the house, where he resided with his wife, Louisa, and daughter, Priscilla.

The family enjoyed raising chickens and selling fresh eggs at the farmhouse. Dana was a hardworking farmer who grew vegetables and participated in the Agricultural Fair, and Louisa and Priscilla often worked in the kitchen. It was not long after that Priscilla started making fudge and offering it to visitors when they stopped by for eggs.

**Click photos to enlarge and read script.

In 1922, Priscilla’s entrepreneurial spirit grew, and she started to make delicious chocolates, which she trademarked as “The Priscilla Hancock Candies”. She would ship candies all over the globe, packaging the delectable treats in boxes designed by maritime artist Percy Cowan (see photo below). Priscilla sold her candies at the farmhouse, where some customers would stop by after spending the day at the beach while others would take an adventurous ride down the woodsy road in Chilmark. The Sunday Standard article (below), written in 1925, gives a glimpse into the family’s life at that time.

Dana Hancock passed away in 1937, leaving the house to Louisa, who later passed away in 1940. Priscilla continued to run her chocolate business out of the farmhouse until 1956, when she decided to retire and look into selling the property. It’s important to note that not only did Priscilla own the house and surrounding acreage, but she also owned the land from the gate to the shore. The gate kept the sheep from roaming, and Miss Hancock would distribute keys to friends so they could enjoy the beautiful beach now known as Hancock Beach. Priscilla’s longtime friend, C. Russell Walton Sr., purchased the Freeman Hancock house and land in 1962. CRW gave the sheep-mown portion to Sheriff’s Meadow and sold the beach lots to those who wanted them. After he passed away, the property was left to his two children, Rusty and Martha.

Two years after Rusty Jr. lost his battle to cancer, the current owners purchased the property. The gate to Hancock Beach remains, and the pristine shoreline is managed by the Hancock Beach Association. Though some has changed, the house still resembles the photos from the early 1900s.

The Hancock legacy exemplifies the meaning of dedication and ingenuity, and we can only hope that Milkweed Farm will continue that tradition.

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This is a tribute to Miss Priscilla Hancock (left) and her partner, Lucy Wiig (right).