James Anderson Hancock gets his middle name from his mother, Nancy Anderson Lipscomb. Her father was Anderson Lipscomb, who was born in Virginia and died in Pulaski, MO.

So the Anderson is not really a Hancock line name, at least for James, and I don't have it as a surname in either line, only as a Christian name.

James Anderson Hancock arrived in Pulaski at age 17 from his birthplace in Grainger TN. He left for CA at age 22 as a newlywed. All the rest of his family remained in Missouri.

If he did learn of mining in TN it was as a child or teen.
Very interested to hear of whatever you learn.
Any chance Joseph had a Lipscomb connection?