I’m copying an idea I got from Jana Last who says she copied the idea from someone else. Nothing wrong with that! We should all share our good ideas.
Since there aren’t many signatures here to look at yet, my post Eveline’s Changing Penmanship might be of interest. It isn’t always easy to determine who was the writer of a document. I took a look at my grandmother’s handwriting throughout her lifetime and I was surprised at how much it changed over time.
My first signature on this page belongs to my grandmother Eveline and is how I remember her handwriting.
Eveline (Coates) Hoskins – from the back of a photograph. Not dated. Maternal grandmother
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Thomas Hoskins from mortgage document 30 April 1930
Maternal grandfather
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Joseph Coates – father of Eveline Coates Hoskins
Signatures from Eveline’s report card
Maternal Great-grandfather
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Signature of Mary Ann (Harris) Coates
from Eveline’s report card
Maternal Great-grandmother
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Mary Ellen (Nellie) Coates – from back of photograph. 2nd great aunt – sister of Joseph Coates
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postcard sent to her sister 2 April 1913
I have made an “educated” guess that the signature below belongs to George Washington Bryan. You can read my case for this assumption here: George Washington Bryan Wrote Here, I Think
from the George Washington Bryan family bible
Thanks for the mention!! Have fun collecting and displaying your ancestors’ signatures!
You are welcome, Jana. Thank you for the inspiration!
Very interesting – love this idea
Signatures are one thing — but how about a signed LETTER or DOCUMENT?? My folks travelled from town to town in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s with a ‘family show’. They did stage acts, sold popcorn for 2 cents a sack, little bars of soap and did stand ups. To get into town halls, my dad would book ahead by contacting the next town local’s ‘sheriff’ or ‘mayor’ asking for a location. From the town they had just showed in, the ‘sheriff’ or ‘mayor’ would give them a letter of referral. Most are on letterhead with the mayor’s signature, sheriff’s name and some marked with an ‘x’ because the person in charge of a hall couldn’t write. Most of the western states — Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, etc. Plus some from when my dad worked in the Napa, Ca. shipyard, Basalt, where they ran movies at the hospital on Mare Island in Vallejo. I’ve got these letters and since both my parents are gone and it’s just me…….I’d like to know if any relatives would be interested in them? Or if there’s an interest in them? Thanks!
Your collection could make a really great signature quilt of your ancestry. I’m going back to documents, photos and records my dad collected and doing just that. Thank you so much for the idea. Found your posting for portacath pillow on Pinterest and followed it since my daughter has one and this is such a good idea.
A quilt is a great idea! A great idea exchanged for another. I love it! All the best to your daughter.
I’ve been trying to start genealogy on my dads mothers’s side If the family and hadn’t got very far. My great grandparents are Daniel Webster HOSKINS and Iva Myrtle HOSKINS Married name Eakins maiden, there names come up on this site abbieandeveline.com
Yes – I think we are a match! I have Daniel as a brother of my great grandfather Thomas Franklin Hoskins. I have their parents as William Hoskins and Nancy Cooley. I’ll send you an email.
I too have a tab on my blog for signatures. Started it many years ago. I love collecting them. They somehow give us a “touch” from our ancestor.
I need to update my signatures as I know I have more now. They seem to give another little glimpse into our ancestors, don’t they?