What's in a signature? A random sampling. - November 7, 2016

One thing I always find interesting when doing my genealogy is seeing how handwriting has changed over the years.  Actual handwriting is a lost art and it seems to have gotten progressively worse through the years.  That's not say I haven't seen my share of bad handwriting.  Ever try reading a census for 1850? You'd be hard pressed to even think the person was writing in English.

Personally I happen to have great cursive and printing as well and I would chalk that up to both practice because of my job and maybe a little of bit genetics; my mom's writing is pretty spot on as well, maybe better.

Below is a small sample of what I've run into, mainly from WWI draft records of actual ancestors handwriting of their own name.  It's always fun to image that the person actually touched and signed said objects.

Howard Wiley White - my great, great grandfather's brother (Albert White)

William Kane - my great grandmother's brother (Jennie Beck)

 Chauncey White - my great, great grandfather's brother (Albert White)

Alfred John B. Gagnier - my great grandmother's brother (Edna Hutchinson)

Samuel Alexander Beck - my great, great grandfather

 William Edward Geldred - my great, great grandmother's first husband (Adelia Gelderd/White)

Roy R. White - my great, great grandfather's brother (Albert White)

 William McKinley Beck - my great grandfather

Benjamin Austin Rinehart - my great, great, great grandfather's brother (Augustus Rinehart)

Ezra Issac Hutchinson - my great grandfather

One of the interesting things I learned so far, even if it's as bit sad, was that my great grandfather William McKinley Beck signed that particular card maybe 3 months before he was killed.  I knew about his accident but it's just interesting that he signed it then and he was only 19 when he signed it.

There's tons or signatures and other things out there but this is just a small sampling of what I've extracted so far.  De-cluttering all my work has proven a task in itself.  Had I kept things as organized as I do now, back then I wouldn't be stuck in this mess.