Signatures are often-overlooked scraps of information that yield not only obvious clues about literacy, but also subtleties like depth and quality of education and preferred names, spellings and pronunciations. They are also, in original documents, tangible traces of our forebears’ corporality — evidence that that they were once here.

This is the fifth in a series of posts featuring the signatures of men and women born before 1900, men and women who could not take even a basic education for granted.

• George Washington Joyner (1875-?), 1918, World War I draft registration card, Wilson.

• Alexander Barnes Joyner (1896-?), 1917, World War I draft registration card, Wilson; 1942, World War II draft registration card, New York, New York.

• William M. King, 1912, the marriage license of Banks Blow and Mag Parker, Wilson.

• J. James D. Reid (1872-ca.1961), 1907, the marriage license of Frank S. Hargrave and Bessie Parker, Wilson.

• Charles Battle (1842-1910), 1884, marriage license of Cain Artis and Margaret Edmundson Barnes, Wilson County.

 

Signatures are often-overlooked scraps of information that yield not only obvious clues about literacy, but also subtleties like depth and quality of education and preferred names, spellings and pronunciations. They are also, in original documents, tangible traces of our forebears’ corporality — evidence that that they were once here.

This is the third in a series of posts featuring the signatures of men and women born before 1900, men and women who could not take even a basic education for granted.

• Sarah Henderson Jacobs Silver (1872-1938), 1904, from the Wayne County, North Carolina, marriage license of Minnie Simmons and Jesse Budd.

• Levi H. Peacock (1856-), from the Wilson County marriage license of Peter Mercer and Caroline Applewhite.

• Charles Battle (ca. 1843-1910), from the Wilson County marriage license of Cain Artis and Margaret Barnes.

• Roderick Taylor (1883-1947), 1914, from the letters of administration for the Wilson County estate of Moses Brandon.

• Lucy Barnes Bynum (ca. 1882-??), 1911, from the letters of administration for the Wilson County estate of Amos Bynum.

• Charles H. Darden (1854-1931), 1897, from the Wilson County will of Esther McGowan.

• Simeon A. Smith (1861-??), 1897, from the affidavit of witness to the will of Esther McGowan.

• Nestus Bagley (1862-??) and Margaret Coleman Bagley (1866-1934), 1887, from the Wilson County estate file of Squire Coleman.

• Ada G. Battle (1875-??), 1910, letters of administration for the Wilson County estate of Charles Battle.

 

 

 

Signatures are often-overlooked scraps of information that yield not only obvious clues about literacy, but also subtleties like depth and quality of education and preferred names, spellings and pronunciations. They are also, in original documents, tangible traces of our forebears’ corporality — evidence that that they were once here.

This is the second in a series of posts featuring the signatures of men and women born before 1900, men and women who could not take even a basic education for granted.

• Peter Rountree (1836-??), 1877, from file of the estate of Milly Jones.

• Kernel Morris Jones (1851-??), 1877, from file of the estate of Milly Jones.

• Daniel C. Suggs (1865-1936), 1914, from application for letters of administration of the estate of George W. Suggs.

• Georgia Crockett Aiken (1875-1939), 1914, from the application for letters of administration of the estate of John Aiken.

• Dr. William A. Mitchner (1882-1941), 1930, from the death certificate of Charles Barnes of Wilson.

• Undertaker Columbus E. Artis (1886-1973), 1930, from the death certificate of Fabie [Fereby] Artis of Wilson.

• Dr. Matthew S. Gilliam (1885-1932), 1930, from the death certificate of Fabie [Fereby] Artis of Wilson.

Signatures are often-overlooked scraps of information that yield not only obvious clues about literacy, but also subtleties like depth and quality of education and preferred names, spellings and pronunciations. They are also, in original documents, tangible traces of our forebears’ corporality — evidence that that they were once here.

This is the first in a series of posts featuring the signatures of men and women born before 1900, men and women who could not take even a basic education for granted. One grew to adulthood in slavery, the others were born in the two decades after Emancipation.

• Sara Elizabeth Sherard Coley (1883-1926), 1926, from the application for letters of administration for the estate of her husband, Rufus Coley.

• Bettie Boykin, 1899, from a deposition in the widow’s pension application file of Malinda Hinnant.

• Spicey Jane Atkinson Barnes (ca. 1884-1925), 1899, from a deposition in the widow’s pension application file of Malinda Hinnant.

• Minnie Hodges, 1904, from a sworn statement in the file of the coroner’s inquest re George Williford.

• Mattie Speight (ca. 1882-??), 1904, from a sworn statement in the coroner’s inquest re George Williford.

• Dennis Brooks (ca. 1867-??), 1904, from a sworn statement in the coroner’s inquest re George Williford.

• Mary Ann Hines Boddie Wilkins (ca. 1875-??), 1915, from the estate file of Reddin S. Wilkins.

• Ishmael Wilder (1836-1917), 1882, from the application for letters of administration for the estate of Spicy Adams.