Probably...I guess "illiterate" really means the inability to read or write so a person might be able to read but not write I suppose....but, in general, a person signing with his/her mark was probably illiterate. And, the thread is right too, I find many 'marks' different to try and be unique - my Nehemiah Hitch's mark was a stylized "N" and there are many other examples of 'marks" that are not just "X" 's Best regards, Mike Hitch "So oftentimes it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key." - Eagles > -----Original Message----- > From: lower-delmarva-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:lower-delmarva-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com] > On Behalf Of Judy Ebner > Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 1:53 PM > To: lower-delmarva-roots@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [LDR] Use of Maiden Name > > A related question - if someone signed with his or her "mark", did that mean that he/she was illiterate? > Thanks to anyone who can enlighten me. > > --- On Sat, 1/10/09, mike hilton <jmh963@hotmail.com> wrote: > > From: mike hilton <jmh963@hotmail.com> > Subject: Re: [LDR] Use of Maiden Name > To: "mike hilton" <lower-delmarva-roots@rootsweb.com> > Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009, 1:18 PM > > Jean, > > In this deed referred to Mary Vaughan signed with her mark. > > Ref. AZ:5-6 > > Vaughan to Shurman > > "In testimoy whereof the said Wm. Vaughan and Mary his wife have hereunto > set their hands and seals the dat & year first above written. > > William his W markj Vaughan > Mary [her] M mark Vaughan > > It clearly indicates she made her mark in this document. > Thanks, Mike Hilton> From: jfstms@bellsouth.net> To: > lower-delmarva-roots@rootsweb.com> Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 14:18:23 -0500> > Subject: [LDR] Use of Maiden Name> > One other comment to the person who > initiated this discussion of middle > names.> > Have you looked at the > original document to see if the persons really signed > his and her name with > a middle initial or did they just sign with a "mark"? > Looking at > what you wrote, in both cases the initial was the same letter as > their > first names. Could this have been the "mark" they used to sign?> > > I have seen this several times in old deeds, wills, etc. At first I though > > I had discovered their middle initial, only to find out after a little more > > research that it was the way they signed documents. Obviously, they could > > not write but developed this method to distinguish their mark from an > > ordinary "X".> > Jean > > > ***************************************> QUESTIONS about POSTING GUIDELINES, > SUBSCRIBING or UNSUBSCRIBING?> Visit The Lower DelMarVa Roots Mailing List > FAQ:> http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/ldrfaq.htm> > -------------------------------> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an > email to LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word > 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the > message > _________________________________________________________________ > Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. > http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_allup_howitworks_012009 > *************************************** > QUESTIONS about POSTING GUIDELINES, SUBSCRIBING or UNSUBSCRIBING? > Visit The Lower DelMarVa Roots Mailing List FAQ: > http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/ldrfaq.htm > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > *************************************** > QUESTIONS about POSTING GUIDELINES, SUBSCRIBING or UNSUBSCRIBING? > Visit The Lower DelMarVa Roots Mailing List FAQ: > http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/ldrfaq.htm > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message