And I'd like to add that in the majority of those cases where I've been able to fully document all signatories, they tend to be related by blood or marriage. So I would expect these other two to be brothers-in-law or sons-in-law of the primary person. It's not a guarentee, it's just something to check out. Will Johnson "<<Could someone explain for me, please, the workings of a Bond of Administration. The document in question relates to Richard Argus who died intestate in Cornwall in 1769. His son Thomas Argus, yeoman, John Beard, yeoman, and John Coppin, yeoman, were bound to pay the sum of forty pounds to the Archdeacon of Cornwall. I understand that this was a default payment if the estate was not wound up satisfactorily. I can understand why Thomas Argus was involved but why might John Beard and John Coppin have been signatories to this document?>> As guarantors of Thomas Argus' liabilities under the bond. Matt Tompkins Blaston, Leics"