SIGNATURES FROM MY ANCESTORS

I have very few photographs of my ancestors. Even the ones who were alive in a time when there were ways of creating photo type images. Of course for those alive before the advent of photographs and daguerreotypes etc. there are no images unless they had a portrait painted.

It occurred to me while looking at some old records that what I did have were their signatures. I cropped them out of the images of the documents. This will be the closest I ever get to photographs of these ancestors.

It also gave a glimpse into the education of these people. You could see from the documents who could sign their own names.

This first signature was on the marriage record for my 5th great grandfather. Now this is likely his signature but also could have been his father's who had the same name. Because it was the first signature on the record I think it would be his. This was signed in 1751.(Jacques Baron)


In 1685 Marguerite Benoist signed on her marriage record to Guy Vache (Lacerte). I would have thought that was unusual for a woman of that time. Marguerite is not in my direct line but in a collateral line I have done for someone else.
(Marguerite Benoist)

Often the records are almost unreadable. Ink stains like this one can obliterate very important information. You have to be very tenacious to find out the facts. This signature from my 5th great grandmother Marie Renee Lefebvre was from her marriage record in 1728.

(Marie Renee Lefebvre)

Her father also signed that day in 1728 but seemed to have a little more luck with the ink.

(Rene Lefebvre)

Edmond Pinard was my great grand uncle. I have posted about him before on here. Click here for his story

(Edmond Pinard)


My Aunt on her marriage to my father's brother in 1919

(Virginie Pinard)

At the marriage of his son Noel Houde my 6th great grandfather signed his name in 1722.