Make your Mark on the world!

Have you ever wondered how a saying got it's start? Putting your Mark on the world before the 1900's was done to allow illiterate people to sign a contract or bill of sale. Education wasn't available to everyone and was especially hard for emigrants from non-English speaking countries. For bills of sale and contracts this worked quite well, but if you are researching your family it can sure be hard to prove ownership to land etc now.

Shakespeare asked "What's in a name?" To him, not much.  A name doesn't change what the object is, but it sure does make it hard to locate ancestors records. 

Given names weren't necessarily required for any formal documents.  Did you use a nickname?  That's fine, just sign here.  You don't know how to write?  That's fine, just make you're "mark" here.  Most of our ancestor's didn't know how to read or write.  Many of the documents are signed by court clerk's with the "mark" beside it for approval. An individual's "mark" could be as distinct as the person.  Follow the records as far as can be, but if all else fails, watch for a marking that might look familiar.

GM