Subject: Re: Help with signatures From: Steven Coker Date: May 26, 1999 Lee Adair wrote: > ...what, if any, types of documents, ca. 1800, would have been > filed with the State or county that would contain original signatures > (and seals, possibly)? Petitions for Warrants of Survey, perhaps? Good question. The lists of categories of originals and categories of copies could be long. Perhaps some discussion and help from the readers can give more examples and help us build those lists? Also, I recommend asking the Archivists at each archive where you do research what types of documents they hold which contain original signatures rather than transcriptions. I think you are on the right track. In general, documents created by or submitted to the government most likely were originals (e.g. petitions, certifications, stub indents, returns on estates, Indian records, tax records, court records). While documents which were "registered" with the government would more likely be copies (e.g. deeds, bonds). For those documents which were registered copies, I think that any surviving originals are likely to be found in various historical collections, private collections, archives, museums, or libraries. If they still exist, tracking down the originals can be difficult. I would start by asking the Archivists at the State Archives. Next I would check with The South Carolina Historical Society and The Caroliniana Library. Then I would check with local and county archives. If none of these have, or know who has, the original, then odds are it doesn't exist anymore. But, it might be hiding somewhere in private hands. Or, it might be tucked away in some distant repository in Yankee Land, Great Britain, Europe, etc. Other ideas anyone? If so, post them. Steve C. ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |