Some documents were/are required by law to be sealed.
The ones requiring sealing with which most people are
familiar are deeds and mortgages/deeds of trust --
most things involving real estate require seals. So,
if a person/family did not have a personal seal or
seal ring they would simply write the word "seal"
after one's signature, frequently in a circle, plain
or squiggly. Promissory notes, bank notes and similar
debt documents were also usually sealed not only for
the solemnity but because sealed contracts generally
have longer statutes of limitation to bring legal
action for default.

jc
 






--- Katharine Harbury <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> As a rule of thumb, most seals were reserved for a
> small number of
> people who had seal rings or seals. These seals
> usually belonged to the
> upper classes, and thus were  a reflection of their
> social status. For
> example, one ancestor of mine signed his name and
> then sealed the
> document with his seal ring in 1653. (Some of the
> seals were reflections
> of family crests as well.)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion of research and writing about
> Virginia history
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Diane Ethridge
> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 10:03 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Use of seal
> 
> Would the use of a seal on letters & documents
> signify a particular
> status of the individual involved  or would every
> family have had an
> identifying seal?   
> 
> Thanks,
> D. Ethridge
> TX
> 
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