It is and has been the law that the fashion in which one is identified and
was/is to be known to be his act; be it, an X, a seal, a written signature
with all or part of the name assigned early in life, an A.K.A., one's
initials or even a pen name (Samuel Clemens was Mark Twain).

It is the intention and purpose for which the mark was made, and not the
mark itself that must be identifiable.  Thus, in the question posed, the
writer had a "TD" in his line, as do I, though those men were doubtless
unrelated or even known to each other. In both instances, that symbol served
their legal purposes - to reveal that the purpose for their marks was to
manifest their intention to undertake whatever action they had done or
performed.

I suppose your own checking account is the simplest example; the bank will
recognize and honor your symbol or letters, depending only upon what you
designated to be placed on your checks when the account was opened, and at
your fancy you may change even that.  The exceptions to the rule being only
that if you undertake some deception or criminality by the name or symbols
you have used, that act may have legal ramifications.

Paul



-----Original Message-----
From: Research and writing about Virginia genealogy and family history.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Alice Campell
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 12:16 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VA-ROOTS] Signing documents


That's very interesting.  I use different signatures for different
things.  Just my first and last for most things, my first, maiden, and
last for others.  For genealogy I use my I use my first, middle, maiden,
and current last names.  But it would never occur to me to sign
something with an X.  I have always assumed that a person who signed
with an X was illiterate.  I thought that one who was literate _had_ to
sign his name.  Am I totally off base here?

Alice Campbell
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