Cornelius O'Bryan - Cornelius Bryan's signature on his Will

Started by Private User on Friday, February 18, 2022
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Cornelius Bryan was not illiterate. He signed his will with a mark (coat of arms usually), that is an ancient method of signature, going back to times of nobility.

"However, a mark or symbol such as the image of a coat of arms or other graphic image that is drawn by hand, stamped or embossed onto a document would constitute a signature if applied by its authorized user with intent to serve as a signature. For instance, in ancient times, members of the clergy, the nobility and other persons of wealth often used the impressions of the unique images on their signet rings as their signatures. Today, the most common analogy is the handmade “X.” And you do not have to be illiterate or physically unable to write in order to adopt a mark or symbol as a signature.".
X
Source - https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2018/08/a-notar...

Signing with one's mark was also done in cases in which the testator could not sign his or her name. However, looking again at the copy of the will, Cornelius's mark is not an X, as was typical for persons who could not sign. Rather, it does somewhat resemble the outline of a shield. Assuming it is, and assuming that Cornelius could read and write, still does not mean that he was a Sir. Sir was then an honorific title given to knights and baronets, and Cornelius was neither. Rather, he described himself in his will as a yeoman, which was a class below gentry.

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