Farming Outside Basco

This 45-year-old farmer was living in Basco, Hancock County, Illinois, when he registered for the World War II draft.

Emden Native Registers

This 55 year old native of Emden, Germany, registered for the World War 2 draft in Illinois in 1942.

No Widow for the Award

This is one of the appraisers from a 1918 estate appraisal in Illinois--there was no widow's award in this case as there was no widow.

A Confederate Claim in San Antonio

This individual signed a receipt in a "Confederate Citizens File" in Texas in 1862.

Approving the Estate in 1856

This handwriting comes from an estate settlement in June of 1856.

Justice of the Peace on the Estate Appraisal

This is Justice of the Peace in front of whom the estate appraisers from the past two days made out their appraisal.

Another Estate Appraiser from 1850s

This signature was for an estate appraisal in 1856--the same estate as yesterday.And again, this one was in German.

Appraising an Estate in 1856

This individual was an estate appraiser in Illinois in 1856.

Settling My Husband's Estate

This signature comes from an 1856 estate settlement. The widow, a Geman native, is signing one of the documents in the estate settlement of her husband.

Appraising My Neighbor's Estate

This individual signed off on the appraisal of an estate in Hancock County, Illinois, in the 1850s.

1869 Sponsor

This is the name of one of the sponsors on an 1869 christening from Wiesens, Germany.

Registering for World War I in Wyoming

This New York native registered for the draft for World War I in Wyoming.

Helping My Neighbor Get a Pension

This individual was living in Ohio in the 1840s when he provided information to assist his neighbor in receiving her widow's pension for her husband's Revolutionary War service.

This one is easier than some we have had recently.

Helping My Mother-in-law Get a Pension

This signature dates from the 1840s and this individual, approximately in his fifties, is signing an affidavit to assist his mother-in-law in receiving her widow's Revolutionary War pension.

Helping Pa Get a Pension

This signature comes from an 1818 affidavit in a Revolutionary War pension. This Pennsylvania native signed papers in his father's pension application.

Bringing Mother's Will to Probate

This a 1900 era signature of a man petitioning the court to probate his mother's 1889 will.

Witnessing a Will in 1889

This gentleman witnessed a will in 1889. This is his signature from his statement in 1900 in Illinois that he remembers witnessing the will.

New Yorker Living in Wisconsin

This New York native was living in Wisconsin when he registered for the World War II Draft in 1944. He's my wife's uncle, but that's probably not a big clue.

My Sister-in-Law's Bond

This individual signed in 1877 for his sister-in-law's bond to adminstrate her husband's estate.

Witnessing the Lease in the 1870s

This signature  comes from a lease in Illinois in the 1870s.

Signing my 1876 Will

This German native was signing his will in the United States in 1876.

My Neighbor Died

This individual signed the proof of death in an Illinois estate case in the 1870s. This person was a German native---he later married the widow.

Signing the Neighbor's Will

This German native witnessed his neighbor's will in Illinois the 1870s. They had been neighbors in Germany as well as in the United States.

Clayton Township Native to Work as Carpenter in Mexico

This 1917 passport application in Harris County, Texas, was signed by a man born in Clayton Township, Adams County, Illinois, in 1881.

Sister-in-law Gets Passport in 1925

This Belgian native applied for a passport in Rock Island County, Illinois. She was a sister-in-law of my wife's great-great-grandmother.

Rio Native Gets Passport

This native of Rio, Illinois, received a passport in 1920. This one isn't too hard.

In Vermilion County for WW2

This resident of Vermilion County, Illinois registered for the World War Two draft.

The German Farmer Arrives in England

This German farmer arrived in England in 1851.

The Jeweler Born in Missouir

This gentleman was a jeweler, born in Kirksville, Missouri, who was going to Scotland to attend a Sunday School convention in 1924.

Leaving Nebraska for a While

This German native was returning to Europe on a visit in 1922 according to this passport application.

Getting Hitched in the 1840s

From an 1840s era marriage record in St. Lous, Missouri. This one's not too difficult...