Author Topic: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather  (Read 906 times)

Offline trees241

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Hi all, new here. I have been looking for my lost great-grandfather. Story goes he went to work one day in 1917 and never came back. I am working on some additional research via tips I learned from a genealogy course. I think I may have my first breakthrough.

I have posted an original signature below (from 1912, primary source), and below that I have posted a signature found on a naturalization paper from 1919 via external research. I am interested in your thoughts as to whether these signatures could be of the same person, and therefore, a significant lead in finding my lost great-grandfather.

You will see in both signature examples: (1) The lowercase E looks like a backwards "3", and contains a trailing mark/slash. (2) The lowercase L is shorter than the lowercase F. In his other primary documents we have (postcards), the lowercase "E"s are consistent, like a backwards 3. His uppercase V has varied slightly, but remains similar to these examples. Also, his lowercase "L"s are also consistent with these signatures in other postcards. I have tried researching other handwriting styles, but I am assuming it would be unlikely for there to be two people with the same name (both first and last names in this case) and have the same two signature features, and have been born at roughly the same time and from the same region in Europe!

Looking forward to your replies! My friend told me about this site, and I am glad to see a supportive community here.

Offline Karen McDonald

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Re: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 29 July 20 13:54 BST (UK) »
Hello and welcome to RC!

I would say that, despite the fact that the second signature has a definite slant which is missing in the first, the actual way of writing the letters is extremely similar.

Vogelfanger is a pretty unusual name!  :)

Best regards,
Karen
McDonald MacDonald M'Donald McGregor MacGregor M'Gregor Twilley Wells Fentiman Carrington Rowe Needham Mitchell Mackie Collingwood Fuller Maides Shilton Hagon Budd

Offline Gadget

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Re: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 29 July 20 14:04 BST (UK) »
Welcome from me too  :)

I agree with Karen. Apart from the slant the letters are more or less identically formed.

Gadget 
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Offline Richard Knott

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Re: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 29 July 20 17:29 BST (UK) »
Vogelfanger is a pretty unusual name!  :)

Not if you are a fan of The Magic Flute!

Perhaps it's the equivalent of Fowler (rather than bird catcher).

Richard
All the families I am researching are listed on the main page here:
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Offline IgorStrav

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Re: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 29 July 20 17:58 BST (UK) »
I agree, they look very similar indeed and you've pulled out all the unusual matching similarities.

Just the slant of the writing differs.

Sounds a fascinating story - keep us updated with your researches!

And welcome from me too.   ;D
Pay, Kent. 
Barham, Kent. 
Cork(e), Kent. 
Cooley, Kent.
Barwell, Rutland/Northants/Greenwich.
Cotterill, Derbys.
Van Steenhoven/Steenhoven/Hoven, Nord Brabant/Belgium/East London.
Kesneer Belgium/East London
Burton, East London.
Barlow, East London
Wayling, East London
Wade, Greenwich/Brightlingsea, Essex.
Thorpe, Brightlingsea, Essex

Offline Ian Nelson

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Re: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 29 July 20 20:31 BST (UK) »
The second signature has been written speedily and confidently.  The first is more ponderous, hence the lack of slope.  But, at what age did the signatures occur?  The first could be of an older person who signed much slower than when young, as in the second signature.  My father's signature varied only slightly throughout his adult life but when he retired from business and the only writing he then did was to his family his writing and signature was not so slanted and written at leisure.  So, it could be the same person but many years apart.

Norfolk, Nelsons of Gt Ryburgh, Gooch, Howman, COLLISONS,  Ainger, Couzens, Batrick (Norfolk & Dorset), Tubby ( also of Yorkshire) Cathcarts of Ireland, Lancashire & Isle of Wight) Dickinsons of Morecambe and Lancaster, Wilson of Poulton-le-Sands and Broughton.  Wilson - Ffrance of Rawcliffe,  Mitchells of Isle of Wight. Hair of Ayrshire, Williamson of Tradeston, Glasgow. Nelsons in Australia with Haywards Heath connections.

Offline Gadget

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Re: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 29 July 20 21:27 BST (UK) »
  So, it could be the same person but many years apart.

OP dates them as 1912 and 1919.
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Offline Treetotal

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Re: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 29 July 20 22:51 BST (UK) »
A warm welcome from me too....I would agree with what has been said and think they were written by the same hand.
Carol
CAPES Hull. KIRK  Leeds, Hull. JONES  Wales,  Lancashire. CARROLL Ireland, Lancashire, U.S.A. BROUGHTON Leicester, Goole, Hull BORRILL  Lincolnshire, Durham, Hull. GROOM  Wishbech, Hull. ANTHONY St. John's Nfld. BUCKNALL Lincolnshire, Hull. BUTT Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. PARSONS  Western Bay, Newfoundland. MONAGHAN  Ireland, U.S.A. PERRY Cheshire, Liverpool.
 
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Offline Ruskie

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Re: Signature comparison with similar features; searching for great-grandfather
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 30 July 20 01:37 BST (UK) »
What is the document that the first signature appears on?

I think that both signatures have been written confidently, but the first is more casual and “looser” and the second looks more “official”.

People would have been taught to write with a slope, but the writer might have felt more comfortable writing more straight up and down, so I am wondering if the top one is a “less official” document.  ;)

I think a lot of people write in various styles. This is obviously the same hand but one just more “sloping”.

You’ve done well to find both documents “trees241” - and welcome to rootschat.  :)