Email to Amy...

I received materials today from my research colleague Helen B. There is a letter to me and a one page copy of a handwritten 1766 deed deeding property from Renney Prewett to another. And a 2nd page showing copies of Prewett's signatures from the deed juxtaposed with a signature of my ancestor Renney Belue from his 1786 will. We have no other writing sample for Renny.

This material was already evaluated by Patricia Duncan Heilpern, AG, Reference Consultant United States and Canada at the FHL in SLC.

I am passing Helen's letter to me dated August 5th below, which I retyped in part. At attachment are two scans of the handwriting/signature enclosures.

August 5, 2008


Ron,

As I told you per phone conversation, my copier will not copy Legal sized documents, so I am printing part of the Renney Prewett Deed that contains his signature and enough writing for the comparison questions we need to know. Also enclosing signatures of Renny Prewett Renney Belue. Prewett’s signature was done in 1766 and Belue’s signature was done in 1786, which is 20 years later and of course with a different pen [and used a different amount of ink].

What we need to know is: Is the handwriting of the deed the same as Renney Prewett’s signature or did a clerk write the deed and Renney Prewett sign it?

Is the handwriting of Renney Prewett and Renny Belue done by the same person?

….

Helen