Often seen are the “X” marks of folk who count not write their own names. Once the person made their X, the court clerk or attorney would add the person’s given name in front of the X, the surname behind the X, a “his” or “her” above the X, and “mark” below the X. Sometimes a person might “make their mark” with a cross (+), their initials, or some other symbol. If the instrument (document) was recorded, the clerk would copy it into his record books, the X and all. Almost all the signatures and marks that we see in those books are the in the clerk’s hand.


Mark of John Stacy, 1759

     Perhaps the most important consideration about X marks is this: just because a person was illiterate, it does not mean that they were stupid. If fact, there has been many illiterate people who were successful businessmen.
     Then there were the folk who could write their own names but no more. They could in a way, fake their own literacy.

Commentary from Dennis M. Smoot, 26 Jan 2003:
     Just because a person made his mark in his will does not mean he was illiterate. People frequently make their will in their old age or when they are seriously ill. Even literate people may have to make their mark under these circumstances. I know of two examples of literate people who made their mark on their wills. One was referred to as Schoolmaster in a deed as a young man, but when he made his will in the 1860s, he made his mark - the 1850 census included the annotation that he was blind. The other example I know of is one of my greatgrandfathers. I have examples of his handwriting when he was middle-aged and in good health, but he made his will when he was 84 years old and in very poor health, and made his mark.