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Author Topic: Can't make out word on signature block  (Read 1211 times)

Offline heliboy

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Can't make out word on signature block
« on: Monday 10 April 17 23:16 BST (UK) »
I wonder if anyone can help me.

I have been trying to track down one of my ancestors and finally discovered he appears to have ended up in S Africa - returning there a few years after serving in the Boer War.

I have found his death notice - but know nothing more than he arrived in 1906 and died of malaria 7 years later.  He is listed as having no spouse or children (his illegitimate son not making the list!)

I know nothing more of what he did after emigrating - the signature block in question has been signed by his employer - if the missing word is his occupation it may fill in the final piece of the puzzle as to what he ended up doing.

I make the signature "James Macdonell"
And "Employer of decd (deceased)"
The mystery word has a full stop after it as does the name and relationship above suggesting it is a separate piece of information.

It looks like "Lawbody?" - but that doesn't mean anything to me

Any ideas? ???

Offline Treetotal

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Re: Can't make out word on signature block
« Reply #1 on: Monday 10 April 17 23:20 BST (UK) »
Hi Heliboy and welcome to RootsChat...are you able to post a snip of the part that you can't decipher.
Added: I see it has appeared now. Looks like Sawbody?
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 Rena

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Re: Can't make out word on signature block
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 11 April 17 00:23 BST (UK) »
"Sawbody employer of deceased"

but should the first word be two words? = "Saw body"..... (signed by) "employer of dec'd" (deceased)
Aberdeen: Findlay-Shirras,McCarthy: MidLothian: Mason,Telford,Darling,Cruikshanks,Bennett,Sime, Bell: Lanarks:Crum, Brown, MacKenzie,Cameron, Glen, Millar; Ross: Urray:Mackenzie:  Moray: Findlay; Marshall/Marischell: Perthshire: Brown Ferguson: Wales: McCarthy, Thomas: England: Almond, Askin, Dodson, Well(es). Harrison, Maw, McCarthy, Munford, Pye, Shearing, Smith, Smythe, Speight, Strike, Wallis/Wallace, Ward, Wells;Germany: Flamme,Ehlers, Bielstein, Germer, Mohlm, Reupke

Offline Anni B

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Re: Can't make out word on signature block
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 11 April 17 00:32 BST (UK) »
Looks like "Lawful" to me

Offline Anni B

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Re: Can't make out word on signature block
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 11 April 17 00:33 BST (UK) »
...meant so say "lawfully".

Offline heliboy

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Re: Can't make out word on signature block
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 11 April 17 00:34 BST (UK) »
Rena and treetotal - looks like you are both correct and it is a dead end :-\
It is undoubtedly "saw body" ie identified the corpse.  After your suggestion I searched adjoining documents which contained the qualifier 'surviving spouse - saw deceased after death and 2 days prior'

Thanks for putting me our of my misery - I have spent quite a bit of time trying to work out what line of business Mr Macdonell had been in!

Offline Anni B

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Re: Can't make out word on signature block
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 11 April 17 00:45 BST (UK) »
There I was, barking up the wrong tree  :'( good to see you've got an answer

Offline heliboy

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Re: Can't make out word on signature block
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 11 April 17 00:52 BST (UK) »
As my gg-grandfather was a carpenter/wainwright the 'saw' was looking hopeful and the only reference to a John MacDonell I can find in South Africa in any period overlapped perfectly and was a constable the 'law' was looking good too...

Unfortunately I can't find any real info so will probably have to speculate as to whether gg-granda S -
 an Englishman brought up in the north of Scotland - ended up working for a copper in the Transvaal

Thanks to all for your help

Offline Skoosh

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Re: Can't make out word on signature block
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 11 April 17 09:32 BST (UK) »
By the Macdonell spelling he was possibly from the Lochaber area & probably a Catholic?

Skoosh.
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