When Thomas Ray Allen joined the military in 1864, he was unable to sign his name. I wonder how he learned to read and write. Did he attend classes? Did his wife, who had attended school as a child teach him? Either way, I was very glad when I first received his file and saw that he could sign his name.
Thomas Allen’s signature.
Remarkable if she did teach him to read and write! So sad that many at the time signed their names with an X. And in some parts of the world, too many still have to. A great post for X.
Nilanjana
Madly-in-Verse
I am always so happy to find those who were once enslaved who learned to read and write after they were free. I think this was the easiest X since I started doing the a to z challenge.
It’s always impressive when an adult learns to read and write. Those things are a heck of a lot harder for a grown person to do.
X – Brother XII, Canada’s Own Crazy Cultist!
And they usually have to fit it in between working and other adult life obligations.
It would have been a great achievement when Thomas could sign his name not using the ‘X’.
It must have been very important to him to be able to do so.
Inspiring that he learned as an adult however he learned. Where I live, there are some adults who have not learned yet. I feel for their kids because the of the disadvantage when parents can’t help with homework.
Emily | My Life In Ecuador | Xanthophobia, Xenoepist, Xyzlacatosis
This was such a wonderful post to read Kristin. It’s an uplifting kinda post. Thank you:)
X is for X shaped stitches on a Xmas stocking
Something we take for granted now but many struggled to learn as they did not have the privilege of going to school but were forced to work from a young age. To learn as an adult takes determination. It also takes determination to change your name as Thomas did.And also to persist with your pension increase against the relentless grind of bureaucracy.
I found several people during this challenge who had changed their names.
Loved your X title. I think looking at older documents is fascinating. I found an old taxi driver’s licence among a book of my grandmother’s photographs (it was her brother) and it was super cool. Just the documents alone scream story!
Thanks for stopping by X for X words
I agree, a story in each old document if you look and think and let it come through.