The Signature Marks of Thomas Felps d. 1758/9

Images researched by Brenda Emery

1716  The plat to Jones Venture, which Thomas got half of  in 1721  (Submitted by B Emery)  View the original handwritten record found by Brenda Emery

May 2, 1721   Cadwallider Jones, planter, of Baltimore Co., to Thomas Phelps. planter, of same, 1,500 pounds of tobacco, 50 acres....north side of Deer creek     Source:  Baltimore Co, MD Liber T.R. No. D.S. 1717-1721   View the original handwritten record found by Brenda Emery  page 1, page 2, page 3.  Brenda's comment:  Thomas does not sign this document at all. We do know however that this is related to "our " Thomas Felps because this land is later sold by son Aventon. 1/2 tract of "Jones Venture" The original deed to that plat was 100 acres and Thomas bought half of it, 50 acres.
 

May 2, 1721 Thomas Phelps records his branding mark. Source: Baltimore Co, MD Liber T.R. No. D.S. 1717-1721   Directly underneath this land transfer record, the brand mark is recorded on the same day. TR DS pg 333    April 17, 1723 Thomas Phelps to   Avanto  Phelps his son, gift of 1 bay mare, branded TF on buttock.     Source: A general abstract was found referring to Baltimore Co, MD Liber I.S. No. G. 1721-1724  :      View the original handwritten record found by Brenda Emery.  Brenda's comment:  Notice the "TF" mark as the signature. This record is recorded incorrectly in the abstract books as two separate events. Thomas is having his gift of a horse to his son Aventon recorded. The record mentions his brand though, TF on the buttock. So in reality the record is the recording of the gift but the horse has the brand on it which is mentioned in the record. Thomas felt the need apparently to record the fact that he had given the horse to Aventon and that the horse had his brand on it as an identifying mark. Maybe this would have prevented confusion later on over the ownership of the animal. 
 

May 1729 Tamar, Moses and Elizabeth Parris bond to Thomas Phelps  .Abstract found in "Baltimore Co, MD Deeds abstracts  Liber I.S. No I  1727-1729  View the original handwritten document found by B Emery, page one, page 2.  marked by a T    Brenda's comment: we have two different marks for Thomas Phelps - a "T" without the "F" as seen elsewhere. 

1758  Thomas Felps' will.   View the mark .  Page 1 his mark T with an F  ,  Page 2   Brenda had not seen this second occurance of a T combined with an F