Jacob the Nail SignerAA  A 

 

Hans Schmidt's youngest son, Johann Jacob and his wife Elisabetha belonged to the Hatten congregation. Glancing over their Family Group Sheet it's hardly surprising that Jacob and Elisabetha have so many descendants, including the descendants of their grandson Georg of Ship Sully.  Their marriage in 1726 is the second oldest record in Hatten clearly related to this Schmitt family.

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Like his older brother, Michael, Jacob was a Nagelschmidt - a blacksmith who forges nails by hand.  Both brothers are sometimes referred to in records as "Meister," implying they had become master nailsmiths by serving as apprentices and journeymen.

 

History of the Nail Mark

In early 18th century Alsace, most of the rural population was illiterate. Written records were kept by the clergy, who, unlike their parishioners, were formally educated. They not only recorded the details of births, marriages, and deaths, but they also wrote the names of the witnesses who would then sign next to their names by drawing an "X".

Occasional individuals, however, used a more elaborate mark such as a scissors (tailor) or a cow (dairy farmer) that related to their occupation.  Jacob the Nail Signer is the only Schmitt in the Hatten records who used a distinctive mark. Every example we have of his signature is the T-shaped mark illustrated above and clearly referring to his occupation. While this may not look a great deal like a nail to modern eyes, comparison to hand-forged nails of today makes the resemblance clear.