Reading Early American Handwriting by Kip Sperry

Also covered in the work, with particular emphasis on handwriting, are numbers & roman numerals, dates & the change from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar, abbreviations & contractions, & standard terms found in early American records. This strategy allows the reader to attain proficiency in reading the documents at a natural rate of progression. Each document-nearly 100 of them at various stages of complexity-appears with the author's transcription on a facing page, enabling the reader to check his own transcription. Arranged by degree of difficulty, from relatively easy-to-read documents of the nineteenth century to those of the seventeenth century, the documents showcase examples of handwriting styles, letter forms, abbreviations, & terminology typically found in early American records. Furthermore, it presents numerous examples of early American records for the reader to work with, for it is the author's contention that by studying & transcribing each of these documents-letter-by-letter, word-by-word-readers will become proficient in reading & understanding early American handwriting. It explains techniques for reading early American documents, provides samples of alphabets & letter forms, & defines terms & abbreviations commonly used in early American documents such as wills, deeds, & church records. This book is designed to teach you how to read & understand the handwriting found in documents commonly used in genealogical research. It explains techniques for reading early American documents, provides samples of alphabets & letter forms, & define.

Reading Early American Handwriting by Kip Sperry