I don’t have pictures of too many ancestors. Signatures can be a good replacement. Trying to find them can be an “outside the box” problem-solving approach. Remember that record copies of deeds, wills, and some other records do not contain the actual signature. If the handwriting of the document matches the signature, it’s likely a record copy of the document and not the original. Hence that’s not a signature but instead the clerk’s handwritten copy of it.

Places to get signatures are: case packets of original papers from probate or court cases, some marriage records (if the couple had to sign), pension records, bounty land applications, some federal land records, and draft registrations, There are other records that may provide signatures as well.