FamilySearch Find Of The Day: The 1790 Marriage Record of James Rodgers & Ely Hays

This is the marriage of my 5th-great-grandparents, on my maternal side. I had known about this marriage in Greene County, Tennessee, not long after starting my genealogy research, but it was up until today that I had never actually seen the document. I knew the bondsmen to the marriage usually gave their seal, but I was surprised to see what looks like the signatures of James Rodgers and Samuel Hays! Here is an extract of the document:

Know all Men by these presents that we James Rodgers & Samuel Hays .... ?? are bound to his excellency William Blount, Esq. and to his successors in office in the sum of five hundred pounds to be void on condition if there be no just cause or lawful impediment to obstruct the Marriage of James Rodgers & Ely Hays...Given under our hands and seal the 20th Day of December 1790

   Signed, sealed, and acknowledged before D. Kennedy, County Clerk

   James Rodgers, seal

   Samuel Hays, seal