and I further certify that Elizabeth J Yost the wife of William O Yoss and Polly Yost the wife of Lorenzo D yost, after being by me examined privately and apart from their husbands, and having the deed aforesaid fully explained to them they the said Elizabeth J Yost and Polly Yost acknkowledged the said deed to be their act and deed and declare that they had willingly executed the same and wished not to retract

this is in the document I just transcribed. what a different time! I am surprised these woman were allowed to sign any documents to begin with...but then to be privately "examined". I am sure this just means questioned. this had to be terrifying for the women, though. Did they know this man who privately examined them? how long did this examination take? were the women scared? was the man whose job it was to interview them uncomfortable with the process? had their husbands coached them on what to say? could a wife speak against her husband anyway? and what if he thought she did speak against him? would he take her home and beat her? this just kind of scared me. seriously!