Mason Jar Canning Question?

So... mason jar canning was first invented supposedly in the 1850s. Although there was a woman involved with learning how to can the vegetables, the guy came up with the jar idea. Don't think they are related. But it occurred to me that at some point they might not have had rubber to make the rubber rings for that process. Did they ever use pine sap or pine tar to seal the jars? Could that work if…