This collection contains Thomas Baker's three surveying books which document land and property ownership in southern Lancaster County, primarily Colerain Township from 1856-1902. Octorara Creek, Kirkwood, Christiana and Upper Oxford Twp. are among the place names.
Admin/Biographical History
Thomas Baker traces his ancestry back to Sir Richard Baker (1568), born in the county of Kent, England. In 1685, seven generations before Thomas Baker was born, Joseph Baker immigrated to Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Born in Chatham, Chester County to Lewis and Diana Baker, Thomas was well-educated; a teacher until 1840, when he commenced the study of surveying. Land surveying is the location of points on, above and below the surface of the earth and the relation of those points to a common reference system. Employed at Jonathon Goss, at Unionville Academy in Chester, he surveyed over 650 farms in Lancaster County's Colerain Township. He married in 1855; his family adhering to his Quaker faith. The Biographical Annals in Lancaster, published in 1903, describes Baker as "…a man esteemed by his neighbors for his many good qualities and excellent character, and in disposition he is a man of warm heart and kindly feeling."
Signers of Petition: John Shissler, John Evans Jr., John Lintner, Christian Herr, Michael Bender, Joseph Charles, Martin Mellinger, Jacob Mellinger, Adam Brenaman, Christian Killhaffer, Henry Branneman, John Galligher, George Kredy, David Neff, Philip Shissler, John Bardy, A. S. Herr, Jacob Tanger.
1 Item, 1 Piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: Abraham Peters, John Denlinger, John Eschbach Sr., Joseph Neff, Abraham Bausman, Andrew Bausman, Benjamin Landis, Jacob Lintner, Henry Funk, Jacob Frantz, George Miller, Jacob K. Shenk, John Lintner.
Bond: Abraham Peters, Jacob K. Shenk.
Receipt.
Notice.
Depositions: Jacob K. Shenk, Benjamin Landis, Abraham Bausman, Adam Doerstler, George Miller, John Denlinger, Henry B. Kauffman.
5 items, 7 pieces
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Commissioners' order for payment to witnesses, justices and court clerks
Admin/Biographical History
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners.
Bowman, Benjamin Esq. Justice. Comm. v. Shirk, Jacob; fornication and bastardy. Herbet, Peter; assault & battery with intent to kill.
Commonwealth v. McGuiness, Juliana. Alias Hopkins, Juliana; larceny. Witnesses: Heckrote, Henry. Kauffman, John. Carrol, Jane.
Reitzel, John Esq. Justice. Commonwealth v. Reily Lydia;
larceny. Commonwealth v. Corman, Henry; surety of the peace; complaint of McDonald, Ann. Commonwealth v. Corman, Henry; surety of the peace; complaint of Amstead, Barbara. Commonwealth v. Adams, [Thomas] T.G.; forgery. Commonwealth v. Robertson, Job; assault and battery. Comm. v. Macks, Nicholas; assault and battery. Comm. v. Marke, N. ; surety of the peace. Lemon, Alexander; larceny. Vanhorn, Robert; fornication and bastardy.
Brown, David Esq. payment to Lloyd, Thomas, clerk. Comm. v. Findlay, Sarah. Comm. v. Thompson, John; larceny on complaint of Hoffer, Joseph. Comm. v. Thompson, John; larceny on complaint of Guy, John. Comm. v. Johnston, Robert; assault and battery on complaint of Haughey, D. Comm. v.ODonnald, Roger and ODonnald, Dominick; house of ill fame on complaint of Haughey, D. Comm. v. Haughey, Dominick; assault and battery. Comm. v. Leek, Margaret, Johnson, Robert; keeping a disorderly house. Comm. v. Davis, Henry. Comm. v. Johnson, Robert, African Amerrican; assault and battery.
Comm. v. Johnson, Robert; assault and battery on complaint of Haughey, Dominick. Witnesses: Haughey, Dominick. Dolot, Mary. Linn, William. Sweeney, James. McGlachlin, Bernard. Pleston, Stephen.
Comm. v. Wimble, Joseph; larceny. Witnesse: Heckrotte, Henry. Wade, Joseph.
Comm. v. Pyle, John; assault and battery. Witnesses: Brown, Benjamin. Brown, [Elizabeth]. Brown, Benjamin Jr. Snodgrass, William. Brown, Ann. Furniss, Gardner. Whebster, Joseph. Hutton, Isaac. Hutton, William. Hains, Jeremiah B.
Comm. v. Wan, Daniel; assault and battery. Witnesses: Withers, George. Reese, William. Steele, William. McClune, George. Russel, William.
Comm. v. Pile, John; assault and battery. Boyd, Samuel Esq. Justice.
Comm. v. Kirk, WIlliam; counterfeiting. Martin, Peter; Witness.
Comm. v. McClure, Barbara; malicious mischief. Heinzelman, John J. [also spelled Henselman].
Spear, Robert, Justice in the following cases: Comm. v. McCall, George; fornication and lewdness. Comm. v. McCall, George; assault and battery. omm. v. McCall, George; larceny. Comm. v. Baker, Maryan; fornication and lewdness.
Comm. v. McKittrick, John; fornication. Witness: Wengert, Jacob. Signed over to Mathiot, Joseph J.
Comm. v. Poke, Robert; assault and battery. Witnesses: Dick, Margret. McKinney, Eave. Fox, Fanny.
Comm. v. Brown, John. Lechler, WiIlliam. Deputy sheriff.
Comm. v. Davis, Henry; manslaughter. Albright, Henry served subpeona.
Boyd, James; Constable. Comm. v. Davis, Henry; manslaughter. Comm. v. Thompson, John; larceny. Comm. v. Thompson, John; larceny. O Donald, Roger, O Donald, Dominick; nuisance and disorderly house.
Wimble, Joseph; larceny. Witnesses: Russel, Elijah. Brown, Mary Ann.
Comm. v. Adams, James. Assault and battery. Witnesses: Schminky, John. Briceland, James. Briceland, Mary. Newcomer, Mary. Peters, Abraham.
Comm. v. Wise, Catherine. Arson. Witness: Ebeman, Mathias.
Comm. v. Duncan, Melvy. Assault and battery with intent to kill. Witnesses: Ruth, Abraham. Ruth, Fanny. Adam, Frederick. Fryberger, Jacob.
Comm. v. Smith, Louis. Assault and battery. Witnesses: Barr, Joseph. Markly, John Esq. Reese, William. Withers, George.
Comm. v. Smith, Louis. Surety of the peace. Withers, George.
Comm. v. Lewis, John. Charge brought by Wither, Isaac. Witness: Platt, James. Comm. v. Lewis, John. Charge brought by Puhly, Charles. Witness: Platt, James.
Boyd, James. Constable in the following cases: Comm. v. Findly, Sarah. Keeping a disorderly house. Comm. v. Johnston, Robert. African American. Assault and battery. Comm. v. Johnston, Robert and Leek, Margret. Keeping a disorderly house. Comm. v. Johnston, Robert, assault and battery.
Comm. v. McKellegan, John. Manslaughter. Witnesses: Shafer, Martin. Miller, Benjamin. Deffenderfer, George. Snyder, John. Luther, John Dr. Heister, William Esq.
Comm. v. Brown, John. Larceny. Witness: Herr, John.
1 item. 49 pieces.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at research desk. Photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: Abraham H. Metzger, J. G. Peters, Jacob Stock, A. H. Kauffman, John Stauffer, Adam Lefever, Samuel L. Fehl, Adam Focht, Jacob B. Stehman, Daniel Hess, john Nailer, George Kembel.
Bond: Emanuel Herr, Abraham Peters.
Receipt to keep a tavern.
3 items, 3 pieces
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
