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."
The Adam Reigart Jr., John S. Murphy Collection contains correspondence between Adam Reigart, Jr. in Lancaster and Philip Wager in Philadelphia and their families. The letters are primarily from the early nineteenth century and provide information about family illness, travel, visits, business, and family chatter. The receipts and invoices show purchases made in Lancaster and Philadelphia, especially clothing, fabric, dry goods, and meat. The remainder of the collection is made up of newspaper articles, books, and an album of poetry and drawings. The items were housed in a gig trunk which is now in the museum collection.
Admin/Biographical History
Adam Reigart, Jr. (1765-1844) was born in Lancaster. He was the eldest son of Col. Adam Reigart, owner of the Grape Tavern which served as general headquarters during the Revolutionary War. Adam Jr. founded the Reigart Wine Store in 1785 and was in business with Philip Wager in Philadelphia and Philip's son Peter throughout his career. He was the first president of the Lancaster branch of the Bank of Pennsylvania, and was involved with the Conestoga Navigation Company and the Union Fire Company.
Adam Jr. married Mary Magdalena Wager (1772-1806) in 1791. Mary was the daughter of Philip Wager, a Philadelphia wine merchant. They had eight daughters and a son. Susan married Stephen C. Slaymaker and Margaretta married Henry Y. Slaymaker.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Adam Reigart Jr., John S. Murphy Collection (MG0331), Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Restrictions are noted at the item level.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Accession Number
2003.078
Other Numbers
MG-331
Classification
MG0331
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Processed and finding aid created by KR. Added to database 8 March 2022.
William Brown’s blacksmith account from Fulton Township
Contains 119 paginated leaves plus 5 end unpaginated pages, and a 2 page index.
Front Cover - Outside: "William Brown" written upside down; Inside: ""LEDGER OF WILLIAM BROWN; BLACKSMITH, QUAKER; FULTON TWNSHP; $175--/Sum" written at top and miscellaneous account information on rest of cover.
Spine has a faint "13" written on it.
Back Cover - Inside: Has miscellaneous account information.
Front 2 leafs - First leaf is an index; second leaf has account information.
The book references an itemized list of profits and expenses. The profits list ranges from selling steel shoes, hinges, smithing tongs, nails, chains, steel point shears as well as listing out repairs made to equipment and carriages. The recorded expenses for the mill include cloth, steel from Baltimore, and goat milk.
Insert 1 - 2 loose items:
Item 1 - Donor card
Item 2 - "The Book Haven" description of book.
Insert 2 - Right cover front corner of book cover.
Insert 3 - 3 loose items:
Item 1 Corner piece of paper, Nevin Xtun.
Item 2 Corner piece of paper, John (no last name).
Item 3 Receipt, William Warden to W. Brown.
Admin/Biographical History
From: Donor Card
William Brown was a Quaker and a blacksmith, probably from Fulton Township.
Book is intact. Front cover missing upper right corner (4" diagonal measurement). Front and back covers heavily worn on edges.
Spine has red rot.
Front inside cover is peeling.
Page 36: Bottom 2" are torn off.
Page 120 has been torn out.
Object ID
MG0963_F011
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Notes
Preferred citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact Research@LancasterHistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection items may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
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.
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.
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.
Signers of petition: Adam Doerstler, George Miller, J. E. Mellinger, Jacob Lintner, John Brandt, Christian Fenstermacher, H. S. Shirk, J. B. Haines, Abraham Peters, David Kready, B. H. Hershey, Almas M. Brubaker, John Frantz, Jacob Frantz, Jacob K. Shenk.
Receipt to keep a tavern.
3 items, 3 pieces
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.