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."
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.
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Additional Notes
Court Costs
April Sessions 1809
Note: In the document all of the following names are "Commonwealth vs."
Porter, Israel.
Fisher, James.
Milton, Benjamin.
Todd, William.
Kendrick, David.
Maw, Frederick.
Reed, Unity.
England, Jane.
Coyle, James.
Gutjahr, John.
King, Scott.
Donner, Leonard.
Taggert, James.
Lynch, John.
Richards, Mary.
Gilleland, William.
Sides, John.
McClelland, James.
Getz, Peter.
August Sessions 1809
Dolby, [Sebastian].
Adams, John.
Morris, James.
Erisman, Christian.
Grove, George.
Stehman, Tobias.
Smith, Peggy.
Bear, Joseph.
Burkholder, Christian.
Welsh, James.
Meloy, Mary.
Miller, Jesse.
Wall, John.
Shenck, Jacob.
Warfel, Abraham.
Sourbeer, John.
Warfel, Jacob.
Yentzer, Jacob.
November Sessions 1809
Brown, Robert.
Galbraith, William B.
Caldwell, John.
Huston, Margaret.
Black, John.
Ergert, John.
Kremer, George.
Oyer and Terminer
Miller, Margaret.
Kreitzer, John.
Evans, John.
Harkless, James.
Harkless, Joseph.
Carter, Daniel.
Hoofnagle, Peter.
Horner, Samuel.
Midcalf, Curtis.
January Sessions 1810
Waggoner, Mary.
Twibill, Joseph.
Rowland, Mary.
Gruber, Jacob.
Smith, Rebecca.
Burg, John.
Legan, Bernard.
Forester, John.
Miller, Christian.
Burk, John.
Zell, John Jr.
Hoffman, Christian.
Bender, David.
Breneman, Abraham.
O'Donel, Charles.
Kneisley, Jacob.
Smith, John.
August Sessions 1810.
Ward, Richard.
Donnelly, James.
Dougherty, Charles.
Johnston, Jeremiah.
Grimes, Daniel.
Taylor, Eleanor.
King, Catherine.
Boys, William.
Lightner, Nathaniel.
Sheaffer, George.
Stouffer, Jacob.
Boyle, Hugh.
Steffy, Michael.
Lyon, James.
Wallace, Mary.
Carson, James.
Hickman, Andrew.
White, William.
Bush, John.
Werfel, Abraham.
November Sessions 1810.
Herr, Daniel.
Norris, Sarah.
Longenecker, Daniel.
Martin, William.
Clark, Thomas.
Bryan, James.
Levan, Lydia.
Phillips, Henry.
Shucker, Balthezar.
Black, Ephraim.
Smith, Adam.
Harris, George.
Hoke, John.
Barker, John.
January Sessions 1811
Henry, Christian.
Money, Patrick.
Lehy, John.
Woods, John.
Youndt, George Jr.
Dark, Nathan.
Cottis, James.
April Sessions 1811
Sweeney, James.
Richards, Polly.
Reidenbaugh, Peter.
Weaver, George.
Wardle, George.
Keysey, Hugh.
August Sessions 1811
McClure, Barbara.
Denzel, Henry.
Waters, Simon.
Evans, Charles.
Dysart, Andrew.
Heiney, John.
Swar, John.
Gibbs, Samuel.
Stuart, Samuel.
Tiner, George.
Floyd, William.
Richardson, William.
Harris, Robert.
January Sessions 1812
Witaker, Jesse.
Doling, John.
Snyder, John.
Wisler, Michael.
Williams, Hannah.
April Sessions 1812
Huston, James.
Beard, William.
Corsey, James.
Mullan, James.
Montier, William.
Blackburn, David.
Gadders, Robert.
Lewis, Caleb.
Galbraith, William.
Harris, Joseph.
Richardson, Thomas.
Hock, James.
Gontz, Peter.
November Sessions 1812
Gallacher, James.
Heisley, Michael.
January Sessions 1813
Hite, William, W.
Moyers, Jacob.
Smith, Frederick.
Frey, John.
Withers, Augustus.
Strank, George.
Cooper, John.
Cooper, Thomas.
Johnson, David.
McElwer, Roger.
King, James.
Irwin, Josiah K.
Fields, Joseph.
April Sessions 1813
Donnelly, William.
Keiss, George.
Smith, Phebe.
McFall, Hughes.
McCartney, David.
Hutchinson, Alexander.
Fisher, Elizabeth.
Barge, Solomon.
Michael, George.
Monteer, Elizabeth.
August Sessions 1813
Neegan, Mary.
Woolkeel, Henry.
Finney, Francis.
Kreider, Martin.
Hagy, John.
McClenighan, James.
Clark, Robert.
August Sessions 1813.
Monteer, Elizabeth .
McClenahan, James.
Lynch, Thomas.
Morrison, Patrick.
Higgins. Patrick.
Gelham, Thomas.
Gilham, Michael.
Stauffer, Christian.
Mrs. Houston.
Mrs. England.
Young.
Kearney, Christopher.
Strayner, Mary.
Beck, William.
Miller, Elizabeth.
November Sessions 1813.
Bristo. African-American.
Miller, Peter.
Wilson, James.
Nicholson, William.
Thomas, George.
Reynolds, Eley.
Young, John.
Long, John.
Houston, Ann.
Flanagan, Thomas.
Swagart, Mary.
Krauder, John.
Holshour, Peter.
January Sessions 1814.
Ringland, John.
Cully, William.
Ringland, James.
Elliot, Thomas.
Baxter, David.
Jackson, Samuel.
Taggart, James.
Flanighan, Thomas.
Geider, Martin.
Hegy, John.
April Sessions 1814
Moore, William.
Smith, Henry.
Trusty. Mulatto.
Getz, John.
Whipper, George.
August Sessions 1814.
Anderson, Mary.
Shallenberger, Jacob.
Cotston, George.
Wisler, Abraham.
Wisler, Sally.
Long, Benjamin.
Fisher, John I.
Johnston, James.
Johnson, Catharine.
Wray, William.
Johnson, James.
Zell, Henry.
Porter, Joseph.
Kepler, Jacob.
Spring, Daniel.
November Sessions 1814.
Myers, John.
Daugherty, Charles.
Johnston, Samuel.
Smith, Philip.
Atlee, Richard.
Ogden, William.
Kuntz, Michael.
Musselman, Henry.
McGuigan, Patrick.
Becker, Arnold.
January Sessions 1815.
Koenigmaker, Jacob.
Nagle, John.
Sennison, Garret,
Steward, Benjamin.
Martin, David.
April Sessions 1815.
Armstrong, John.
Hollinger, Jacob.
Hamilton, Andrew.
Harris, John.
Binkley, Christian.
Seegraves, Charles.
Campbell, Martha.
Kellheffer, Catharine.
August Sessions 1815.
Shane, Elizabeth.
Wine, William.
McGlasga, Charle.
Irwin, Samuel.
Cochran, Anthony.
Waters, John.
Robinson, William.
Bowie, William.
Hughes, Felix.
Fick, Christian.
O'Neal, John.
Nixon, Edward.
McConnely, Joseph.
Ream, Isaac.
Kember, James.
Fisher, James.
Blessing, John.
Bennard, John.
Bennard, Philip.
Rowe, John.
Merrill, Michael.
Holzapple, Catherine.
November Sessions 1815.
Stachen, Samuel.
Wilson, Robert.
Marks, John.
McCowan, James.
Hart, John H.
Jones, Thompson.
Murray, Henry.
Walter, Peter.
Eares, James.
Brown, Dinah.
Johnson, Simon.
Crawford, David.
Porter, Robert.
Crase, Phineas.
Grubb, Samuel C.
Weaver, Adam.
Graham, John.
Luther, Christian.
January Sessions 1816.
Brown, Samuel.
McCotter, Thomas.
Trusty. African-American.
Reiss, Peter.
McGin, William.
April Sessions 1816.
Lechler, John.
Haines, Daniel.
Keiser, Peter.
Seachrist, John.
Haines, Timothy.
Lytle, William.
Allen, Robert.
Moore, Elijah.
Black, William.
Huber, Peter.
Kline, Frederick.
Reiley, Lydia.
Seidenbender, Christian.
Glatz, Bernard.
Foglesong, Jacob.
August Sessions 1816.
Long, George.
Hambright, Frederick.
Scott, William.
Moore, Stephen.
Thomas, Peter.
McGuigan, Ambrose.
Howes, Jacob.
Rohrer, Christian.
Haverstick, Michael.
Heiney, Isaac.
Bill, Alexander.
November Sessions 1816.
Anderson, Thomas.
Bubach, John G. and wife.
Paras, Jonathan.
Boden, Samuel.
Allen, Robert. Alias Jones, Robert.
Grimes, Thomas.
McCready, James.
Fouchett, William.
Redsecker, John.
Mosey, Christian.
Hornberger, Christian.
Broom, James.
Haughey, Dominick.
Rock, George.
Simpson, John.
Johnston, Ruth.
January Sessions 1817.
Hatz, John.
Williams, Richard.
Myers, David.
Moore, Andrew.
Myers, Jacob.
Moore, Samuel.
Ranck, Patience.
Waterson, John.
Shorter, Thomas.
McConahy, John.
Barns, William.
Moore, Isaac.
1 item, 1 piece.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at research desk. Photocopy made by staff member.
