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."
Safe Harbor School, 1933. First row: Pete Young, Ken Kinningham, Donald Benedict, Dick Gantz, Steve Hecomovich, Elmer Bauer, Ralph Cramer, Bill fink, Bob Hess, Donald Mendictch, Lloyd Gantz. Second row: George Hess, Bud Gantz, Bud Fink, Harold Anderson, Addison Kelly, Ray Warfel, Earl Rawson, Ben STekervetz, Russel Huff, Paul Kohler, Jim Holmes. Third row: Ethel Stekervetz, Betty Cunningham, Delores Hess, Jeanette Gantz, Mary Burns, Betty Rawson, Arlene Campbell, Gene Kelly, Myrtle Stekervetz. Fourth row: Violet Hecomovich, Betty Fink, Rita Huff, Emma Stekervetz, Betty Bauer, Evelyn Brady, Nora Huff, Jane Witmer, Peggy Trissler, Betty Trissler, Ada Wise, Edith Stekervetz. Fifth row: Chet Cramer, Ben Wise, Nick Hecomovich, Jim Groff, Carl Knicely, Jim Gantz, Harold Good, John Holmes, Ruth Warfel. Teacher: Mrs. Reitzel.
Provenance
Digital image only. Original owned by Conestoga Area Historical Society.