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: 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.
Signers of petition: Henry Kauffman, Abraham Seitz, John Denlinger, Henry Funk, Daniel Smith, Michael Bender, Jacob K. Shenk, John Landis, John Lintner, Jacob M. Frank, Christian Brubacher, John Lintner.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: Henry Lintner, John Denlinger, John [Shrater], Abraham Peters, Jacob K. Shenk, Jacob Breneman, Henry Funk, John Immel, John Lintner, Henry Kauffman, Adam Breneman, J. K. Martin.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Located on the road leading from Lancaster and Washington Boro.
Petition granted.
April term.
Signers of petition: John Shissler, John Lintner, John Shrader, J. Augusta Ehler, Henry Funk, Benjamin Waller, Christian Fenstermacher, James McCann, Daniel Lintner, John Denlinger, Isaac Pickel, [A. Lautenschlager].
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: Christian Miller, B. Hershey, John Wittmer, Henry Hershey, Benjamin Landis, Jacob H. Landis, Henry Funk, Isaac Dickel, Edward Howard, John [Shrater], Samuel Axer, Christian Schitz, Christian Fenstermaker.
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.