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."
Located on road leading from Lancaster to Wilmington.
Known as the Trap.
April term.
Recommendation and remonstrance only.
Signers of Petition: James Brown, William Given, John H. Mecauley, John Jones, James E. Mann, James McCord, Richar Coates, Samuel Griffith, Robert [Drew], John Keylor, George Oatman, William McCord, George Hare, John Borland, William Thompson Carr, William Borland, James Coulter, William Knott, Sproul Knott, Frederick Rodgers, Levi Pierce, John Patterson, John Scott Jr., James Wright, Isaac Rowmisky, John Speer, Joseph Hacket, Eli Kerns, Richard Kerns, James McQuigg, Robert Drips, Joseph Ragan, Thomas Brown, Samuel Miller, John Miller, Hiram Knott, Nelson Barrett, Millers Knott, John Rodgers, John McCullough, Jesse McIlwain, Henry Keylor, George B. Thompson, Samuel Montgomery, David B. Whitecraft, Francis Monoghan, James Paxton, Andrew Thompson, Joel Sutton, James McCullough, John Drips, David Huston.
Signers of Remonstrance: Adrian B. Orr, Thomas Wood, William H. Steele, William T. Loughead, John [Hooley], Jesse Allen, Isaac Allen, Thomas Dean, Abraham Rakestraw, Joshua Wood, George Glenn, Samuel Swayne, James Steele, Ellis Jones, William Miles, James Miles, John Hooley Jr., William K. Clark, Jacob Ritz Jr., J. Morris Cooper, Thomas Rakestraw, W. L. Rakestraw, James Jackson, John McClure, Benjamin Baxter, George Moore, Micah Whitson, Mahlon Wood, Samuel McClure, Jacob Baughman, George Whitson, John Brown, Lewis Moore, James P. Russel, William McCamma, [unknown signature], John McCullough, Francis Caughery.
2 items, 2 pieces
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: Robert A. Ferguson, John Keylor, William McCord, James McCord, J. Brown, John McClure, Lewis Phipps, James Armstrong, William B. Smith, Daniel McGowan, John Coulter, Samuel Good, William Hollis, Henry Keylor, Charles Rynear, Harrison Graham.
3 items, 3 pieces
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: James Brown, Benjamin B. Eshelman, James McCord, William McCord, Henry Keylor, David Beyers, Arthur Mckissick, John Keylor, Samuel Good, Isaac Riele, John Speer, John Rockey.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: James Brown, William McCord, James McCord, John [Eckman], Benjamin B. Eshleman, Samuel Good, John Speer, William Hollis, Henry Keylor, David Beyers, Ephraim [Steman], John Keylor.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: George Whitson, Isaac Walton, Micah Whitson, William Whitson, James Jackson, Lewis Moore, Joseph Hood, [Gainer Mann], Henry Bushong, Asa Walton, Benjamin Fite, Amos P. Thomas, William P. Cooper, Jacob Ritz, Morris Cooper, George Fogle, David H. Fogle, Joseph Fawkes, Jacob Moore, W. L. Rakestraw, Mercer Whitson.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: Adrian B. Orr, Thomas Wood, William H. Steele, William T. Longhead, John Hooley, Jesse Allen, Isaac Allen, Thomas Dean, Abraham Rakestraw, Joshua Wood, George Gleam, Samuel Swayne, James Steele, Ellis Jones, William Miles, James Miles, John Hooley Jr., William K. Clark, Jacob Ritz Jr., J. Morris Cooper, Thomas Rakestraw, W. L. Rakestraw, James Jackson, John McClure, Benjamin Baxter, George Moore, Micah Whitson, Mahlon Wood, Samuel McClure, Jacob Baughman, George Whitson, John S. Brown, Lewis Moore, James P. Russel, William McCanna, James Manahan Jr., John McCullough, Francis Caughey.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Located on the road leading from Towsan town to Andrew's Bridge.
Formerly kept by Margaret Kennedy.
Petition granted.
April term.
Signers of Petition: [Ross A.] Campbell, Henry Keylor, John Keylor, James Brown, Benjamin B. Eshleman, James McCord, Arthur [Branon], [Louis] Calwell, [Thomas] McQuire, James McQuigg, Hugh Donnelly, Joseph Green, John Eckman.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Renunciations are papers filed in the Orphans' Court by executors of an estate who do not wish to administer that estate. They show the name of the decedent, the decedent's place of residence, the name of the person renouncing administration, the name of the replacement administrator to be appointed, and date. The relationship between the decedent, the executor, and the administrator is usually shown. Arranged chronologically and then alphabetically within each year.
System of Arrangement
Arranged chronologically and then alphabetically within each year.