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."
Account Book of Robert Baldwin,Salisbury Township with reference to Waterloo, Salisbury Township in the second pagination.
NOTE: This is a combination Account and Day Book. The first part is an account book and the back part is a day book.
Contains 249 leaves plus an 22 page index. Covers are marbleized inside. The 1st leaf has accounting information written on it and the second leaf is blank. There are 2 separate paginations: The front pagination (pp. 1-390) is a listing of accounts of various customers. The back pagination (pp. 1-112 + 3 additional leaves and the first 2 leaves are p. 1) is a day book of daily transactions.
Book references to cash paid on accounts, purchase of sundries, whisky, tobacco, butter, Cheese, apples, beef, bacon, wool, calico, leather, cattle, coffee, fur hat, molasses, etc.
Three newspaper articles are glued to front leaves 2 and 3: Recipes for Raspberry Syrup, Blackberry Syrup, Current wine, White Wine, Elder Wine, Black Current Wine and Current Jelly; Acceptance letters of July 1850 Whig Candidates from Bucks County, and Selins Grove (sic), and Washington, Pa.
Insert 1 - Blue donor card.
Insert 2 - Four pieces of paper that were inserted between pages with miscellaneous writing, one with Robt. Baldwin signature, one with reference to William Ross and one with name Mr. Thomas.
Admin/Biographical History
From: Donor Card and Salisbury website
Robert Baldwin (1805-1888)
1827 - Robert Baldwin, school teacher came to Cains to reside at The Bull's Head.
1830 - Robert Baldwin and John Cains opened a store in Cains.
1843 - Robert Baldwin built his store and home on the corner of Cains Road and the Old Philadelphia Pike.
1849 - Robert Baldwin was elected to the State Legislature.
Book covers are worn, have red rot but are intact; two index tabs P-Q and R-S are missing. Pages have foxing. 15 leaves have been cut out or torn out: (pp. 4-5), (pp.18-27) and (pp.84-105).
The front third leaf is unattached.
Object ID
MG0963_F002
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
Original documents may be used by appointment--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org 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.
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.
