The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-01-05

therefore would have my pains Tor noth-
ing. hold in my possession there he
produced several old and faded papers,
the key to the situation. know where
the property is and how it can be obtain
ed. Idon't want 70 sell my secret and will
not. for any amount OF money, but want
an interest in what / secure for these
people"
The stranger then gave his name and
address 10 Attorney Jordan, with the
names and addresses of relatives, inelud-
ing his mother, who is an old woman re-
siding in Montreal, Can. lie looked like
a countryman, but evidently knew what
he was about. Attorney Jordan said he
would have taken no stock in itat all, but
he was impressed with the strangers fair
proposition. He wanted nothing until he
secured everything f7rthe Bakers. Tin
yolved no outlay on their part. Mr. Jor-
dan listened.
81 have journeyed TO this city to place
this proposition before the Baker heirs,
as 1 learned that the associations head
quarters were here. Nearly 100 years ago
my great grandmother was the mistress
ofone Jacob Baker, in Holland. Jacob
Baker had brother named Peter. The
latter was married aud had tvo children.
Both had been in America q number of
years and served with distinction in the
colonial wars. They secured some little
property and determined to return to Hol-
land. Before returning both signed a
ninety-nine year lease in German for
parcel of land containing Ga acres, at an
annual rental of els, English money, to
one Martin Yalas. This lease was dated
April IL, l7s0. The lease was not on rec
ord, but retained by the brothers.
EXTENT OF THE PROPERTY.
'These brothers obtained tbs property
by purchase and government grant Ja-
cob bought 4l6 acres, and the deed for
the same, which have with me, is dated
November u. l77s. 1t is located on the
Germantown road, six miles from the
Delaware river, or now in valuable por-
ton OF Philadelphia. The government
grant was for 200 acres, made out to Peter
Baker, making 6I6 acres, all told. Two
acres were taken of this for a cemetery,
which is still used for burial purposes by
a certain institution. The lease, you see,
was for GA acres. Neither the deed nor
the grant was recorded, quite a common
thing in those days. for people liked to
keep their own deeds. To-day you will
find deeds unrecorded in Philadelphia
and other cities, and especially in country
places.
"Aiter leasing the land to Yalas. the
brothers sailed for Holland, to spend the
remainder of their lives. Jacob met my
great grandmother and she lived with
him for long time. He had the papers
with him for safe keeping. not wanting
them on record here when he was in Hol-
land-a kind of fear foreigners always
have, most of them keeping their valua-
bles in their trunks or house, preferably
10 banks.
Before Jacob Baker died he gave the
three papers to my great grandmother,
and she in turn gave them to my grand
mother, who brought them to this coun-
try My mother secured them and the
story and have them now. They alone
can help the Baker heirs. Now. if / was
offered $4,000 tomorrow for these papers
would refuse it, because l expect to get
more money for them. want a share,
and unless I get it they will not get the
proofs.
FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCALITY.
''My mother now resides in Montreal,
and is pretty old woman. have known
about this property for many years and |
have been in Philadelphia TO see it. |
rented a house right near the center of it !
aud resided there for some time know /
every line; have examined certain rec
ords aud can show that the property |
never descended regularly. I will not I
permit these papers TO leave my posses
sion, but will show them to you and you
may judge for yourself" He produced |
the papers.
They were genuine" said Attorney |
Jordan. 80 far as | could see. All the |
dates were correct; they were of great |
age, and an expert would say they were |
a. least 100 years old. The continental |
style of spelling and the ink showed that /
they could not have been written within /
many years. l glanced over them all, |
and he stood over. me while l examined /
them. lie would not permit them ont of |
his sight for an instant, and walked over
to the desk when | turned around to copy |
some data from them.
''rhs names of Peter and Jacob Baker
were signed in German. The man says
he can get far better proof when the time
arrives. He can show where the rental
WAS paid and what became of it. prom.
ised to handle his case, and while | still
do not believe in the Baker estate the
man was strictly honest, his proposition
was fair, and l am inclined to think bet
ter Of certain phases of the question.
''You know made an extended exam
ination of the records in Philadelphia
and failed utterly TO discover such an
estate. The property may be there, and
they may get it. If the heirs submit an
offer / will forward it to my client. 1
have submitted the offer to the attorneys
for the association.
"My client was in on Tuesday, visited
friends in New Castle and came back on
Friday, December n. g'he first time he
even TO permit me to look over
the papers. but let me have the data on
Friday. l can not tell whether the papers
were witnessed or not.''