Yeovil People
Lazarus Baker
Banker
Lazarus Baker is thought to have been born around 1760, possibly in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Nothing is known of his early life but on 16 May 1796 at Bath Abbey "Lazarus Baker of St Edmunds, Salisbury, Wiltshire" married Catherine Witts of Bath.
Lazarus and Catherine had a son, Joseph, and six daughters - Catherine, Elizabeth, Hester, Mary Ann, Martha and Lydia
By 1774 Samuel Daniell had established a private bank in Yeovil known as Samuel Daniell & Co by 1796. By 1812 it was known as Daniell & Hutchings and by 1817 was known as Yeovil Old Bank owned by Daniell & Co. By 1819 it had been acquired by Edmund Batten and his partner Samuel Sparkes, a banker of Crewkerne and Chard, and was known as Batten, Sparkes & Co. By 1823 it was known as Batten, Sparkes & Baker's bank when Lazarus Baker joined the partnership.
In 1823 Joseph Robinson Pease of Hesslewood, Kingston upon Hull, esquire paid five shillings to lease a messuage, tenement and dwellinghouse, garden and orchard with a little coppice and Summer Leaze, Little Mead and two acres of Green Moore (all part of Marsh Farm) from James Walker of Beverley Hall, York, esquire (brother, heir and executor of the will of Mary Burslem) and Thomas Bullock Watts. A release was drawn up for the same property between James Walker, Samuel Sparks of Crewkerne, esquire, Lazarus Baker of Yeovil, banker, Thomas Bullock Watts, Joseph Robinson Pease, and Thomas Duesbery.
Lazarus Baker died in January 1829, the Sherborne Mercury reporting "Mr Lazarus Baker, Banker. Mr Baker's friendly disposition and urbanity of manners, during his long connection with the Yeovil Old Bank, gained him universal esteem."
GALLERY
The entry dated 16 May 1796 in the marriage register of Bath Abbey for the marriage of Lazarus Baker of St Edmunds, Salisbury, Wiltshire, and Catherine Witts of Bath.
The notice of the death of Lazarus Baker in the 19 January 1829 edition of the Western Flying Press.
The last Will & Testament of Lazarus Baker, 1829
I Lazarus Baker of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Banker being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say I give devise and bequeath to my son Joseph the sum of Ten Pounds to his Daughter Kitty the sum of Ten Pounds and to my Niece Hester Wentworth the sum of Thirty Pounds and to my Wife the sum of One Hundred Pounds (around £150,000 at today's value) all my real estate and all the residue of my personal estate subject to payment of my just Debts Funeral expenses and the charges of proving this my Will I give devise and bequeath unto my Daughter Catherine her Heirs and Assigns In Trust to divide the same equally within twelve Months next after my decease between my said Wife and my said Daughter Catherine and my other Daughters Elizabeth, Hester, Mary Ann, Martha and Lydia their Heirs and Assigns as Tenants in common and not as joint Tenants and I hereby appoint my said Daughter Catherine and Elias Whitby the elder of Yeovil aforesaid Glovemanufacturer Executor and Executrix of this my Will In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this thirteenth day of November 1828 - Lazarus Baker - Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed out names as Witnesses thereto - Edwin Tomkins - John Pulham - Fred. Geare
Proved at London 13th May 1829 before the Judge by the Oaths of Catherine Baker Spinster the Daughter and Elias Whitby the elder the Executors to whom administration was granted having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer.
Transcribed by Bob Osborn