From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 26 October 1793
To John Francis Mercer
Mount Vernon 26. October 1793.
Sir,
Since my arrival at this place from Philada the attachmt of which the enclosed is a copy has been served upon me. I wish to be informed by you how I am to proceed in this business, & what steps, if any, are necessary to be taken by me in consequence thereof.1 Notwithstanding the directions you have given to the contrary, there rarely comes a Collector who does not present (mingled with my own) Clerk’s notes on accot of your brother’s Estate, & these, in my absence, are paid by my Manager. I hope your orders will be so pointed in future as to prevent any more coming against me, or my being subject to the paymt of monies for which I receive no benefit.2
I brought the bond of your deceased Father, & the Mortgage of your brother with me from Philada for the purpose of surrendering them to you when the conveyance of the Land to me is made complete; & I beg to know from you whether my signature to that instrument (as it is so drawn) is, in the opinion of professional men, necessary.3 I shall not appear too pressing I hope to get this business finally closed when, besides the desire natural to me to leave nothing open that can be settled, it has become necessary, that I may take some measures with respect to the Land. I am &c.
Go. W.
Df, ViMtvL; LB, DLC:GW.
1. The enclosed document has not been identified. From Mercer’s reply of 30 Nov., it apparently was connected to John Henshaw’s bill of complaint about land purchased from George Mercer’s estate.
2. For GW’s connection with the estate, see Statement concerning George Mercer’s Estate, 1 Feb. 1789. John Francis Mercer’s response of 30 Nov. 1793 promised to repay these charges.
3. For discussion of John Mercer’s bond and James Mercer’s mortgage, which GW had acquired as part of his wife’s share of her daughter’s estate, see GW to James Mercer, 18 March 1789, and n.1 to that document. On the uncompleted conveyance of Montgomery County, Md., land to GW, see GW to John Francis Mercer, 7 Aug., and n.1 to that document, and John Francis Mercer to GW, 15 Aug., and n.2 to that document.