George Washington Papers

From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 7 August 1793

To John Francis Mercer

Philadelphia Augt 7th 1793

Sir,

I will thank you to let me know whether the deed from yourself and others to me have been duly executed and recorded—and in case it has I must beg you will have the goodness to forward it to me.1 I am Sir, Your Obed. Hble Servt.

L (in Tobias Lear’s writing), ViMtvL; LB, DLC:GW.

1The deed from Mercer, Sophia Sprigg Mercer, James Steuart, and Rebecca Sprigg Steuart to GW of 1 April 1793 was for 519 acres, approximately half of Woodstock Manor in Montgomery County, Md. (D, sold by S. V. Henkels, catalog #663, “The Final Sale of the Relics of George Washington Owned by Lawrence Washington … ,” item 14, 21–23 April 1891). The land ceded to GW had been inherited by Mercer’s wife, Sophia Sprigg Mercer. Her sister Rebecca Sprigg (1767–1806) had married Annapolis physician James Steuart (1755–1845) in 1788. The Steuarts moved to Baltimore in 1794. GW received this tract in payment for a debt owed him by the estate of Mercer’s father, John Mercer (GW to James Mercer, 18 Mar. 1789, and note 1; GW to John Francis Mercer, 26 Sept. 1792, and note 3). For a description of this land and its value, see Francis Deakins and Benjamin W. Jones to GW, 20 Dec. 1792, and note 1.

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