To George Washington from William Pearce, 17 November 1796
From William Pearce
Mount vernon Novr 17th 1796
Sir
I have Receved your Letter of the 14th Instant.
With Respect to Mr Alexander Smith I have Taken up his Note of 6439 Dollars which was Lodged In the Bank of Alexandria—& have Taken 2 others one payable on the 24th day of December—for 1600 Dollars—the other for 4839 Dol[la]rs payable the first day of March those notes are now Indorsed by Danniel Duglass—& Jes[s]e Simes they are both co⟨nsi⟩dered good men and I believe Mr Smith him self good for the money—but Mr Simes Is Considered as the Most Monied man In Alexandria. I inquired of Several Gentlemen, men in alexandria with Respect to his Credit & Circumstances and I am fully assured that there is no man safer—but Mr Smith Desired me to Inform you If on Inquirey you should not think the money perfectly Secure he will Give further Security. and at the same time Desired me to Inform you was Exceedingly obliged to you for you[r] Indulgen[c]e & says that he will Ceartainly pay to the Time agreed on In ⟨the⟩ notes.1
This will be Given to Mr Lear who I have Requested the favor of to send on with a note of his to Give you his opinion with Respect to the goodness of the Indorsers of the notes and If he is not fully Persuaided they are safe I will Git Mr Smith to add others To them.2
James wilks went on In the Vessel which Took your goods.3 I am with the Greatest Respect Sir you[r] Huml. sert
William Pearce
ALS, DLC:GW. Pearce enclosed the farm reports for 13–19 Nov. (see GW to Pearce, 27 Nov.). This letter was enclosed with Tobias Lear’s letter to GW of 20 November.
1. For Alexander Smith’s debt to GW and for the payment due by 24 Dec., see Smith to GW, 4 Oct. and 9 November. At least one of Smith’s notes was later discounted at the Bank of Alexandria (see GW to Smith, 14 Nov., and n.4; see also Lear to GW, 17 Jan. 1797, and n.8).
Daniel Douglass (1768–1803) was a merchant in Alexandria, Va., and served in the late 1790s and early 1800s as a flour inspector there.
Jesse Simms worked as tavernkeeper in Alexandria. He later owned and operated a stagecoach service in that town. Simms also managed the coffeehouse at Gadsby’s tavern.
2. After Pearce discussed Smith’s debt with Lear on 18 Nov., Lear offered GW his opinions of Douglass, Simms, and other potential endorsers, or guarantors, of Smith’s note (see Lear to GW, 20 Nov.; see also GW to Lear, 16 Nov.).
3. For the travels and whereabouts of GW’s servant James Wilkes, see GW to Pearce, 26 Oct. and 14 November.