Jim,
One other thing that makes no sense to me if the Francis Swap happened before November 15th is why that western boundary was still not determined six weeks later, per Cuyler's letter....and months later, actually, if one reads the MCC minutes. Francis was an engineer/surveyor looking at a map of the property when he had his brainstorm..would he not have been very precise, especially as relates to a land swap??
One advantage we should have in trying to figure all of this out, as well as the timelines, is that we're working with fixed historical borders and known quantities on every side of the equation with the exception of the western boundary separating golf course from real estate north of Ardmore Avenue. We know that Merion originally secured 21 acres of Dallas Estate, leased 3 acres of Railroad Land, and thought they would need 96 acres of the Johnson Farm (117 secured, 3 leased).
Since the only moveable boundary was that northwestern border of the Johnson Farm, we know at the end of the day that they needed 99 acres of that, not 96, so we know that this was where it had to come from. We also know that it wasn't the "triangle" because that portion is 4.8 acres, not 3. And in any case, Francis talks about a "swap", which one would guess meant that it was an even trade so that doesn't explain it either.
It may be roadways that make up the three acres as you're speculated, but I'm not sure. This should be easy enough to determine though, yes? Bryan Izatt has the July 1911 metes and bounds and if they include the roads in the 120.1 acre purchase that might be the difference. Bryan?
As regards your question about when Merion felt comfortable that they had a deal, it's hard to say, exactly. Although much of the initial discussions with Connell and Nicholson of HDC seem to have taken place in the June/July 1910 timeframe, it seemingly wasn't until HDC was actually able to get the Dallas Estate under their wing in November that things started actually taking off. At that point, on November 10th, Nicholson sent Evans a letter stating that they were offering an organization MCC might create for the purpose the ability to purchase 117 acres of Lloyd's choosing for $85,000 out of the 300-plus they had available, and itemized each of the respective properties under their control along with the acreage of each.
A few days later, Evans wrote back telling Connell that Merion would form a corporation that would make that purchase.
Then, Cuyler wrote his letter essentially saying that Lloyd should take title. On December 21st Lloyd purchased the Johnson Farm and Dallas Estate.
You really should purchase Wayne and Tom's book...much of what you're hoping to find in terms of documentation is in there.
The following is from Tom Paul, which I'm happy to relay to clarify a few matters on questions that were asked.
Jim Sullivan said this:
"Lloyd didn't buy the land on behalf of Merion in December, he took title for HDC and paid them $85K for the priveledge."
Technically that is not accurate. Lloyd did not pay anyone $85,000 when he took deed to 161 acres on December 19, 1910 from James Rothwell (a transfer agent). Rothwell took deed to the 161 acres (the entire 140 acre Johnson farm and the 21 acre Dallas estate) from HDC on the same day SUBJECT TO the payment of $85,000 for 117 acres. Lloyd took deed to 161 acres from Rothwell for $1.00 (the minimum payment to constitute a formal real estate contract). Lloyd took that deed (161 acres) SUBJECT TO three payments----eg one for $85,000, one for $60,000 and one for $34,000. The $85,000 for the 117 acres for MCCGA Corp (actually 120.1) was not actually paid until Lloyd (The Grantor) transferred the property (120.1 acres) by deed back to Rothwell on July 19, 1911 for $1.00 who transferred it by deed to MCCGA Corp the same day SUBJECT TO an immediate payment (by mortgage et al) of $85,000. So what were the payments of $60,000 and $34,000 that Lloyd's December 19, 1911 deed was SUBJECT TO? I would assume the $34,000 was for the 21 acre Dallas estate and the $60,000 was for the approximately 40 acres of the original Johnson farm that MCC (MCCGA Corp) did not use and would not buy (it probably was transferred back to HDC or perhaps held by Lloyd since he essentially was a large part of HDC). I could determine at some point what the deed transfers were with the remainder of the Johnson Farm (app 40 acres) in the future by simply going to the County Recorder of Deeds and checking that 40 acres since all specific land transfers are recorded in Pennsylvania.
Bryan Izatt said this:
"I don't suppose you have an image of the November 1910 Evans letter "securing" the 117 acres or Nicholoson's offer? The 338 acres wasn't available at that time. HDC didn't own it at that point."
HDC did not technically need to own those 338 acres at that point as they had all of it in five parcels "secured" with a purchase by a "purchase agent" (Freeman with the Dallas estate) and deeds and options "assigned in blank" for the Davis and Taylor farms and the land north of College Ave. The transfer of the Johnson farm was basically between two development entities that were the same or an evolution of one into the other (Philadelphia and Ardmore Land Co into the Haverford Development Co).
All this stuff is essentially Real Estate 101. This is what I used to have to get involved with when I sold real estate, mostly farms. So why go through all these technicalities with transfer agents and purchasing agents and deed transfers between various people the same day for a payment of $1.00 "SUBJECT TO" a later payment for the agreed upon price between ultimate buyer and seller? It is generally done that way between development sellers and potential buyers and entities such as golf clubs because it often takes some time for the buyer (in this case the MCCGA Corp) to raise the money by stock and bond subscription or cash generation or to raise the money by mortgage placement (in MCCGA's case the Girard Trust Co). This was the case with the MCCGA Corp and if you will note Cuyler's correspondence with MCC (Evans) he mentions precisely this (that MCCA has some months to actually come up with the money to buy the land and raise money to construct the course and redo the potential clubhouse et al). The other reason deeds are transferred back and forth like this for $1.00 is so that real estate transfer taxes are essentially negated in these kinds of technical business transactions.