John Christian Ehlers (died c.1820) agreed to work as a gardener for GW at Mount Vernon, and traveled from Bremen, Germany to New York in mid-September 1789, and proceeded to Mount Vernon shortly thereafter. Ehlers, who by 1792 was joined by his wife, Catherine (c.1747-1827), began work at the rate of 12 guineas a year and received subsequent raises. When Ehlers's contract expired in 1797, GW decided to no longer employ him.