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TABLE OF CONTENTSInventory |
Guide to the Frederick William Boelsen Legal and Personal Papers
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Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator | Boelsen, Frederick William | |
| Title | Frederick William Boelsen Legal and Personal Papers, | |
| Dates: | 1839-1953(Bulk 1915-1953) | |
| Abstract: | Frederick William Boelsen was a longtime resident of Elmhurst in Queens County, more specifically residing at 91-28 Queens Boulevard. In later years, he resided in Nassau County at 730 Boelsen Drive in Westbury. The overwhelming majority of these papers are the legal papers of Mr. Boelsen with but a relatively minor portion being personal. It would appear from these papers that they deal with one overriding subject, namely issues involving the widening of portions of Queens Boulevard around the greater Elmhurst area. Perhaps a very close examination of some of the legal documents would reveal other interests, but this is difficult to ascertain. | |
| Extent: | 12 boxes, 2.4 cubic feet | |
| Identification: | B-18 | |
| Location: | The material is located in the Archives at Queens Library. | |
Historical/Biographical Note
Frederick William Boelsen was a longtime resident of Elmhurst in Queens County, more specifically residing at 91-28 Queens Boulevard. In later years, he resided in Nassau County at 730 Boelsen Drive in Westbury.
Judging from the papers in this collection, he started his professional career as a stockbroker sometime in the early 1920s. It would also appear that in 1932 he received his admittance to the bar qualified to practice in the Eastern District of the State of New York though earlier dated papers in the 1920s also refer to him as one. In 1937 he received his license to practice as a real estate broker.
The Library owns a typescript of seven leaves titled Queens Boulevard’s History Sketched from Cow Path to Main Street which Mr. Boelsen wrote, and which he evidently donated to the Library. This has been reproduced and we have placed it under Personal Papers. A note on the last page reads as follows:
“Probably no one man in the community, if in Queens County, is so well able to speak with authority on Queens Boulevard, its history and development from a country road to an arterial highway, as if F. William Boelsen. A resident of Newtown and Elmhurst since boyhood, Mr. Boelsen has many personal recollections of the boulevard in its earlier days, while his investigations into prior paving as attorney for the Queens Boulevard Improvement Association have given him additional facts.”
The above is quoted because it has some relevancy to some of the legal papers found in this collection, many of which do refer to the area around parts of Queens Boulevard.
It is also known that Mr. Boelsen was a member of the Masons, and that he had at least one child, Muriel Boelsen. He died in May of 1985.
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Scope and Content Note
The overwhelming majority of these papers are the legal papers of Mr. Boelsen with but a relatively minor portion being personal. It would appear from these papers that they deal with one overriding subject, namely issues involving the widening of portions of Queens Boulevard around the greater Elmhurst area. Perhaps a very close examination of some of the legal documents would reveal other interests, but this is difficult to ascertain.
There are several series, each of which will be described on the following pages. It should be noted that the collection also contained about 60 or so photographs pertaining to the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown, the widening of Woodhaven Boulevard, and similar, these probably being a mixture of both personal and business matters. They appear to have been taken in the 1920s and 1930s. These are now to be found in the Division's Photographic Collection.
The Legal Papers series contains five sub series, Legal Cases, Blueprints, Condemnation Proceedings, Stock Lists and Miscellaneous.
The Legal Cases sub series has been arranged by what was deemed to be the name of at least one of the principles involved in a particular case. There are eleven cases in this series some of whose individual files are much larger than others. It would appear that in one way or another the cases involved real estate, principally the selling of the same. These may have been related to the widening of Woodhaven Boulevard at least in some cases.
Documents consist of such items as Article of Agreement, tax bills, memos and bonds. The following individuals or Institutions are referred to:
George Lang, ca. 16 documents, ca. 1924
Herman and Pauline Arms, ca. 35 documents, ca. early 1920s
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Rego Park, ca. 50 documents, ca. early 1930s and late 1950s
Joseph Jedlicka, ca. 20 documents, ca. 1923-24
Wilhelmina Lockhoff, ca. 20 documents, ca. 1924
Samuel L. Powell, ca. 6 documents, ca. 1924
Frank Pisclotta, ca. 5 documents, ca. 1923
Aneurin Wynn, ca. 7 documents, ca. 1922
John Hickey, ca. 12 documents, ca. 1924
Boelsen Family Members, ca. 80 documents, ca. 1920s. It would appear that these items relate to proceedings in which a member of the Boelsen family itself was directly involved in some legal matters. It is difficult, however, to be absolutely certain about this.
Miscellaneous, ca. 25 documents, ca. 1920s no one name predominates
The large blueprints in the sub series Blueprints, dated ca. 1930s may have been related to Condemnation Proceedings. These depict a number of streets in Elmhurst and perhaps other nearby parts and show real estate block numbers, assessed valuation and in one or two cases lists some property owners as well.
This sub series Condemnation Proceedings contain legal papers regarding condemnation proceedings by the City of New York to acquire land adjacent to certain Queens streets probably for the purpose of improving these streets by widening. Mr. P. William Boelsen is listed as attorney for Clairmonts area appears to be in the area of Queens Boulevard and Woodhaven Boulevard. Some tear-sheets or newspaper clips from legal newspapers are included, 1930s, ca. 60 items
The sub series Stock Lists contains about fifteen (l5) or so lists made up in many cases of 25 or 30 pages consisting of names of stockholders. Apparently these were stockholders of sugar refining companies, such as the Guantanamo Sugar Company and the Central Aguirre Sugar Company. A few miscellaneous related items as well. All dated ca. 1915-1917.
These documents are gathered together in this sub series Miscellaneous under the following sub series.
The Last Owners Searchers sub sub series consists principally of several small cards called "Last Owner Card" from the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, ca. 1906-1915.
The Building Materials Bills sub sub series consists principally of about 25 bills or related documents referring to payment due for building materials supplied by various companies. Apparently Mr. Boelsen was the lawyer representing some clients, ca. 1922-1924.
The sub sub series Retainers consists principally of forms signed by various owners of property in Elmhurst involved in condemnation proceedings for the "Midtown Highway”, ca. 20 items, ca. 1950-1953.
The sub sub series Miscellaneous Volumes and Aerial Photographs consists of four volumes, one of which is labeled Map Index, undated probably 1930’s; another labeled. Payroll dated 1920’s but virtually unused; another unlabeled but evidently a notebook probably to list appointments or perhaps some stock transactions, ca. 1917-19l9 and a checkbook used in 1920-1921. The photograph was probably taken very early 1930s and depicts essentially northern Queens. We made a negative and print of the same.
The series Personal Papers consists of about 250 items including 100 or so newspaper clippings is fairly varied. It includes such items as Mr. Boelsen’s certificate admitting him to practice law in the Eastern District Court of the United States, dated December 28, 1932; his license to practice as a real estate broker dated January 7, 1937; certificate of membership as a master Mason 1944; a 1939 issue of a Hose show Magazine; a 1938 publication issued by the Flushing Historical Society and a 1931 invitation to a testimonial dinner. There are also some 1940’s or 1950’s printed items, such as programs, booklets, etc.
Also some historic documents, such as an 1878 Market Account Book owned by R. T. Odekirk; another Market Book by the same individual dated 1886 and a will dated 1839. It is not known if these items belonged to other family members. There are also five 18th century documents, such as Deeds pertaining to property owned by members of the Van Pelt Family. These evidently are not personal but were probably used in conjunction with legal matters. They have been placed in this file because of their age.
There is about 150 to 200 clippings or newspaper tear-sheets most of which refer to the history of Queens County and are dated in the 1930s. History was probably a personal interest to Mr. Boelsen and these may have been gathered as part of that interest. We know that sometime in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s he wrote a very short history (7 leaves) of Queens Boulevard titled Queens Boulevard’s History Sketched from Cow Path to Main Street. At the time he donated a copy to the Library and this we have cataloged. Other newspaper clippings are dated ca. 1931-1933 and deal essentially with the history of Flushing.
Also included is a Masonic Plaque presented to Mr. Frederick Wm. Boelsen.
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Creator of item, date of item (if known), identification of item, if a photograph its control number. The Frederick William Boelsen Legal and Personal Papers, Archives at Queens Library, Queens Borough Public Library.
Provenance
Unknown
Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions. Manuscripts are only available in the Archives at Queens Library, please call (718) 990-0770 for hours. Manuscript users will be required to complete the division's Manuscript Usage Form and deposit their photograph identification or Queens Borough Public Library card with a staff member. The identification will be returned to the user after she/he has returned the material. Manuscript users will deposit all their personal items behind the reference desk. Manuscript users must use the division's loose sheets of paper for note taking. To reiterate, no pen of any type is permitted. Paper and a pencil are available upon request. Manuscript users may be required to use special handling procedures depending on the conditions of the material.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
- Archives at Queens Library
- Queens Borough Public Library
- 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
- Jamaica, NY 11432
- Phone: (718) 990-0770.
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Access Points
Subject Names:
- Boelsen, Frederick William
Subject Places:
- Elmhurst (New York, N.Y.)
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Inventory
[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]
