Franklin D. Roosevelt: Two Typed Letters Signed as President....

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Franklin D. Roosevelt, one page, quarto, The White House Washington letterhead, dated September 4, 1937, with the rare notation that the letter was written "Aboard the USS Potomac," written to Brooklyn attorney Charles Schneikraut who had been handling a complex real estate matter related to the estate of FDR's deceased father, James Roosevelt. The matter involved a parcel of land owned by FDR that was purchased by the City of New York in Woodhaven, Queens, now presently part of Forest Park. At the time the property's title had been undetermined, and Schneikraut made the effort to settle clear title. The matter concluded, the President writes to Schneikraut during his cruise: "My dear Mr. Schneikraut:/ Thank you for sending me the check for $662.41 to my order and the check for $622.44 to the order of the Executors and Trustees under my Father's will./ I have forwarded the letter to the office of the Trustees./ I am enclosing my check for $262.96 in payment of your bill for services and have sent the other bill for the same amount to the Trustees./ May I, at the same time, express to you my thanks for clearing up this old asset of my Father's estate./ Very sincerely yours,/ Franklin D. Roosevelt." On December 17, 1936, Mr. Schneikraut wrote to FDR's attorney John M. Hackett in Poughkeepsie, New York, the following letter: "Dear Mr. Hackett:/ The Bankers Trust Company were in touch with me with reference to the James Roosevelt Estate after receiving my letter which was forwarded by you to them./ I saw Mr. O'Fritz, an officer of the Bankers Trust Company connected with the Mortgage of Real Estate Department, and went into the entire matter with him and he suggested that I set forth my proposition by letter to you, of which I am to send him a copy./ In 1912, the City of New York, made an award of $15,200.00 to an ‘unknown owner' for the purpose of the public park. About 30 percent of the property taken for this public park was owned by James Roosevelt. James Roosevelt acquired this property in 1877. In the chain of title it appears that the property was conveyed to a skating park, to revert to the owners thereof. James Roosevelt, in 1877 acquired the reversionary  interest. I have proof that the property was used as a skating rink in about 1864 for a year or two and was then found to be impractical and unusable as a skating park and was abandoned by the skating association so that the property actually was reverted to James Roosevelt./ It is, therefore, my opinion that I can prove that the James Roosevelt Estate is entitled to about 30 percent of the award. Out of this award, the city has taken taxes which were a lien at the date of vesting title in the City of New York  so  that   there is a balance due of about $2800.00, with interest at the rate of  6 percent per annum from 1913 to date. This brings the amount of the award to about $6500.00. The James Roosevelt Estate would,  therefore, be entitled to approximately $1800.00 of the award./ James Roosevelt, as you no doubt are aware, by his Will gave a life estate in all of his property to his widow, Sara Delano Roosevelt and the remainder, one-half to the Hon. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and one-half to James R. Roosevelt, of whose Estate you and the Bankers Trust Company are executors./ In 1931, our President, then Governor of New York, and the other heirs at law of James Roosevelt gave a deed to part of the property involved in the grant to James Roosevelt./ There is quite a bit of work involved in the collection of this  award and I, of course, want my retainer to be purely contingent, with no responsibility on the part of the Estate or any one connected  with the ownership of the award for any liability for any costs or disbursements in any event. I feel that if I were to receive 40 percent of the amount collected for the James R. Roosevelt Estate, that the retainer would be fair for the Estate and myself./ I would appreciate your taking this matter up further with the Bankers Trust Company and letting me hear from you./ I would  also  appreciate your taking this matter up further, if you so deem it advisable, with the President as to his interest a and his mother's interest in this award." This letter written by FDR aboard the U.S.S. Potomac to Mr. Schneikraut concludes this interesting legal affair, in which FDR references his father's estate and concludes a long-standing personal family financial affair. A previous letter dated June 19, 1937 by FDR to Mr. Schneikraut related to this matter is also a part of this FDR Collection.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, one page, quarto, The White House Washington letterhead, dated June 19, 1937, written to Brooklyn attorney Charles Schneikraut who had been handling a complex real estate matter related to the estate of FDR's deceased father, James Roosevelt. The matter involved a parcel of land owned by FDR that was purchased by the City of New York in Woodhaven, Queens, now presently part of Forest Park. At the time the property's title had been undetermined, and Schneikraut made the effort to settle clear title. FDR writes: "My dear Mr. Schneikraut:/ I am enclosing the affidavits duly signed and sworn to by my Mother and by myself./ I am glad that the matter of the property is going along so well./ Very sincerely yours,/ Franklin D. Roosevelt." On December 17, 1936, Mr. Schneikraut wrote to FDR's attorney John M. Hackett in Poughkeepsie, New York, the following letter: "Dear Mr. Hackett:/ The Bankers Trust Company were in touch with me with reference to the James Roosevelt Estate after receiving my letter which was forwarded by you to them./ I saw Mr. O'Fritz, an officer of the Bankers Trust Company connected with the Mortgage of Real Estate Department, and went into the entire matter with him and he suggested that I set forth my proposition by letter to you, of which I am to send him a copy./ In 1912, the City of New York, made an award of $15,200.00 to an ‘unknown owner' for the purpose of the public park. About 30 percent of the property taken for this public park was owned by James Roosevelt. James Roosevelt acquired this property in 1877. In the chain of title it appears that the property was conveyed to a skating park, to revert to the owners thereof. James Roosevelt, in 1877 acquired the reversionary  interest. I have proof that the property was used as a skating rink in about 1864 for a year or two and was then found to be impractical and unusable as a skating park and was abandoned by the skating association so that the property actually was reverted to James Roosevelt./ It is, therefore, my opinion that I can prove that the James Roosevelt Estate is entitled to about 30 percent of the award. Out of this award, the city has taken taxes which were a lien at the date of vesting title in the City of New York  so  that   there is a balance due of about $2800.00, with interest at the rate of  6 percent per annum from 1913 to date. This brings the amount of the award to about $6500.00. The James Roosevelt Estate would,  therefore, be entitled to approximately $1800.00 of the award./ James Roosevelt, as you no doubt are aware, by his Will gave a life estate in all of his property to his widow, Sara Delano Roosevelt and the remainder, one-half to the Hon. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and one-half to James R. Roosevelt, of whose Estate you and the Bankers Trust Company are executors./ In 1931, our President, then Governor of New York, and the other heirs at law of James Roosevelt gave a deed to part of the property involved in the grant to James Roosevelt./ There is quite a bit of work involved in the collection of this  award and I, of course, want my retainer to be purely contingent, with no responsibility on the part of the Estate or any one connected  with the ownership of the award for any liability for any costs or disbursements in any event. I feel that if I were to receive 40 percent of the amount collected for the James R. Roosevelt Estate, that the retainer would be fair for the Estate and myself./ I would appreciate your taking this matter up further with the Bankers Trust Company and letting me hear from you./ I would  also  appreciate your taking this matter up further, if you so deem it advisable, with the President as to his interest a and his mother's interest in this award." This letter written by FDR aboard the U.S.S. Potomac to Mr. Schneikraut concludes this interesting legal affair, in which FDR references his father's estate and concludes a long-standing personal family financial affair. A follow-up letter dated September 4, 1937 by FDR written aboard the U.S.S. Potomac to Mr. Schneikraut related to this matter is also a part of this FDR Collection.