Person:Frederick Backus (2)

1900 Census City of New York, Borough of Queens, New York Backus, Fred D. Head W M May 1850 50 M 24yrs NY Germany Germany Backus, Alice J. wife W F Nov 1854 45 M 24yrs 2ch/2 lvg NY NY NY Backus, Mimie dau W F July 1877 22 S NY NY NY Backus, Askin son W M Aug 1879 20 S NY NY NY Jensen, Caroline Boarder B F Jan 1865 35 S N.Virginia N.Virginia N.Virginia (North VA??)

The following contributed by Dr. Anthony Troha, Ph.D.:

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, February 15, 1937, Page 11, Column 1: “BACKUS—On February 14, 1937, at Forest Hills, FREDERICK D., age 86, husband of the late Alice Jackson, loving father of Ascan and Wilhelmina Backus, brother of George A. Backus. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend funeral services Wednesday, 2:30 o’clock, at his residence, Queens Blvd., corner of 69th Rd., Forest Hills, L. I. Interment family plot, Maple Grove Cemetery.”

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, February 15, 1937, Page 11, Column 6: “Frederick Backus, Queens Realtor, Dies in 87th Year. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday for Frederick D. Backus, former president of the Cord Meyer Development Co. and a director of Long Island Bond and Mortgage Co., who died at the age of 87 in his spacious residence at Queens Boulevard and 69th Road, Forest Hills. The service for Mr. Backus, who was a member of one of Long Islan’s [sic: Island’s] oldest families, will be conducted in his home at 2:30 p.m. by the Rev. C. Lawson Willard Jr., rector of St. James’ P.E. Church, Elmhurst. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery. Mr. Backus was born in the old Backus homestead on Queens Boulevard, only a stone’s throw from the mansion he occupied when he died. His father, Ascan Backus, owned a farm which embraced almost all the territory now covered by the Forest Hills development, which was started in 1897. He was one of the wealthiest residents of Long Island in the early days.

Rose to Head of Firm Frederick Backus retired as manager of the farm to join the late Cord Meyer in the development project, rising to the position of head of the concern. The company hnored [sic: honored] his father’s memory by naming one of the most important thoroughfares in Forest Hills “Ascan Ave.” More than half a century ago the younger Backus married Miss Alice Jackson, descendant of a famous Queens County family whose farm adjoined the Backus farm. She was fatally burned in a fire at Twilight Park, N. Y., in 1926. Surviving Mr. Backus are a daughter, Wilhelmina, and a son, Ascan, who live at the Forest Hills address, and a brother, George, of Pasadena, Calif.. Mr. Backus was a brother of the late John E. Backus, one of Long Island’s prominent farm leaders, who was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Bridges for Queens County by Robert E Van Wyck, first Mayor of Greater New York, and who largely directed the construction of the Queensborough Bridge [now spelt “Queensboro”].”

1.   Research of Anthony L. Troha, Ph.D..