# An Angry Yet Very Sad Article

- Link: https://www.oldhouseguy.com/allentown/
- Published: 2024-05-24T13:35:16-04:00
- Author: Ken Roginski

It wasn’t long ago someone sent me a photo that was circulating of a house that 
was destroyed by a developer. I thought it was horrible and created an image showing
the before and after to post on Facebook. Everyone said what one would expect – 
house flippers strike again!  For some reason I decided to look into this further
and discovered what really happened. It was much sadder than everyone thought.

[⌊501 provinceline road allentown NJ Arnytown⌉⌊501 provinceline road allentown NJ
Arnytown⌉[

First look at the real estate listing from 2021. [ https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/501-Province-Line-Rd_Allentown_NJ_08501_M65384-15486 ](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/501-Province-Line-Rd_Allentown_NJ_08501_M65384-15486)

Here is a link to more photos taken by a photographer who thankfully photographs
historic homes so we have documentation of what was once there. [Photos of historic Boxwood Hall. ](https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2617839461667428&id=914933931957998&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=scCeix1fc3hlmV7U)

See how original this house has been kept and what love was put into it. It survived
numerous homeowners for almost 300 years!

This house was difficult to research for it is listed as being in Allentown NJ but
it is really just a small hamlet in North Hanover, Burlington county, NJ.

Known as Boxwood Hall, the house was built in 1740. Fast forward, in 1973 the house
was purchased  by Charles & Margaret Tanner Boles. Margaret passed away in 2007.
Her obituary tells a lot about her. Not only was she a good steward of a historic
house filling it with antiques, she also founded a local preservation group.

**Obituary:**

> JOHN – Boles, Margaret E. “Peg” Tanner, 63, died Sept. 27, 2007 at her home in
> Allentown, N.J. Memorial Service 3 p.m. Saturday, May 24, 2008 at Fairview Cemetery
> in St. John, Kan. Friends and relatives are encouraged to gather before and after
> the service at the Tanner House, 504 N. Broadway, St. John. Because of her affinity
> for large floral hats, those attending will be requested to wear hats in her honor.
> White pearls and white gloves are optional.
> Peg Tanner was born March 14, 1944 in Stafford, Kan., she grew up on a farm in
> rural St. John, Kan. After graduating from St. John High School and Kansas State
> University, she taught drama, speech and literature in schools in Kansas, Indiana
> and New Jersey. She retired from the Cherry Hill School District in 2005.
> **Peg moved to Allentown, N.J. more than 30 years ago and was instrumental in 
> establishing “Friends of Arneytown” which was formed to help preserve the historic
> area. She owned Boxwood Corner, a house built in 1740 and furnished it with period
> antiques.**
> She was the daughter of the late Raymond and Ava Tanner. Survivors: son, James
> Tyson Boles of Philadelphia, Pa.; sisters, Beccy Tanner, Wichita, Patricia Nelson,
> Newark, Del.; brothers, John Tanner, Wichita, Jim Tanner, Tooele, Utah; a nephew,
> Chad W. Nelson of Newark, Del.; and grandson, Raymond Angus “Red” Harley Boles.
> Minnis Chapel, St. John in charge of local arrangements.
> copied from [Legacy.com-obituary. ](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/margaret-boles-obituary?id=14736288)

As per Margaret’s will, the house was left to her son who was her administrator.
He lived in Philadelphia. In 2008 the house was listed as a rental and then listed
for sale in 2019. It took two years to sell this house. When the price of the house
was reduced from$300,000 to $200,000 in 2021 the house sold right away.

**Here is the deed from the sale:**

[⌊David J Hughes to Gina Colossi deed from James Tyson Boles⌉⌊David J Hughes to 
Gina Colossi deed from James Tyson Boles⌉[

I really wanted to find out why this was allowed to happen. To give him the benefit
of doubt, I telephoned Margaret’s evil son to inquire but was ignored. I also contacted
her sister, but I was ignored by her also. Why was this house sold for such a low
price? How could he do this to his mother? Why weren’t Margaret’s wishes (although
not legally stated) carried out by placing this house in the hands of a good steward
that would appreciate such a house? Maybe there is a reason – who knows? One can
always say “they should have” and I find it hard to accept otherwise. There are 
a lot of questions.

 * **Is it her son James’ fault for not taking the initiative to sell the house 
   to a good steward and make his mother happy?           ****_UPDATE:  as per the
   comment below from Margaret’s friend, it is the result of the lack of love from
   her son!_**
 * **Is it Margaret’s fault for not protecting something so valuable that she loved
   so much? She was a historic preservationist and should have known to put a historic
   preservation easement on her house.**
 * **Is is the fault of the realtor for not having some morals and filtering out
   the potential owners or is the commission more important?**
 * **Is it the fault of the township historical group or the group Margaret founded
   for not protecting their historic assets?**
 * **Lastly is it the fault of the new homeowner?**

My opinion is that it is the fault of all the above to an extent. **The one to blame
the most would be Margaret.** She was a big preservationist and should have known
the importance of placing a historic preservation easement on her house to protect
it from rabid homeowners and developers. She allowed this to happen! Was she then
really a preservationist?

One would think this house was purchased by developers but that is not the case.
These homeowners are monsters. Even though the new owners may have been raised  
in the woods by a pack of rabid wolves, one would think a they would still have 
some common sense and compassion for such a landmark.

**Complete demolition would have been a dignified death of such a building instead
of making a mockery of it.  **As which has happened with other homes, we can hope
Margaret’s spirit will forever haunt these evil homeowners for the awful crimes 
they have done to such a house.

![](/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/icon1.jpg)

**ATTENTION – This happens all the time. Why waste your time, money, and efforts
to restore your house if you don’t care enough to protect it?  You may request your
family to find a worthy buyer but what happens the the owner after that?**

 

[Read about what you can do and do it before it’s too late! ](https://www.oldhouseguy.com/homeowners-undo-historic-restoration/)

I hope you also clicked on the link in the article above about [Nancy and the Richmond Hill Historic Society. ](https://www.scoutingny.com/the-saddest-house-in-new-york-city/)

So bad karma to the new owners. As for you, I know life is busy and you would prefer
as I, to watch I Love Lucy reruns, but life is short, so **don’t procrastinate protecting
all your hard work**.

[⌊margaret tanner boles sister of Beccy Tanner⌉⌊margaret tanner boles sister of 
Beccy Tanner⌉[

Margaret Tanner Boles 1944-2007 (tombstone photo)