December 8, 2015
Discrepancies over property ownership were common in early Jacksonville, and between 1859 and 1863, seven different “owners” claimed rights to the small saltbox house property located at 375 East California Street. Cornelius C. Beekman “purchased” the property in 1861. When James Cluggage was granted official donation land claim rights to the property in 1863, he deeded them over to Beekman. Cornelius Beekman probably occupied the property from the time of his 1861 marriage to Julia Hoffman until he moved into what’s now known as the “Beekman House” around 1873. All 3 of the Beekman’s children were born in this small house, and the space was also shared with Beekman’s friend and bank “clerk,” Judge U.S. Hayden, and by the family’s Chinese cook, Eni Yan.