Cornelius C. Beekman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cornelius C. Beekman
|
|
|---|---|
Cornelius Beekman around the turn of the 20th century
|
|
| Born | January 27, 1828 |
| Died | February 22, 1915 (aged 87) |
| Resting place | Jacksonville Cemetery |
| Other names | Beek Uncle Beek |
| Occupation | Wells-Fargo Express agent Banker |
| Known for | Cornelius C. Beekman House Beekman Bank Beekman Native Plant Arboretum |
| Spouse(s) | Julia E. Hoffman |
| Children | Benjamin B. Beekman Carrie C. Beekman Lydia Beekman |
Cornelius C. Beekman (January 27, 1828 – February 22, 1915) was an important businessman in Jacksonville, Oregon. He worked as an agent for Wells Fargo, a famous express company. He also started his own bank.
Beekman is remembered today through places named after him. These include the Cornelius C. Beekman House and the Beekman Native Plant Arboretum.
Contents
Early Life and Gold Rush Adventures
Cornelius C. Beekman was born in 1828 in Dundee, New York. His father taught him how to be a carpenter. Cornelius went to public school in Yates County. He lived there until he was 22 years old.
In 1850, he sailed to San Francisco during the California Gold Rush. He hoped to find gold. However, he thought all the good gold spots were already taken. So, he worked as a carpenter in San Francisco for a short time. He earned one ounce of gold per day. In 1851, he moved north to Yreka and staked his own gold claim.
A Career in Express and Banking
In 1853, Beekman started working as a delivery rider. He worked for a company called Cram, Rogers & Co. He rode a trail through the Siskiyou Mountains several times a week. He carried important items like gold dust, letters, and packages. His route was between Yreka, California, and Jacksonville, Oregon.
Beekman moved to Jacksonville in 1853. When Cram, Rogers & Co. closed in 1856, he started his own business. It was called the Beekman Express Company. He continued to use the same delivery route.
Transporting Gold and Starting a Bank
For a while, Beekman earned five percent of the value of the gold dust he carried. Over time, he transported more than $15,000,000 worth of gold. He also earned one dollar for each letter and newspaper he delivered.
In 1857, he opened the Beekman Bank in Jacksonville. This was the first bank in Southern Oregon. People often deposited gold dust. Instead of paying interest, Beekman charged a small fee of one percent to store the gold. He continued to run his bank until just before he passed away in 1915.
Working with Wells Fargo
In 1863, Beekman became the Jacksonville agent for the Wells Fargo Express Co.. He held this important job for 40 years. While working for Wells Fargo, he shipped millions of dollars in gold dust. This gold was sent to San Francisco to be turned into coins.
Public Service and Community Involvement
Beekman ran for governor of Oregon in 1878. He was a member of the Republican party. He lost the election by a very small number of votes.
He was also a high-ranking member of the Masons. He was also part of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Beekman in Popular Culture
In 2018, Wells Fargo Bank made a TV commercial about Cornelius Beekman. The ad tells a story about a Wells Fargo stagecoach being robbed. In the story, Beekman tricked the thieves into stealing rocks instead of gold. He did this by hiding the gold in small wooden boxes that usually held candles. The robbers expected the gold to be in the strong box, so they took the wrong one!
Helping the Community
Cornelius Beekman was a generous person who helped his community.
- He served as a leader (a regent) at the University of Oregon.
- In 1880, he and Henry Failing created the Failing-Beekman Prize at the university. This prize was given for the best speech at graduation.
- Beekman also helped start the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville.
- He was one of four people who owned the land where the town of Medford, Oregon was first built.
