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THE HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
PHOTO-DATE BOOK INFORMATION
THE ARRIVAS HOUSE
City of St. Augustine, St. Johns County, Florida
St. Augustine Historioal Restoration and Preservation Commission
August, 1962
GENERAL INFORMATION
The restored structure that has been entitled the "Don Raymando
de Arrivals house" is located at h6 St. George Street in the City of St. Augus-
tine, Florida. The Tax Rolls of St. Johns County records the property as
lot 21, block 12, of the City of St. Augustine. The St. Augustine Historical
Restoration and Preservation Comission, a Florida state agency, purchased
the property on July 1, 1960, and currently owns the restored historic building
and the lot that it is erected upon. At this time the four rooms of the first
floor of the house serve as a history and historical restoration museum; the
four rooms of the second floor house the business offices of the St. Augustine
Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission, and the attic rooms of
the third level of the house provide lavatory and storage facilities.
The Arrivas House is significant historically because its present
architecture includes several different historical and cultural periodisedf
St. Augustine life. The 18th and 19th centuries appear in the total archi-
tectural form of this structure. Similarly, the Spanish, English, and American
cultural influences of those two centuries are apparent in the recently restored
building. The Arrivas House, while revealing architectural features of its
historic residents, also demonstrates the construction techniques and materials
that were employed in St. Augustine's building construction traditions of the
past. The house therefore presents a plural culture image of St. Augustine's
architectural history, which has been strengthened by the historic rehabili-
tation and preservation endeavors of the St. Augustine Historical restoration
and Preservation Commission.
PHYSICAL HISTORY
The historical site of the Don Haymundo de Arrivas House can be
successfully delineated after the American acquisition of Florida, but it is
not clearly exposed before 1820. Before that year St. Augustine properties
were not carefully described nor clearly measured because of the various
measuring systems that were employed by the Spanish and British occupants
of the old city. Archaeology, architecture, and history may later cooperate
more effectively to locate boundary lines accurately.
The Juan Elixio de la Puente Map of 1764 indicates that Don Raymando
de Arrivas owned two houses on what is believed to be the current site of the
restored structure that now houses the St. Augustine Historical Restoration
and Preservation Commission. That map lists two stone houses for that lot
while the 1788 Mariano de la Aoque Map, which designates it under the owner-
ship of the Arrivas heirs, reveals one large L-shaped masonry house. The
John de Solis and the James Monorief maps of 1765 exhibit an L-shaped house
on the same site, which conforms to the Rooque map's design of the Arrivas
House. Other late eighteenth and early nineteenth century descriptions such
as the Don Juan Nepomcaeno de Quesada's Property Assessment of 1791 and the
1800 Tax Assessment refer to this structure as a masonry house. Thereafter,
historical descriptions of the property usually only recorded the boundaries
and limits of the lot on which the historic house stood.
Archaeological excavations on the site of the Arrivas House dis-
cerned that the building location had a history that extended back to ca. 1650-
80. The early house was a tabby wall two-room building, and after other rooms
. I-
PHYSICAL HISTORY (CONT.)
were added to the house, the structure was destroyed by unknown means, ca. 1725.
Another house was constructed on the same wall lines as the ripio house,
In 1960 archaeology uncovered the foundations of an earlier tabby structure
in the position of the northern of Puente's two structures, underneath (in
part) the northern two rooms of the enlarged house of 1765 and 1788. It seems
possible that the British pulled down the northern building, enlarging the
southern one by adding two rooms to the north and three across the rear (west
side), to the one story building. The three room rear extension (its outlines
shown by 1960 archaeology) was removed at an undetermined date (probably
ca. 1830) and was not restored in 1961. Rocque shows a two story building,
and the architectural examination in 1960 uncovered a slight extension of the
exterior coquina wall upward in a fashion which might have indicated a 1788
masonry second story, or merely a parapet. In any event, the wood second
story (with balconies) was possibly added prior to 1788 and greatly rebuilt
ca. 1820-30, or added at that latter time. All its features are of this later
date, and some of 1850-60, indicating a later refurbishing of the large main
front room upstairs.
ORIGINAL AND SUBSEQUENT OERS1
From 1650-80 to 1725 (the suggested periods of the existence of the
tabby wall house) and from 1725 to 1762 the owners of the recently
restored house are unknown.
1762 and for an unknown time prior to 1762--Don tayaundo de Arrivas
"Dona Antonia de Avero sobre reasumir sus cases y posesiones, con
lo demas que de loe autos consta. Florida, Ano de 1793."
86 Folios No. 19, Bundle No. 320; City Lotes St. Augustine; Field
Note Division, Department of Agriculture (Tallahassee), State of
Florida. And Charles W. Arnade, "The Avero Story: An Early St.
Augustine Family with Maay Daughters and MaWy Homes", Florida
Historical Quarterly, Vol. XXXI, Ko. 1, July, 1961.
1764.....Don Raymundo de Arrivas
(Juan Klixio de la Puente Man and Index of St. Augustine,
Florida, in 17 -
1764--to unknown date....Jesse Fish
(Escrituras, Jan. 14, 1785, p. 105 and Jan. 16, 1784, Feb. 24, 1787,
p. 117)
1765-88 (?)...the "Spanish Adjutant"
(As listed in the 1765 James Moncrief Ma.)
1788....eirs of Don Raynado do Arrivas
(Mariano de la Rogue HT and of St. Augustine, Florida,
1791....Heirs of Don Raymando de Arrivas
(Don Juan Nepoceno do ada Land Inventory and
Assessment of 11.)
This chronological listing of owners concerns the probable owners who
lived on the probable site of the recently restored Arrivas House.
According to the conclusions of this research effort it is not possible
to claim that all these owners lived in the house that bear the present
house's architectural design. Also, it is essential to mention that this
list is not necessarily complete. In the British Period (1763-84), for
example, only Jesse Fish and the "Spanish Adjutant" are listed as owners,
and their dates of ownership remain unknown.
OoIGDNAL AND SUBSaQUENT owns count. )
1800....Heirs of Don R ayimdo de Arrivae
(Tax Assessment of 1800)
183....Tadeo de Arrivaas
(Escrituras Dee. 2, 1801, p. 159; April 27, 1813, p. 43;
D'c. 20, 1i15, p. 202 v)
182l....John Oate
(St. John Conty Deed Book
1826....Thomas Murphy
(St. Johns County Deed Book G,
1826....Aliee (oates) Cotter
(St. Johns on Deed Book G,
p. y ; 6-9, May 1, 1824)
p. 2#, May 28, 1826)
p. 2#, May 28, 1826)
1832.,,,Waters Smith
(St. Johns County Deed Book I-J, p. 278, May 24, 1832)
1836....Doliy Lean
(St. Johns County Deed Book M page 276, Dec. 1, 1836)
27Y- 8r
1838....Ellen Tucker
(St. Johns County Deed Book 0, p. 387, Dee. 31, 1841)
1821....John Beard and Mary M. Avery, administrators of Isaac
W. Avery estate.
(St. Johns County Deed Book 0, p. 387, Dec. 31, 1841)
ORIGINAL AND SUBSEQUENT OWNERS count. )
( 1846....Elza M. Nunes
(St. Johns County Deed Book P, page 116-17, Jan. 13, 1847)
gy 1852...Rhyndon G. Mays and S. B. Mays
(St. Johns County Deed Book P, page 274, June 18, 1852)
(9 1857 ....iomalda Arnau
(St. Johns County Deed Book Q, page 130, Oct. 17, 1857)
s) 1869-71.Antonia Arnau Genovar and Frank denovar (husband)
Alma Owen Muldowney, 0. B. Muldowney (husband), Wallaoe J. Owen
and Paul A. Owen (heirs of deceased mother Josephine Arnau Owen)
Antonia Arnau Genovar and Josephine Arnau Owen are the only heirs
of deceased mother Romaldo Arnau and deceased father Paul Arnau.
(St. Johns County Deed Book T, page7-t& April 26, 1871)
(C? 1911....Joseph G. Libby and Gertrude Bravo Libby
(St. Johns County Deed Book 23, page 12, Dec. 29, 1911)
0y 1918-19.2eoples Bank for Savings, a Corporation of Florida
(St. Johns County Deed Book 42, page 366, Sept. 4, 1919)
(0 1920....Morris Friedman
(St. Johns County Deed Book 14, page 203, Nov. 20, 1920)
1925....Caleb S. Zia (Mr. C. S. Zim purchased 21 feet of the frontage of
block 12 lot 21. Zim's purchased lot was 21 feet (North-South)
by 126 feet (East-West).
(St. Johns i county Deed Book $7, p. 109, June 8, 1925)
* 4
ORIGINAL AND SUBSEQUENT OWNERS count. )
1926....E. E. Boyce & V. J. Chauvin (These parties purchased Zim's part of
Block 17, lot 21)
(St. Johns County Deed Book 64, p. 542, Oct. 23, 1925)
1933....E. E. Boyce and V. J. Ohauvin (These parties purchased the north
portion of block 12, lot 21)
(St. Johns County Deed Book 102, page 67, Jan. 19, 1933)
) 1944....V. J. Chauvin (Chauvin purchased all of block 12, lot 21 from the
heirs of E. E. Boyce)
(St. Johns County Deed Book 14_8, p. 552, Feb. 1, 1943)
1946....Judson C. Eubank (Eubank purchased north section of block 12, lot 21)
(St. Johns County Deed Book 163, page 5, Oct. 29, 1946)
S19469...Judson C. Eubank and Chester W. Siegmund (Siegmund purchased 1/2
interest in north portion of lot 21)
(St. Johns County Deed Book 163, page 7, Oct. 29, 1946)
1947....Cecile H. Pope (Pope purchased south portion of lot 21 from
V. J. Chauvin)
(St. Johns County Deed Book 16U, p. 258, Jan. 17, 1947)
1948....Faith Kurt Tiberio (Tiberio purchased south portion of lot 21 from
C. H. Pope)
(St. Johns County ieed Book 171, page 498, Jan. 28, 1948)
19 ij....Walter B. Fraser (Fraser purchased south portion of lot 21 from
F. K. Tiberio )
(St. Johns County Deed Book 212, page 38h, August 6, 1954)
V
ORIGINAL AND SUBSEQUENT OWNERS count. )
1955..*.MacDonald Johnstone and Elisabeth S. Johnstone (The Johnstones
purchased south portion of lot 21 from dW. B. Fraser)
(St. Johns County Deed Book 217, page 32, Feb. 23, 1955)
Bibliographical notation
The historical research on this report dealing with events prior to
1764 was compiled primarily from Dr. Hale 3. Smith' s Final Field report of
Archaeological Investigations of the Arrivas House and a Preliminary Survey
of Block 12, lots 22, 23, and 24 Information after that date was extracted
from the property transfer records of the it. Johns County liecord Archives,
the Garnegie Record files and other library sources of the St. Augustine
Historical Society, and the history files of the St. Augustine Historical
Restoration and Preservation Commission.
Date of erection:
The exact date of erection is unknown, but the house in its present
form was probably finished in the late eighteenth century, ca. 1770-90.
Architect and builder:
The architect and/or builder of the original house remains unknown.
The restored version of the old house was built by the St. Augustine Historical
Restoration and Preservation Oommission under the architectural direction of
William A. Stewart.
. 4
Original plans:
The original plans of the house are not available. The restored
house, of course, has architectural plans which are held by the St. Augustine
Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission.
Ntes on alterations and additions:
The history of this building indicates that the building has undergone
numerous renovations, alterations and reconstruction. From a seventeenth century
two room tabby walled, one floor dwelling the present three story building has
evolved through a history of architectural transformation. Nevertheless, the
present restored building probably reveals the general balconied and two-story
form that it has continued to exhibit since the late eighteenth century. It is
also important to mention that the dwelling has always shown a masonry or shell-
stone construction composition.
Old views:
There are numerous late nineteenth and early twentieth century photo-
graphs of this restored structure.
Source of information:
Most of this research was drawn from the Land and Deed Aecords of the
St. Johns Gounty Archives, the maps, Spanish Records, and carnegie file house
documents of the St. Augustine Historical Society and the St. Augustine Histori-
cal Restoration and Preservation Coriission.
kely scores not yet investigated
The University of Florida's P. K. Yonge Library's Stetson Collection,
Lockey Collection, and British Golonial Reoorda could offer more material relevant
to the history of this house and other St. Augustine historic houses. The East
Florida Papers collection in the Library of Congress (Washington, D. G.) and the
Bahama Islands Colonial Records might likewise offer information pertaining to
St. Augustine historic houses and sites.
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