Among Henry's siblings were sister Maria Beekman (wife of Nicholas William
Stuyvesant, son of Governor
Peter Stuyvesant);
Gerardus Beekman, a wealthy physician and land owner who served as president of the council and acting governor of the
Province of New York in 1710; Cornelia Beekman (wife of Isaac Van Vleck); and Johannes Beekman (who married Aeltje Thomas Popinga).[7]
Career
In June 1682, Beekman received the deed[which?] of
Esopus Indians. In 1703, he received the patent to
Marbletown, New York,[8] along with Capt. Thomas Garton and Capt. Charles Brodhead for the freeholders of Marbletown.[9]
On January 25, 1684, Beekman was appointed Justice of the Peace for
Ulster County by the Governor and Council.[10] He also served as a Colonel of Militia.[9]
From 1691 to 1693, again from 1695 to 1698, and lastly, from 1702 until his death in 1716, he represented Ulster in the
New York General Assembly.[11][12] From 1691 to 1693, he concurrently represented
Westchester and
Dutchess in the Assembly.[13]
Personal life
On June 5, 1681, Beekman was married to Jannetje "Johanna" (
née de Loper) Davidson (1650–1743), a daughter of Captain Jacob de Loper of
Stockholm and Cornelia (née Melyn) de Loper, and the widow of Joris Davidson. Her maternal grandfather was
Cornelius Melyn,
Patroon of
Staten Island.[14] Together, they were the parents of:[15]
Wilhelmus "William" Beekman (1682–1700), who died unmarried in the Netherlands.[10]
Catryntie "Catharine" Beekman (1683–1745), who married Cornelius Exveen; Johannes "John" Rutsen and Albert Pawling.[10]
Henry Beekman (1687–1775), who married Janet Livingston (1703–1724), a daughter of
Robert Livingston the Younger. After her death in 1724, he married Gertrude van Cortlandt (1682–1777), a daughter of New York City mayor
Stephanus Van Cortlandt, in 1726. Henry was the recipient of two large tracts of land in Dutchess County, one near
Rhinebeck and the other, called the Back Lots or Beekman Patent, in the Southeast corner of Dutchess County.
^Bernstorf, Mrs. Philip W. (2003). Directory of the Hereditary Order of Colonial Governors Prior to 4 July 1776. Hereditary Order of Descendants of Colonial Governors. p. 24.
^Charles, Michael Harrison (2006). List of the Colonial Governors Prior to 4 July 1776. Hereditary Order of Descendants of Colonial Governors. p. 30.
^Charles, Michael Harrison (2006). List of the Colonial Governors Prior to 4 July 1776. Hereditary Order of Descendants of Colonial Governors. p. 30.