Gerardus Beekman

Gerardus Beekman
Governor of the Province of New York Acting
In office April 10, 1710 – June 14, 1710
Monarch	Anne
Preceded by	Richard Ingoldesby (acting)
Succeeded by	Robert Hunter
Personal details
Born	Gerardus Willemse Beekman August 1653 Province of New York
Died	October 10, 1723 (aged 70) New Amsterdam, New York
Spouse(s)	Magdalena Abeel (m. 1677)
Parents	Wilhelmus H. Beekman Catalina De Boogh
Profession	Physician and Acting Governor of New York

Gerardus Willemse Beekman (c. August 1653 – October 10, 1723) was a wealthy physician, land owner, and colonial governor of the Province of New York.

He was christened 17 August 1653 at Corlaer's Hook Plantation, New York, the second son of Wilhelmus Hendricksen Beekman (1623–1707) and Catalina De Boogh. His father was a Dutch immigrant who came to New Amsterdam from the Netherlands on the same vessel as Peter Stuyvesant. Wilhelmus soon became Treasurer of the Dutch West India Company and later became the Mayor of New York City, Governor of Delaware from 1653 to 1664, and Governor of Pennsylvania from 1658 to 1663.

In 1681, he was captain of militia at Flatbush, and in 1689, he was appointed Major of all the horse and foot in Kings County.

From 1690 to 1691, he was a member of Jacob Leisler's Council and government, which led to what is known as Leisler's Rebellion. In 1691, when Henry Sloughter came to America as Deputy Governor to succeed Francis Nicholson, whose government had been overthrown by Leisler after the accession of William of Orange, Beekman was arrested along with Leisler and others. Beekman served 17 months in prison, but was pardoned afterward, unlike Leisler, who was hanged. Gov. Benjamin Fletcher, who succeeded Sloughter, was succeeded by Richard Coote. In 1700, Beekman was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, and then Colonel, under the Earl of Bellomont.

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