Wilhelmus Beekman
| Wilhelmus Beekman | |
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Mayor of New York City Acting |
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In office 1682–1683 |
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| Governor | Anthony Brockholls |
| Preceded by | William Dyre |
| Succeeded by | Cornelius Van Steenwyk |
| Deputy Mayor of New York City | |
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In office 1681–1683 |
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| Governor | Anthony Brockholls |
| Governor of the Colony of Swedes | |
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In office 1658–1663 |
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| Preceded by | Johan Risingh |
| Succeeded by | William Penn, became the Province of Pennsylvania |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Wilhelmus Hendricksen Beekman April 28, 1623 Hasselt, Overijssel, Netherlands |
| Died | September 21, 1707 (aged 84) Rhinebeck, Province of New York |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Catalina de Boogh |
| Children | 9, including Gerardus |
| Parents | Hendrick Beekman Mary Baudartius |
| Relatives |
Willem Baudartius (grandfather) Rev. Gerardus Beekman (grandfather) |
| Profession | Politician |
Wilhelmus Hendricksen Beekman (April 28, 1623 – September 21, 1707) — also known as William Beekman and Willem Beekman (or Beeckman) — was a Dutch immigrant to America who came to New Amsterdam (now New York City) from the Netherlands in the same vessel (the ship Princess, on May 27, 1647) with Director-General (afterwards Governor) Peter Stuyvesant. Beekman soon became Treasurer of the Dutch West India Company, beginning a long life in public service that included being Mayor of New York City, Governor of Delaware, 1653-1664 and Governor of Pennsylvania, 1658-1663. Beekman was the founder of the Beekman family in America.
Wilhelmus (William, Willem) Beekman was born at Hasselt, Overijssel, Netherlands on April 28, 1623 to Hendrick Beekman and Mary Baudartius, who had married in 1621 at Zutphen, the Netherlands.
His paternal grandfather, Rev. Gerardus Beekman (1558–1625), who was born in Cologne, received a University education and studied theology at Frankendale in the Palatinate Region, during the years 1576-78.
He became one of the most learned scholars of his time. He is said to have been able to “speak, think and dream” in five languages. Rev. Beekman, who married Agnes Stunning (1557–1614), at Cleves, died at Emmerich in 1625, and Stunning died at Mülheim, Germany in 1614.
Gerardus Beekman lived at a time when Europe was engaged in religious wars and Protestants had begun to seek refuge from persecution. The persecution of Protestants by the Archbishop of Cologne was the cause of Gerardus' settling in the neighboring city of Mülheim, a refuge for Protestants. Rev. Beekman took a prominent part in the support of the principles of the new church and was chosen one of the delegates to visit the Duke of New Berg, the Elector of Brandenburg and James I to secure their support in behalf of the reformed religion. His mission executed with so much credit to himself, James I caused the coat of arms of the Beekman family to be remodelled, to "a rose on either side of a running brook". Rev. Beekman was one of the distinguished scholars who translated the King James Bible from the original manuscripts into English, for James I, and for his services received special honors from the King.
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