THE BEEKMAN FAMILY                     3

Guelderland, January 24, 1621. She was the daughter of
the Rev. William Baudertius of the Reformed Church at
Zutphen, bom 1600, died September 17, 1630, at Berge.
They had seven children:

I.    Rev. Gerard Beekman, born February 20, 1622;
died 1678. He married Joanna Plautius and lived
at Grofhuyssen and Avenhoom in North Holland.

II.    Martin Beekman, bom at Hasselt, Overyssel,
August 25, 1624.    He married Maria de Bois.

III.    John Beekman, bom at Hasselt, November 26,
1625, died January 15, 1684, married first Alida
Brouwer; second Catharine Van Rysoort.

IV.    Andrew Beekman, died unmarried in 1663.

V.    Alida Beekman, married Leonard Winnix.

VI.    Maria Beekman, married, first, W. Harris, second,
N. N. Sas.

VII.    Wilhelmus or William Beekman, son of Hendrick
Beekman, born at Hasselt, Overyssel, April 28, 1623;
died September 21, 1707. He lived at a time when
Europe was engaged in religious wars and Protestants
had begun to seek refuge from persecution. He was
the founder of the Beekman family in America.

He came to New Amsterdam, now New York, from Hol¬
land in the same vessel, the ship Princess, on May 27, 1647,.
with Director-General, afterwards Governor Peter Stuyve¬
sant. Accompanying them were a number of poor persona
of good family who came from the Rhine and made settle¬
ments on the Hudson River. They became, afterwards,,
firm supporters of their leader and benefactor, William
Beekman.

He was from early youth interested in religious matters
and at the age of twenty-one was an ofiicer in the Re¬
formed Church in the Netherlands, which had then become
the most advanced nation in the world in leamiag and
thought. He had a good education and a splendid home
training which enabled him at once to take a position in
the best society of New Amsterdam. It is said that he
brought some wealth with him and that his personal charm