James Beekman (3/5/1732 - 4/6/1807)

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Borrowing activity from 1/8/1791 to 8/21/1805.
James Beekman, a merchant, was born on March 5, 1732 (Burke 401). Beekman was the great-grandson of mid-seventeenth century Dutch immigrants to New Amsterdam who gained prominence in the city's merchant community (Heckscher 114). In 1750 Beekman went into business importing dry goods. In 1763 he purchased land in Turtle Bay on the East River, about four miles north of his city home on Hanover Square, and began construction of a country estate known as Mount Pleasant (Turner; Heckscher 116). Beekman was a member of the Committee of One Hundred, formed in 1775 to function as New York City's municipal government during the American Revolution, and of the New York Provincial Congress and Convention between 1775 and 1777 (Burrows and Wallace 223-224; Aitken 118). In 1777 he was a member of the convention that drafted the Constitution for the State of New York (Turner; Stevens 123). With the British occupation of New York City during the war, Beekman moved his family to Esopus (now Kingston), New York and then to Connecticut ("James"; Harrison 14). He returned to New York City after the war in 1784, established a dry goods importing business with his sons called James Beekman & Sons, and focused on managing the extensive properties in New York City accumulated by the Beekman family (Stevens 123; Leder 133). He was a member of the New York Chamber of Commerce (Austin 122-123).

Beekman was the youngest son of William Beekman, a merchant, and Catharine Delanoy. He was the brother of Library members William Beekman and Gerard W. Beekman, Sr. He married Jane Keteltas in October 1752; they had 10 or 12 children, including Library members Abraham K. Beekman, Gerard W. Beekman, James Beekman, Jr., John K. Beekman, and William Beekman (Bergen 491; Turner; Aitken 120-124). 

During the American Revolution, Mount Pleasant was used as a British military headquarters under General William Howe, and was the site of the trial of Nathan Hale. It was visited by General George Washington on his triumphal re-entry into New York City in 1783 (Turner; Aitken 120). After the war, the Beekmans regained possession of the estate, which had been maintained by slaves, and it became a meeting place for American officers, including Washington (Harrison 15; Phelps 176-177). When Mount Pleasant was demolished in 1874, artifacts from the home were donated to the New-York Historical Society; these items were later joined in 1911 by a coach belonging to James Beekman, hidden during the Revolutionary War, and donated by Gerard Beekman (Turner; "Nation").     

Beekman died on April 6, 1807.
 Works Cited
James Beekman Library Average
Circulation records from 1793-1799 are lost.
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As classified in the 1813 Library Catalog.

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James Beekman Library Average
Full Title Author Volume Date Out Date In Rep. Fine Ledger
Transcribed: Savrys LettersClaude-Étienne Savary1/8/17911/12/1792
Transcribed: Ossians PoemsJames MacphersonVolume 110/5/179110/17/17914d
Transcribed: "James MacphersonVolume 210/17/179110/24/1791
Transcribed: Colum MagVolume 110/24/179111/14/1791
Transcribed: "Volume 211/14/179111/19/1791
Transcribed: Brydones tourPatrick Brydone11/19/179111/26/1791
Transcribed: Col. MagVolume 311/26/179111/30/1791
Transcribed: BonyowskyMaurice Auguste BenyowskyVolume 111/30/179112/6/1791
Transcribed: "Maurice Auguste BenyowskyVolume 212/16/179112/19/1791
Transcribed: ChatteleuxFrançois-Jean ChastelluxVolume 112/19/179112/24/1791
Transcribed: "François-Jean ChastelluxVolume 212/24/179112/29/1791
Transcribed: Vaillants TravelsFrançois Le Vaillant12/29/17911/8/1792
Transcribed: Berretti TravelsGiuseppe Marco Antonio Baretti1/12/17921/14/1792
Transcribed: "Giuseppe Marco Antonio BarettiVolume 21/14/17921/18/1792
Transcribed: Catesbys LettersMarie Jeanne de Heurles Laboras de Mezières Riccoboni; Frances Moore Brooke1/18/17921/19/1792
Transcribed: Harrison ClassickVolume 71/19/17921/20/1792
Transcribed: Boswells JournalJames Boswell1/20/17921/26/1792
Transcribed: World DisplayedVolume 71/20/17921/20/1792
Transcribed: Savarys LettersClaude-Étienne SavaryVolume 21/26/17921/31/1792
Transcribed: Fosters VoyageJohann Reinhold Forster1/31/17922/4/1792
Transcribed: Harrison ClassickVolume 42/4/17922/4/1792
Transcribed: Harris CollectionVolume 12/4/17922/17/1792
Transcribed: Browns TravelsEdward BrownVolume 12/17/17922/20/1792
Transcribed: "Edward BrownVolume 22/20/17922/22/1792
Transcribed: Bruce MemoirsPeter Henry Bruce2/22/17923/6/1792
Transcribed: Irvins AdventuresEyles Irwin3/6/17923/17/1792
Transcribed: Tour in hollandElkanah Watson3/16/17923/21/1792
Transcribed: Gustavus VasaOlaudah Equiano3/21/17923/30/1792
Transcribed: Alex. WomenWilliam AlexanderVolume 23/30/17924/20/1792
Transcribed: Portlock & Dict. VoyageNathaniel Portlock11/13/179911/25/1799
Transcribed: Botanic GardenErasmus Darwin11/25/179912/14/1799
Transcribed: Rolands AppealMarie-Jeanne RolandVolume 21/28/18001/28/1800
Transcribed: Taylor's TravelsJohn TaylorVolume 13/6/18003/26/1800
Transcribed: Staverinus VoyageJohan Splinter StavorinusVolume 33/26/18004/7/1800
Transcribed: Monthly MagVolume 14/7/18004/17/1800
Transcribed: Staverinus VoyageJohan Splinter StavorinusVolume 14/24/18005/6/1800
Transcribed: Wraxals N. CourtsSir Nathaniel William WraxallVolume 25/6/18006/2/1800
Transcribed: Paynes N HistJohn PayneVolume 26/2/18006/18/1800
Transcribed: "John PayneVolume 56/18/18007/17/1800
Transcribed: Monthly MagVolume 77/17/18008/7/1800
Transcribed: "Volume 68/7/18009/23/18001/2
Transcribed: European MagazineVolume 269/23/180010/25/1800
Transcribed: "Volume 2110/25/180011/29/1800
Transcribed: Hugh Boyd's WorksHugh BoydVolume 111/29/180012/16/1800
Transcribed: Edinb. MagVolume 912/16/18001/14/1801
Transcribed: "Volume 81/14/18012/6/1801
Transcribed: "Volume 22/6/18013/11/1801
Transcribed: Memoirs EgyptInstitut d'Egypte (1798-1801)3/11/18014/11/1801
Transcribed: Saltz. Gymnast.Christian Gotthilf Salzmann4/11/18014/27/1801
Transcribed: Barthelemoe's Voyagea S. Bartholomaeo Paulinus4/27/18016/4/1801
Transcribed: "J.-J. (Jean-Jacques) Barthélemy6/4/18016/25/1801
Transcribed: Sporting Mag.Volume 148/13/18018/26/1801
Transcribed: Dublin MagVolume 28/13/18018/26/1801
Transcribed: Register TimesVolume 28/26/18019/2/1801
Transcribed: Wonderful MagVolume 18/26/18018/26/1801
Transcribed: Register TimesVolume 18/26/18019/2/1801
Transcribed: Memoirs C PetersburgCharles François Philibert MassonVolume 29/2/18019/29/1801
Transcribed: Memoirs C PetersburgCharles François Philibert MassonVolume 19/2/18019/29/1801
Transcribed: Monthly MirrorVolume 109/29/180111/5/1801
Transcribed: "Volume 1011/5/180112/10/1801
Transcribed: Weld's TravelsIsaac WeldVolume 11/5/18021/14/1802
Transcribed: Weld's TravelsIsaac WeldVolume 21/5/18021/14/1802
Transcribed: Union MagazineVolume 11/14/18022/3/1802
Transcribed: Civil Wars GranadaGinez Perez De Hita; Thomas Rodd2/3/18022/20/1802
Transcribed: Bissetts Life BurkeRobert Bisset2/20/18023/9/1802
Transcribed: London Review3/9/18023/26/1802
Transcribed: RebelAnonymous3/26/18024/12/1802
Transcribed: Sporting Mag.Volume 166/15/18027/6/1802
Transcribed: "Volume 137/6/18027/26/1802
Transcribed: "Volume 147/26/18028/10/1802
Transcribed: "Volume 128/10/18028/24/1802
Transcribed: "Volume 118/24/18029/3/1802
Transcribed: Pirate NaplesMary CharltonVolume 29/3/18029/10/1802
Transcribed: Pirate NaplesMary CharltonVolume 39/3/18029/10/1802
Transcribed: Pirate NaplesMary CharltonVolume 19/3/18029/10/1802
Transcribed: Solemn InjunctionAgnes MusgraveVolume 29/10/18029/16/1802
Transcribed: Solemn InjunctionAgnes MusgraveVolume 39/10/18029/16/1802
Transcribed: Solemn InjunctionAgnes MusgraveVolume 49/10/18029/16/1802
Transcribed: Solemn InjunctionAgnes MusgraveVolume 19/10/18029/16/1802
Transcribed: Monthly MagVolume 129/16/18029/29/1802
Transcribed: Priest's TravelsWilliam Priest9/29/180210/21/1802
Transcribed: Literary LeisureHewson ClarkeVolume 110/21/180211/13/1802
Transcribed: Danabergers TravelsChristian Frederick. DambergerVolume 111/13/180212/20/1802
Transcribed: Europ MagVolume 4012/20/18021/10/1803
Transcribed: CatNew York Society Library1/10/18031/6
Transcribed: Drakes L HoursNathan DrakeVolume 21/10/18031/26/1803
Transcribed: MorduantJohn MooreVolume 11/26/18032/15/1803
Transcribed: MorduantJohn MooreVolume 31/26/18032/15/1803
Transcribed: MorduantJohn MooreVolume 21/26/18032/15/1803
Transcribed: Hunters TravelsWilliam Hunter2/15/18033/3/1803
Transcribed: Campbells TravelsDonald Campbell3/3/18034/14/1803
Transcribed: Cheniers MoroccoLouis de ChénierVolume 14/14/18035/27/1803
Transcribed: Cheniers MoroccoLouis de ChénierVolume 24/14/18035/27/1803
Transcribed: Domestic EncyclopediaAnthony WillichVolume 47/18/18038/3/1803
Transcribed: "Anthony WillichVolume 28/3/180311/9/1803
Transcribed: "Anthony WillichVolume 311/9/180311/29/1803
Transcribed: Life KotesbueAugust von Kotzebue11/29/180312/26/1803
Transcribed: Stauntons EmbassySir George StauntonVolume 112/29/18031/26/1804
Transcribed: Stauntons EmbassySir George StauntonVolume 212/29/18031/26/1804
Transcribed: Thickness JourneyPhilip Thicknesse1/26/18042/7/1804
Transcribed: Kotesbues ExileAugust von KotzebueVolume 11/26/18042/7/1804
Transcribed: Kotesbues ExileAugust von KotzebueVolume 21/26/18042/7/1804
Transcribed: Asiatic A. RegisterVolume 18022/7/18042/20/1804
Transcribed: Morheads TravelsLockhart Muirhead2/20/18043/3/1804
Transcribed: Europ MagVolume 423/3/18043/27/1804
Transcribed: Unfortunate QueenCaroline Mathilde10/3/180410/20/1804
Transcribed: Biography WomenMary Hays10/20/180411/14/1804
Transcribed: Revolutionary PlutarchStewartonVolume 211/14/180412/4/1804
Transcribed: Memoirs on EgyptInstitut d'Egypte (1798-1801)12/31/18041/23/1805
Transcribed: Revol PlutarchStewartonVolume 21/23/18051/23/1805
Transcribed: Meaurheads TravelsLockhart Muirhead1/26/18052/13/1805
Transcribed: Europ MagVolume 91/26/18052/13/1805
Transcribed: Irvings VoyageVolume 21/26/18052/13/1805
Transcribed: Browns TravelsEdward Brown2/1/18052/11/1805
Transcribed: Pelew IslandsGeorge Keate2/11/18052/19/1805
Transcribed: Hornemans TravelsFriedrich Hornemann2/11/18052/11/1805
Transcribed: Philips B. Bay2/13/18052/15/1805
Transcribed: Wilson's EgyptSir Robert WilsonVolume 22/13/18052/15/1805
Transcribed: Wilson's EgyptSir Robert WilsonVolume 12/13/18052/15/1805
Transcribed: Revol PlutarchStewartonVolume 32/13/18053/1/1805
Transcribed: Life BonaparteDubroca2/19/18053/1/1805
Transcribed: Revol PlutarchStewartonVolume 33/1/18053/8/1805
Transcribed: Life DarwinAnna Seward3/15/18054/10/1805
Transcribed: Europ Mag 18043/15/18054/10/1805
Transcribed: Lawrence on HorsesJohn LawrenceVolume 13/15/18053/18/1805
Transcribed: Wilson EgyptSir Robert WilsonVolume 23/18/18053/18/1805
Transcribed: Wilson EgyptSir Robert WilsonVolume 13/18/18053/18/1805
Transcribed: Thompsons EgyptCharles Thompson4/10/18055/3/1805
Transcribed: Sporting Mag.Volume 104/10/18055/3/1805
Transcribed: Lawrence on HorsesJohn LawrenceVolume 24/10/18055/3/1805
Transcribed: Symes AvaMichael SymesVolume 14/18/18055/3/1805
Transcribed: Adams TravelsJohn Adams5/3/18055/28/1805
Transcribed: Whitman's TravelsWilliam. WittmanVolume 15/3/18055/29/1805
Transcribed: Peyrouses VoyageJean-François de Galaup La PérouseVolume 15/28/18056/14/1805
Transcribed: Wakefield's MemoirsGilbert WakefieldVolume 15/29/18056/13/1805
Transcribed: Wakefield's MemoirsGilbert WakefieldVolume 25/29/18056/13/1805
Transcribed: Harvest HomeMr. PrattVolume 16/13/18057/10/1805
Transcribed: Harvest HomeMr. PrattVolume 26/13/18057/10/1805
Transcribed: Peyrouse's VoyageJean-François de Galaup La PérouseVolume 26/14/18056/29/1805
Transcribed: Peyrouse's VoyageJean-François de Galaup La PérouseVolume 36/14/18056/29/1805
Transcribed: Lessips VoyageJean-Baptiste-Barthélemy LessepsVolume 26/29/18057/8/1805
Transcribed: Lessips VoyageJean-Baptiste-Barthélemy LessepsVolume 16/29/18057/8/1805
Transcribed: Cookes VoyageJohn HawkesworthVolume 27/8/18057/8/1805
Transcribed: Cookes VoyageJohn HawkesworthVolume 17/8/18057/8/1805
Transcribed: Martins W IslandsMartin Martin7/10/18058/8/1805
Transcribed: Harvest HomeMr. PrattVolume 37/10/18058/8/1805
Transcribed: Acerbis TravelsGiuseppe AcerbiVolume 28/8/18058/21/1805
Transcribed: Acerbis TravelsGiuseppe AcerbiVolume 18/8/18058/21/1805
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