Thomas Beekman

Beekman was born in Kinderhook, New York to John J. Beekman and Annatje Pruyn.^[3] His elder brother was Dr. John Pruyn Beekman (1788–1861), a member of the New York State Senate from 1845 to 1847.^[4]

Beekman studied law and became an attorney and farmer in Smithfield and later Peterboro.^[5]

Beekman served in local offices including as a town clerk,^[6] and was active in the militia as aide-de-camp to the commander of its 17th Division.^[7] Beekman was also active in the Anti-Masonic movement of the 1820s and 1830s.^[8]

Elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-first Congress, Beekman was U. S. Representative for the twenty-second district of New York and served one term, from March 4, 1829, to March 3, 1831.^[9] In 1831 he was an unsuccessful Anti-Masonic candidate for the New York State Senate.^[10]

Beekman later moved back to Kinderhook, where he farmed, practiced law, was active in several businesses, including the Kinderhook National Bank,^[11] and served as Columbia County Excise Commissioner from 1857 to 1859.^[12] After his retirement in the 1860s he spent summers in Kinderhook and winters living with his daughter in New York City.

He was married to Lydia Van Schaack.^[5]

Beekman died in Kinderhook on February 2, 1870 (age 79 years, 213 days). He is interred at Kinderhook Reformed Church Cemetery.^[13]

• United States Congress. "Thomas Beekman (id: B000308)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Govtrack US Congress

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress