He filled the office of Burgomaster of New Orange in 1674, and was Alderman subsequently under the English, from 1678 to 1682; and again in 1685; and 1691 down to 1696, when he retired from public life."*1 " In 1652 he purchased Corlear's Hook for 750 guilders; in 1677 he is mentioned as a brewer in New York, where the present " William " and " Beeckman " streets still bear his name." He died in New York in 1707 in the 85th year of his age, leaving by his wife, Catharine de Bough, six children. Henry Beeckman, the eldest son, settled in Kingston, was Judge of Ulster County and member of the Provincial Legislature. Gerardus, the second son, was President of the Provincial Council; and, in 17 10, temporarily Governor of the Colony of New York. By his wife Magdalen Abeel he had a son, Gerardus Beekman, who was born in 1693. In the north-west corner of this town is situated the parochial church of St. Mary's, Beechwood. Mount Pleasant was formerly included within the Manor of Philipsburgh, one of the four precincts of the parish of West Chester.

From the MSS. of the venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, it appears that as early as 1759, there were people enough in Philips' Manor for a large congregation without any minister at all. In 1 76 1 the Rev. Ebenezer Dibble of Stamford, Conn., who visited this part of the country, says : -- " I found a great want of a regular clergyman to officiate in these parts, to prevent confusions in religion, which hath too much obtained ; and there seems a general good disposition to the Church, if they could be favored with a settled teacher. This deficiency was in some measure supplied by the appointment of the Rev.