54                    THE BEEKMAN FAMILY

months in prison, but was afterward pardoned. The un¬
fortunate patriot Leisler was hanged. Govemor Benjamin
Fletcher who succeeded Colonel Sloughter was in turn
succeeded by Govemor Bellomont. In 1700 Dr. Beekman
was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel and then Colonel under
Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont. The same documentary
history of New York has under the heading "Province of
New York" the following curious entry:

"List of ye present officers of ye Militia in his Ma'tys
Province of New York in America commissioned by his
Excel. Rich'd [Coote] Earle of Bellomont Capt Generall
& Gov'r in chief in & over his Ma'tys said Province &c viz:
"of ye Regiment of Militia in King's County on ye said
Island [Nassau]

Stephen Cortlandt—Colonel         ]

Gerardus Beekman—Lieut. Col.    V Field officers"

Com. Van Brunt Maj'r                 j

"of ye Foot Compa in ye town of New Uytreyt

John Van Dyke Cap't

Joost Van Brunt Lieut

Matys Smake Ensigne"
It is interesting to note here that Lieut.-Col. Gerardus
Beekman and Cap't. John Van Dyke mentioned above
were ancestors of the author and that the Earl of Bello¬
mont was of the same family collaterally as that of his wife,
J>Iora Hamilton Coote Aitken.

After the death of the Earl of Bellomont, which occurred
March 5, 1701, the King appointed as his successor. Lord
Cornbury, who began his administration on the third of
May, 1702, assisted by a Council, consisting of the following
•members: William Atwood, William Smith, Peter Schuyler,
Abraham de Peyster, Samuel Staats, Robert Walters,
Thomas Weaver, Sampson Shelton Broughton, Wolfgang
William Romar, William Lawrence, Gerardus Beekman, and
Rip Van Dam. Many of them are ancestors mentioned in
this book. It is quite remarkable that throughout the dis¬
turbing politics of the time Colonel Gerardus Beekman was
popular with the people and yet received important offices