Daniel H. Beekman
Daniel Henry Beekman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age North Branch, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | February 1, 1951 (aged 76) |
| Occupation(s) | Judge, banker, politician |
| Known for | Judge of Somerset County Court of Common Pleas; president of Second National Bank of Somerville |
Daniel Henry Beekman (May 29, 1874 – February 1, 1951) was a distinguished American judge, banker, and political figure.
Early life and education
Born in North Branch, New Jersey, Beekman was the son of John Henry and Mary Elizabeth Lane Beekman, who managed a substantial farm in Somerset County. His ancestry includes Dutch forebears such as Rev. Gerardus Beekman, who contributed to the King James Bible translation, and Wilhelmus Beekman, a 17th-century official and treasurer of the Dutch West India Company. He completed his early education at North Branch public schools and Metz Private School for Boys before earning his law degree from New York Law School in 1896.
Career
After being admitted to the bar in 1898, Beekman launched his legal profession in Somerville, New Jersey, collaborating with former Congressman Alvah A. Clark. In 1901, he partnered with retired Judge John D. Bartine to establish a law firm. Governor Woodrow Wilson appointed him as Judge of the Somerset County Court of Common Pleas in 1913, a position he held until 1920 following reappointment by Governor James Fielder.
Following his judicial tenure, Beekman returned to private legal practice while also taking on an executive role at the Second National Bank of Somerville. He was instrumental in steering the bank through the challenges of the Great Depression, crediting its endurance to President Franklin Roosevelt's prompt policy measures. In 1937, he assumed the presidency of the bank and remained in this capacity until his passing.
In 1929, his son joined the legal firm, which was subsequently renamed Beekman & Beekman, with a strong focus on real estate law.
Beekman was actively involved in the Democratic Party at the state level and campaigned for a seat in the state senate multiple times during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Throughout World War II, he served as chairman of the Selective Service Board and was a member of the Board of Managers for the New Jersey Reformatory for Women located in Clinton.
Personal life
In 1899, Beekman married Emetta Hoffmann. They had two children: John Henry Beekman, Jr., who held positions as Somerset County Prosecutor and president of the Somerset County Bar Association, and Mabel Elizabeth Beekman, a Yale School of Nursing alumna who worked as a supervisor within New Jersey’s Department of Health.
Beekman was an elder and deacon at Somerville’s First Reformed Church and participated in organizations such as Raritan Valley Country Club and Solomon's Lodge 46. He passed away at Bound Brook Hospital.