History
The "Beekman" name became attached to the area in 1697, from Henry Beekman, a Kingston native, who had numerous land stakes in Dutchess County. The town had also been occupied by the Wappinger Indians, before the first European settlers arrived around 1710. The Beekman Patent, granted to Beekman in 1697, was the second largest land holding in Dutchess County. In 1737, Beekman became an official Precinct and local government was erected. 1788 was the initial period of establishing towns and counties in the newly independent state of New York, but parts were removed subsequently to form other towns. Beekman contributed part of its territory to the newer Towns of La Grange (1821) and Union Vale (1827). Iron ore extraction and smelting were important in the early economy.
Beekman saw its first place of worship shortly thereafter, a Lutheran Church located off Beach Rd, was frequented by German emigrants. The Quaker family, well known in the area for being one of the initial settlers, created a meeting house in 1771 in Gardner Hollow, named the Apoquague Preparative Meeting. The church attracted most of the population at the time, and those who did not worship there frequented St. Denis Church, a Catholic Church, just beyond the East Fishkill border.
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