James Beekman (1732-1807) was a New York City merchant who lived at 240 Queen Street in 1789 (now Pearl Street). He also had a country mansion known as Mount Pleasant, built on the East River in 1763 near the northwest corner of 1st Avenue and East 51st Street, which was used as a British military headquarters during the American Revolution and was the site of the trial of Nathan Hale. Beekman was one of the Committee of One Hundred selected to take charge of New York City in 1775, and he remained a Whig. When the British occupied New York City, he moved to Esopus in Ulster County, but returned after the War, operating a dry goods importing business with his sons. Beekman was a member of the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York and served in the New York Chamber of Commerce. He was married to Jane Keteltas and was the brother of William Beekman and Gerard Beekman, also New York Society Library members.