Jan de Beijer was born in Switzerland to Johan Jacob de Beijer (1654–1719) and his wife Maria Barbara Huisch.
His father was a Dutch officer who was in Switzerland to hire mercenaries for the army of the Dutch Republic.
At the age of six, he moved with his parents to Emmerich on the Dutch-German border.

Around 1722 he moved to Amsterdam to study with Cornelis Pronk, who was considered the most important topographical draughtsman of his time.
De Beijer lived for some years in Vierlingsbeek, near Boxmeer.
Sometime after 1750 he returned to Amsterdam, where he received further instruction from Jan Maurits Quinkhard who, like Pronk, had been a pupil of Arnold Boonen.
In Amsterdam, he founded a draughtsmen's society.
 He was active as an artist until 1769 and then retired to a small town near Kleve on the Dutch-German border, where he died.
According to some sources he died on 15 February 1780 in Emmerich, although Doesburg is also mentioned as his place of death.
Jan de Beijer was born in Switzerland to Johan Jacob de Beijer (1654–1719) and his wife Maria Barbara Huisch. His father was a Dutch officer who was in Switzerland to hire mercenaries for the army of the Dutch Republic. At the age of six, he moved with his parents to Emmerich on the Dutch-German border.
Around 1722 he moved to Amsterdam to study with Cornelis Pronk, who was considered the most important topographical draughtsman of his time. De Beijer lived for some years in Vierlingsbeek, near Boxmeer. Sometime after 1750 he returned to Amsterdam, where he received further instruction from Jan Maurits Quinkhard who, like Pronk, had been a pupil of Arnold Boonen. In Amsterdam, he founded a draughtsmen's society.  He was active as an artist until 1769 and then retired to a small town near Kleve on the Dutch-German border, where he died. According to some sources he died on 15 February 1780 in Emmerich, although Doesburg is also mentioned as his place of death.
Jan de Beijer