Joel Bean papers

Joel Bean (1825-1914) was born in Alton, New Hampshire, in 1825, the son of John and Elizabeth Hill Bean, and educated at Friends Boarding School in Providence, Rhode Island. He moved to Iowa in 1853, and taught school at West Branch, Iowa, from 1850 to 1861. In 1859, he married Hannah Elliott Shipley in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hannah was the daughter of Thomas and Lydia Shipley of Philadelphia. Joel Bean was appointed Clerk of Iowa Yearly Meeting in 1867, and he and Hannah traveled in Europe from 1872 to 1873. The Beans opposed the extremes of revivalism, but declined to join the Conservatives in withdrawing from Iowa Yearly Meeting. After their move to California, they joined a group of Friends who were initially affiliated with Iowa Yearly Meeting. They helped to form the College Park Association of Friends. However, Joel and Hannah were deposed as ministers by Iowa Yearly Meeting in 1893, and disowned by them in 1898. This action caused a strong reaction among Quakers outside of Iowa Yearly Meeting, particularly among English Friends. The Beans were subsequently received by New England Yearly Meeting as members and ministers.

Source: An Inventory of the Joel and Hannah Bean Papers, RG 5/012, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College