Bean, Joel, 1825-1914

Joel Bean and his wife, Hannah Elliott Bean, were prominent Quaker ministers in Iowa Yearly Meeting. They moved to San Jose, California, in 1882, but were disowned by evangelical Friends in 1898.

Born in Alton, New Hampshire, in 1825, the son of John and Elizabeth Hill Bean, Joel Bean was educated at Friends Boarding School in Providence, Rhode Island. He migrated to Iowa in 1853, and taught school at West Branch, Iowa from 1850 to 1861. In 1859, he married Hannah Elliott Shipley in Philadelphia. 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 travelled 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 finally disowned by them in 1898. This action caused a strong reaction among Quakers outside of Iowa Yearly Meeting, particularly among English Friends who knew and respected the couple after their religious visit to Europe. They were subsequently received by New England Yearly Meeting as members and ministers.

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