Main content
Joel and Hannah Bean Papers
Notifications
Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Joel Bean 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 migrated to Iowa in 1853, and taught school at West Branch, Iowa, from 1850 to 1861. In 1859, he married Hannah Elliott Shipley at Orange Street Meeting House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hannah. the daughter of Thomas and Lydia Shipley of Philadelphia, was born in 1830. Thomas Shipley was a noted Quaker abolitionist. Hannah was educated at the Westtown School and taught at Friends Select School and at Mary Anna Longstreth's School for the Higher Education of Girls. The Beans visited the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) from 1861-1862 as Quaker ministers, and Joel was appointed clerk of the Iowa Yearly Meeting in 1867. The couple toured Europe from 1872-1873 as ministers.
The Beans opposed the extremes of revivalism, but declined to join the Conservatives in withdrawing from Iowa Yearly Meeting. The strain of the controversy affected Joel's health, and the Beans moved to San Jose, California, in 1882. After their move to San Jose, they joined a group of Friends who were initially affiliated with Iowa Yearly Meeting and 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 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. Hannah Bean died in San Jose, California, in 1909, and Joel Bean died in Hawaii in 1914.
The Beans were among the founders of the College Park Association of Friends in San Jose, and their granddaughter, Anna Cox Brinton, was influential in its later development into Pacific Yearly Meeting.
The Bean Papers consist primarily of the writings and correspondence of Joel Bean, although some material by Hannah Bean is also present. Joel Bean's writings include accounts of the Iowa separations, sermons, religious writings, school lessons, poetry, historical writings, memorials, and personal reminiscences. Over 1800 letters and 69 volumes of diaries complete the collection.
This collection is divided into eleven series:
- Biographical material
- Diaries, 1850-1913
- Incoming correspondence, 1846-1910.
- Outgoing correspondence, 1854-1913
- Miscellaneous correspondence, 1893-1914
- Ms. prose writings, 1864-1912 & n.d.
- Ms. poetry, 1841-1905
- Published writings, 1870-1913 & n.d.
- Published poetry, 1874-1907.
- School registers, 1855-1871.
- Miscellaneous, 1869-1900 & n.d.
For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
- Elliott, Errol T. Quaker Profiles from the American West. Richmond, Indians Friends United Press, 1972. pp. 23-46.
- Le Shana, David. Quakers in California. Newberg, Oregon: Barclay Press, 1969
Digital transcription of some of the diaries, day books, and correspondence by Tom King, deposited in FHL 2005.
Gift of Richard H. Cox, 1976, 1979;
Gift of Catharine Cary, 2005, 2022.
People
Subject
- Quakers -- Scotland -- 19th century
- Quakers -- Ireland -- 19th century
- Quakers -- England -- 19th century
- Quakers -- Iowa -- 19th century
- Quakers -- California
- Church controversies -- Society of Friends
- Quakers -- Hawaii
- Quakers -- Australia
- Society of Friends -- Iowa -- 19th century
- Society of Friends -- England -- 19th century
- Society of Friends -- Scotland -- 19th century
- Society of Friends -- Ireland -- 19th century
- Society of Friends -- California
- Quakers -- 19th century -- Diaries
- Quakers -- 20th century -- Diaries
- Publisher
- Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
- Finding Aid Author
- FHL staff
- Finding Aid Date
- 1979
- Sponsor
- Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
- Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
-
Friends Historical Library believes all of the items in this collection to be in the Public Domain in the United States, and is not aware of any restrictions on their use. However, the user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status before reproducing. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/.
Collection Inventory
Mostly personal reminiscences written by Joel Bean (unless otherwise indicated). Arranged chronologically.
1 folder
2 p.
2 p.
Written by unnamed English Friends whom the Beans visited.
Physical Description6 p.
40 p.
2 p.
2 p.
10 p.
Statement signed by 7 Elders including Elizabeth Bean, but not Joel or Hannah Bean.
Physical Description6 p.
This account and the four statements listed above concern the rise of the revival movement in Iowa.
Physical Description50 p.
20 p.
25 p.
25 p.
2 p.
Describes the rise of the revival movement in Iowa. The letter, with a brief introduction by Howard Brinton, was later published in the Bulletin of the Friends Historical Association, vol. 50, no. 2 (Autumn 1961), pp. 104-110.
Physical Description20 p.
1 folder
5 p. Typescript
15 p.
Contains text of address "Chautauqua Thirty Years Ago" and notes on summers spent at Pacific Grove Retreat.
Physical Description24 p.
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
typescript photocopy
Physical Description1 folder
69 small volumes, by Joel Bean, except where noted. Includes journals, diaries, engagement calendars, school records, memoranda. A partial record of Joel Bean's activities because of frequent gaps and also many of the volumes following the move to California are merely engagement calendars, containing brief and scattered notes. Of special interest are journals kept by the Beans during their travels to Hawaii (1861-62) and to Great Britain (1872-73). Diaries are arranged chronologically.
1 folder
Includes discussion of the Fugitive Slave Law.
Physical Description1 volume
Includes an account of New York Yearly Meeting.
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 folder
1 volume
1 volume
Includes school activities and visits to meetings.
Physical Description1 volume
Includes school register.
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
Diaries and notes kept by both Joel and Hannah Bean, including school activities. Hannah's diaries include 2 volumes: 1861 5mo-; 1861 11mo 22-1862 4mo 13; Joels include 6 volumes: Makawao School (mostly in Hawaiian), [1861]; diary, 1861 6mo 22-8mo 12; 1861 8mo 23-10mo 25; 1861 10mo 26-12mo 22; 1861 12mo 23-1862 3mo 9; 1862 3mo 15-6mo 23.
Physical Description8 vols. in 3 folders
Poetry by "H" tipped in
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
Loose pages, tucked inside of the volume, appear to have been written by Hannah Bean.
Physical Description1 vol. + pp.
1 volume
1 folder
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
All years included except 1886.
4 vols. in 1 folder
4 vols. in 1 folder
Includes 1892 "children's diary," with notes about his grandchildren.
Physical Description3 vols. in 1 folder
3 vols. in 1 folder
2 vols. in 1 folder
3 vols. in 1 folder
5 vols.+ loose financial notes in 1 folder
3 vols. + loose papers in 1 folder
4 vols. in 1 folder
4 vols. in 1 folder
3 vols. in 1 folder
Thoughts on prayer
Physical Description1 item
Includes entries to 1913 and transcription attributed to Anna Cox Brinton at back, 1881
Physical Description1 volume
Arranged alphabetically by sender. Much of the correspondence is that of English Friends, with whom the Beans maintained contact until their deaths. The letters that they received while travelling abroad in the early 1870s were stitched together in a number of smaller packets, but were cut apart during processing for conservation purposes.
1 folder
1 folder
From Wailuku concerning evangelists and female education.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Includes an obituary of Roanna Fox Bean and a letter describing his visit to the Friends meeting at Pasadena, including the use of the "sing song tone" in meeting for worship.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Reports from Honolulu
Physical Description1 folder
Letters written from Friends School (Providence, RI), New Garden (Guilford) and Haverford, reflect on education.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Lydia Cox, also called Lily, was the daughter of Joel and Hannah Bean who married Charles Cox.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Includes two letters from Joseph Burtt Davy in Pretoria
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Extensive discussion of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Information on Friends in Tasmania (Hobart)
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Friends in Sydney and New South Wales
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Anna Shipley, sister-in-law of Hannah Bean. Wife of Samuel.
Physical Description1 folder
Wife of Murray Shipley, sister of Hannah Bean.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes correspondence of Murray Shipley, a distant cousin who married Hannah Bean's sister, Catharine. Samuel Shipley, Hannah Bean's brother. Thomas Shipley, Hannah's father.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Mary C. Whitney in Japan
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Arranged chronologically. Of particular interest are Joel Bean's letters to Hannah Shipley from Iowa (1857-9) and his letters home while travelling with Isaac Sharp (1882-3). Most of the later correspondence by both Joel and Hannah Bean (1898-1913) is addressed to their younger daughter, Catherine Elliott Bean Cox, her husband Isaac Cox and their son, Joel Bean Cox.
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Arranged alphabetically by sender (within each section)
Correspondence re: permission and financial support for Sandwich Islands trip, 1861-62
Physical Description1 folder
Correspondence received in 1893 and 1894 by Thomas Hodgkin from English Friends expressing support for Joel and Hannah Bean after they were deposed as ministers. The letter of support was published in both The Friend and The British Friend.
Physical Description1 folder
"Precious Letters," marked as collected by Charles E. Cox, the husband of Lydia S. Bean. Includes correspondence and other documents related to disownment of the Beans and other as well as the restoration of College Park Friends, ca.1882-1903
Physical Description1 folder
3 folders
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
By Joel Bean. Biblical, religious, historical, and biographical works, mostly unpublished. Worthy of special mention are "John G. Whittier" and "My Recollection of Whittier and His Friends." Joel Bean knew Whittier personally while growing up in New Hampshire, and these essays are based on meetings and visits with the Quaker poet. While in Iowa, Joel Bean met John Brown, and "The Christian Ground for the Peace Movement" mentions Brown's visit and conversations Bean had with the Coppoc boys, Iowa Quakers recruited by Brown. Writings in this series are arranged alphabetically by title; dates supplied where available.
1 folder
1 folder
Periodical (mss.) edited by James & Joel Bean.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
By Hannah E. Bean
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Notes on Paradise Found: The Cradle of the Human Race at the North Pole by Wm.F. Warrren.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
An address on capitalism.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Mss. by JB and LBC for Emmanuel Class
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
6p.
2p.
4p.
6p.
14p. 2 copies.
4p.
1 folder
2p.
5p.
1p.
5p.
3p.
4p.
8 p.
6p.
2p.
1 folder
16p.
17p.
21p.
8p.
14p.
1 folder
9p.
1p.
1p.
4p.
7p.
5p.
1p.
11p.
2p.
5p.
1p.
8p.
6p.
16p.
1 folder
3p.
18p.
8p.
3 p.
4p.
6p.
9p.
2p.
3p.
1 folder
4p.
2p.
12p. 2 copies.
2p.
4p.
2p.
8p.
2p.
7p.
4p.
2p.
5p.
5p.
2p.
1 folder
12p.
12p.
(2 versions) 7p. 5p.
4p.
11p.
15p.
1 folder
14p.
7p.
7p.
3p.
2p.
4p.
9p.
4p.
2p.
8p.
7p.
4p.
5p.
4p.
3p.
Arranged alphabetically by title. Volumes of collected poems are indicated and are in a separate folder. Written by Joel Bean unless otherwise indicated.
1 folder
Photocopy
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
2 copies.
2 copies.
2 copies.
2 copies.
2 copies.
2 copies.
1 folder
2 copies.
2 copies.
1 folder
35p.
159 p.
19p.
Joel and Hannah Bean
Physical Description5p. typescript
78p.
1 folder
Includes a few published letters by James Bean.
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Alphabetically arranged within 2 folders.
Physical Description2 folders
2 copies.
2 copies.
2 copies.
Also includes "An Essay on the Object of the Bible School" by Dr. James E. Rhoads. Philadelphia, Penna.
Physical Description13p.
11p.
8p.
2 copies.
19p.
8p.
Arranged alphabetically by title in 1 folder.
2 copies.
2 copies.
2 copies.
2 copies.
2 copies.
Includes attendance, Employers Account, student deportment, etc.; also includes a list of Joel Bean's first 12 schools.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes names, account of lessons, and names of visitors
Physical Description1 folder
Includes names, weekly attendance, account of lessons, and names of visitors
Physical Description1 folder
Includes records of recitiation by pupil, deportment, and examination grades
Physical Description1 folder
Records of Attendance (includes rules and lists of visitors), 1867-68
Physical Description1 folder
Includes attendance, and lists of fire tenders and visitors
Physical Description1 folder
Includes attendance, lists of student job and visitors, and a loose sheet of rules
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Manuscript was given to Joel and Hannah Bean in 1872. Joel Bean was a relative, through his mother's side, of John G. Whittier. Hannah E. Bean was the daughter of Thomas Shipley.
For travels in the ministry. Most involve their journey to England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1872-3.
Includes original cartes de visite of Friends in England and Ireland, as well as copies of photographs of the Beans.
Copy of travelling minute issued to Joel Bean (1905), as well as notes.
Includes a list of Friends at Arch Street Meeting (1900), a report of Friends Bible School Conference for Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting (1876), death notice of Rhoda M. Coffin, and other manuscripts and printed materials.
This item is stored with the FHL Relics Collection (Relics #1726)