Joseph was the son of Timothy Bevan and his second wife Hannah Gurney (widow of Nathaniel Springall). He was born in London on 18 February 1753.[1]
On 27 August 1776 Joseph married Mary Plumsted/Plumstead (daughter of Robert Plumsted/Plumstead, draper - member of the Drapers Company - London, by trade an ironmonger, deceased, and his surviving wife Hannah) at the Quaker Meeting House near Devonshire Square, London.[2] They had no children.[3][4]
In 1775 Joseph took on sole responsibility for his father's pharmacy business in London, retiring in 1794, having lost a significant amount of his capital, due to the scrupulosity of his business practices and his generosity.[3][4] He moved to Stoke Newington, Middlesex in 1796.[4]
Joseph is best known as a Quaker writer, writing a number of religious works, some in defence of the Quakers. He served as clerk of London Quaker Yearly Meeting in 1794. He was an opponent of slavery. He was a staunch upholder of traditional Quaker beliefs and testimonies, and one contemporary Quaker diarist, James Jenkins, referred to him as "our chief disciplinarian".[3][4]
Joseph's wife died on 23 May 1813. He himself suffered from failing health and eyesight in his last years.[3][4] He died in Stoke Newington, Middlesex on 12 September 1814 and was buried on 18 September at Bunhill Fields Quaker burial ground, London.[5][6]
Joseph's Will was dated 20 July 1813 and proved on 22 October 1814. It shows him to have been a wealthy man despite the loss of some of his capital in his pharmacy business. In it, among other provisions, he:[7]
Featured Eurovision connections: Joseph is 34 degrees from Agnetha Fältskog, 19 degrees from Anni-Frid Synni Reuß, 24 degrees from Corry Brokken, 22 degrees from Céline Dion, 21 degrees from Françoise Dorin, 21 degrees from France Gall, 25 degrees from Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, 26 degrees from Lill-Babs Svensson, 18 degrees from Olivia Newton-John, 28 degrees from Henriette Nanette Paërl, 30 degrees from Annie Schmidt and 15 degrees from Moira Kennedy on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
B > Bevan > Joseph Gurney Bevan
Categories: Quaker Notables | Quaker Authors | Stoke Newington, Middlesex (London) | Bunhill Fields Friends Burial Ground, Islington, Middlesex | Gracechurch Street Monthly Meeting, Middlesex | Devonshire House Monthly Meeting, Middlesex | Middlesex, Notables | Notables