Elisabeth Miles 1827-1914

MILES, BEAN

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 8/11/2018 at 09:18:18

3 December 1914 - West Branch Times

Elisabeth R. Bean, daughter of John and Elisabeth Bean, was born in Alton, New Hampshire, on the 6th day of December, 1827. She attended district school in childhood, select schools of a higher grade followed, and afterward the Friends Boarding School at Providence, Rhode Island.

She became qualified for teaching at an early age, and spent several years at that work; three years of which she taught in New Jersey, afterwards coming to West Branch, Iowa, to join her mother and brother, Elisabeth and Joel Bean.

After coming to Iowa she taught school at Springdale. At the first meeting held in the newly erected Friends church at West Branch, she married Benjamin Miles, January 14, 1858. Two children were born to them, Mary Elisabeth, June 25, 1861, and Benjamin Clarkson, January 3, 1865. These and three step children, Isaac M., Laban J. and Laura E., constituted the family, four of whom are still living. In the 60's a company composed of Joel and Hannah Bean, Annabella E. Winn, Albert and Mary H. Tebbett and Benjamin and Elisabeth B. Miles, made a journey of peculiar interest. They went by two carriages to visit remote meetings in Northern Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, a round of several hundred miles. The cordial welcome and sweet fellowship found among friends in their primitive homes and new meetings have been a bright picture in the memory of those who participated. Elisabeth B. Miles was recorded a minister of the gospel by West Branch Monthly Meeting and concurred with by Springdale Quarterly Meeting of Iowa. For several years she sat with her sisters, Mary H. Tebbett and Hannah E. Bean, at the clerks table of the Women's Meeting of Iowa Yearly Meeting.

In the year 1873, Benjamin Miles had a spiritual call to work among the Indians, when it seemed impossible for them to undertake the work having the care of his invalid mother. By autumn all obstacles that seemed to stand in the way of their going were removed and January 1st, 1874, found Benjamin and Elisabeth B. Miles in charge of the Government School for Indian Children at Osage Agency, Indian Territory, as superintendent and matron. They were in the work at that place about five years. They afterwards were in charge of Indian schools at West Branch and White's Institute in Iowa. Altogether they were in the Indian work about 12 years. They moved to Newburg, Oregon, in 1887, where they identified themselves with the activities of the church, schools and community at large.

Benjamin Miles died June 25th, 1890, after which time Elisabeth B. Miles made her home with her son, B. C. Miles until November 15th, 1914, after an illness of six months she peacefully passed away at the age of 86 years, 11 months and 9 days.

She had a birthright membership in the Friends church, was a true and loyal christian from childhood, developing a strong christian character, always depending on spiritual power for guidance. She felt her imperfections and in humility ascribed every grace and every gift to the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. Almost her last audible sentence was "I am nearer Thy house today than I have been before."