Beach, David Nelson, 1848-1926

David Nelson Beach (1848-1926) was an American theologian, who graduated from Yale College (AB 1872) and from Yale Divinity School in 1876. He became a Congregational minister with a parish at Westerly, Rhode Island. Later Beach had parishes at Wakefield and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Denver, Colorado. From 1903-1921 he was President and Professor of Sacred Rhetoric at the Bangor Theological Seminary in Bangor, Maine. He was active with the Anti-Saloon League and involved in temperance reform. He married Lilian Tappan Beach and they had children Dorothea, John, Joseph, and David Nelson Jr. before she died in 1902. In 1903 he married Dora Freeman Beach who died in 1915, and in 1916 he married Ellen Olive Walkley Beach. From 1921 to 1926 he was the pastor-at-large at Guilford and Southington, Connecticut. Beach died in Southington, Connecticut on October 18, 1926.

From the description of David Nelson Beach papers, ca. 1870-1931. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 612835257

Chronology of David Nelson Beach

• 1848 Nov 30: Born in South Orange, N.J., son of Joseph Wickliff and Mary Angeline (Walkley) Beach
• 1865 - 1868 : Golden Hill Institute, Bridgeport, Ct.
• 1868 - 1872 : Yale University, B.A. 1872. Class poet. New Haven correspondent, New York Tribune
• 1872 - 1873 : Assistant city editor, New York Tribune
• 1873 - 1876 : Yale Divinity School, B.D.
• 1876 - 1879 : Pastor of Pawcatuck Congregational Church, Westerly, R.I.
• 1878: Married Lilian Tappan who became the mother of Dorothea, John, Joseph, and David Nelson Jr. before her death June 30, 1902
• 1879 - 1884 : Pastor of Congregational Church, Wakefield, Mass.
• 1884 - 1896 : Pastor of Prospect Street Church, Cambridge, Mass.
• 1896 - 1898 : Pastor, Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis, Minn.
• 1896: D.D. Western Reserve University
• 1899 - 1902 : Pastor of First Congregational Church, Denver, Colo.
• 1903: Married Dora Freeman who died March 14, 1915
• 1903 - 1921 : President and Professor of Sacred Rhetoric, Bangor Theological Seminary
• 1916: Married Ellen Olive Walkley (his cousin).
• 1921 - 1926 : Pastor-at-large, residing in Guilford and Southington, Ct.
• 1926 Oct 18: Died in Southington, Ct.

Beach was active in temperance work and in work for church unity. He was a member of the Liberal Congress of Religion. His published works included: The Newer Religious Thinking and The Annie Laurie Mine.

Chronology of Harlan Page Beach

• 1854: Born in South Orange, N.J., son of Joseph Wickliff and Mary Angeline (Walkley) Beach
• 1870: 1871: Worked in Plantsville, Conn. as a bookkeeper
• 1871: Entered Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass.
• 1878: B.A. Yale University
• 1883: B.D. Andover Theological Seminary
• 1883 - 1890 : Missionary in North China under the American Board, with his wife Lucy Ward Beach.
• 1901: M.A. (hon.) Yale
• 1905 - 1914 : Professor of the Theory and Practice of Missions, Yale.
• 1911 - 1925 : Librarian, Day Missions Library, Yale
• 1913: D.D. Amherst College
• 1914 - 1921 : Willis James Professor of the Theory and Practice of Missions, Yale
• 1921 - 1933 : Professor Emeritus
• 1933 Mar 4: Died in Florida

From the guide to the Beach Family Papers, 1858-1961, (Yale University Divinity School Library)

David Nelson Beach (1848-1926) was an American theologian, born at South Orange, New Jersey, the son of Joseph Wickliff Beach and Mary Angeline Walkley Beach . His brother was the missionary, Harlan Page Beach (1854-1933). David graduated from Yale College (AB 1872) and from Yale Divinity School in 1876. He became a Congregational minister with a parish at Westerly, Rhode Island . Later Beach had parishes at Wakefield and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Denver, Colorado. From 1903-1921 he was President and Professor of Sacred Rhetoric at the Bangor Theological Seminary in Bangor, Maine. He was active with the Anti-Saloon League and involved in temperance reform. He married Lilian Tappan Beach and they had children Dorothea, John, Joseph, and David Nelson Jr. before she died in 1902. In 1903 he married Dora Freeman Beach who died in 1915, and in 1916 he married Ellen Olive Walkley Beach. From 1921 to 1926 he was the pastor-at-large at Guilford and Southington, Connecticut. Beach died in Southington, Connecticut on October 18, 1926.

Beach's published writings include: Plain words on our Lord's work (1886); The newer religious thinking (1893); The intent of Jesus (1896); Statement of belief (1897); The Annie Laurie Mine (1903); and Meanings of the Battle of Bennington (1903).

From the guide to the David Nelson Beach papers, ca. 1870-1831., (Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University)