His father hired the English educator, historian, and Quaker Robert Proud to tutor him and his brother.
He retired from trade in 1794 with a loss of capital, having refused, from conscientious reasons, to supply armed vessels with drugs.
Bevan at the end of his life had read to him selections from John Kendall's Collection of Letters, Thomas Ellwood's Journal, and Mary Waring's Diary; and spent most of his time in Tottenham with family connections.
William Orme found the Life of Paul insightful by the way of explanation of Quaker theology; and Thomas Hartwell Horne admired the geographical notes.
He wrote biographical material on the Quaker figures Robert Barclay, James Nayler, Isaac Penington, and Sarah Stephenson.