  Polycrystalline YMn1-xFexO3 (YMFO_x) (0 <= x <= 0.1) compounds have been
prepared in single phase and characterized by synchrotron X-ray diffraction,
X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy, magnetization, and dielectric
measurements. Iron-substitution in hexagonal YMnO3 causes intra-lattice changes
exceeding those of the lattice cell. XANES provide mixed-valence Mn3+/Mn4+ and
Fe4+ charge states in these manganites, consistent with the observed decrease
of the effective magnetic moment with Fe-doping. Magnetization M(T) evidence
antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of the specimens with little weak
ferromagnetism, and the metrices of exchange interaction suppress with
Fe-doping, attributed to the lengthening of the Mn-O planar bond lengths.
Dielectric {\epsilon}'(T) results showing highly doping-dependent anomaly at
T_N indicate linear magneto-electric coupling.
