Life History

Other facts

Notes

• Possibly Elihu's father.  "Revolted" against Puritian authorities inBoston, fined L30 Distinguished Life     David Yale was the eldest sonof Thomas Yale of Plas Grono, in Wales, and his wife Anne Lloyd,daughter of Bishop Lloyd, who afterwardss married Mr. Thephilus Eatonof London, England.  David was born in 1613.  He went with his motherand step-father to America in 1637 and settled with them at New Havenin 1638.  On Janurary 4th, 1640 in a list of personal propertypossessed by the founders of New Haven, David Yale is said to have hada personal estate valued at L300.  The value of his estate wasexceeded only by those of Mr. Eaton and his mother and brother. DavidYale at that time was unmarried, but he probabley married about theyear 1641.  His wife's first name was Ursula, but her surname has notbeen learned.  He no doubt removed to Boston, Mass. about the year1641, as there is nothing on record about him at New Haven, later thanMarch 1641.  It seems that he disposed of his landed estate in NewHaven to his brother; and at any rate, he must have gone to Bostonbefore May, 1644 as the Boston Registry shows the birth of Elizabeth,"the daughter of David and Ursula Yale," in May, 1644, and her deathin August f the same year. Mr. Yale was an active and thrivingmerchant in Boston and August 23, 1645, purchased from Edward Bendalla house and garden, with lands appurtenant, said to be the mostsplendid in the city, on the site of the present Pemberton Square.  Hewas also Attorney for the Earl of Warwick in 1646. Religiously, herecognized and was in sympathy with the established Church of Englandand therefore was not in accord with the civil and religious ideas ofthe majority of the colonists and with the local laws.  Accordingly,in May, 1646, he was induced to join with six others, in signing afamous petition to the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay, for theredress of certain alleged grievances, specifically remonstrating atthe non-admission to the churches, of those who acknowleged theestablished religion of England, and at the non-participation of theinhabitants, who were not members of the colonial church, in themanagemnet of civil affairs, as voters and office holders.  Theauthorities of Massachusetts were by no means ready for such asubversion of the principles of the Church and State, as by themconstituted, and the revolutionary petition- espesially offensive forits distinct threat of appeal, to the parlimentary government inEngalnd- was answered not only by a carefully drawn counter arguement,but also by heavy fines.  David Yale paid a fine of L30 (correspondingto at least $600 now) into the public treasury, for his part in theimprudent attempt, perhaps incited by older plotters, to stir up arevolution in the Puritan colony.  Doubtless the fact of his being outof harmony with the religious and political affairs existing in thecolonies, had much to do with his determination later, to return tohis native land. On July 5, 1651, he executed a power of attorney toCaptain Thomas Clark and Captain Thomas Lake, to dispose of his BostonEstate and he likely left for England soon afterwards; but his familydid not go until 1652.  He never returned to America to reside, butwas in New Engalnd on a visit in the summer of 1659.  His agents soldthe Boston property for him September 8, 1653. On his return toEngland Mr. Yale became a merchant in London, where he remained,certainly until July 5th, 1665, during the great plague, as at thattime he made his will; evidently believing that he was near to death.In this will he describes himself as "of the Parish of Cripplegate,Merchant," and as "subject to distempers and sickness."  He makesprovision for his wife Ursula; for his sons, David, Elihu, Theophilusand Thomas, and for his distressed sister, Mrs. Ann Hopkins.  Theeldest son, David, was to have the family estate in Denbighshire,(Plas Grono). The "lately purchased house and lands called Llynigmon(Llwyn Enion)" bought by him from Mr. Hugh Sontley, "with twotenements thereunto belonging, lying in the parish of Wrixam;" for theprovision of portions of L300 each, for his three younger sons Elihu,Theophilus and Thomas, on their attaining the age of twenty-one, overand above what would come to them from his personal estate.  Theeldest son is also to have reversion to the lands in Derbyshire, whichhe held in trust for the support of his distresed sister, Mrs. AnnHopkins. David Yale did not die of the "distempers and sickness" towhich he states he was subject in 1665, but lived twenty-five yearslonger.  He soon removed however from London to Plas Grono, the familyestate, near Wrexham, Wales, as he, as well as his son David, werecertainly settled there in September, 1667, for Mr. A. N. Palmerstates he has seen both their signatures on a local deed of that date.Plas Grono was inheirated by david from his ancestors, but Llwynenion, as the tax returns of 1670 state the former contained eighthearths, while the later had five. Llwyn Enion (Enion's Grove),remianed as a part of the Plas Grono estate, until sold by the heirsof Gov. Elihu Yale in 1728. David Yale was one of the Church Wardensof Wrexham 1673-1674, and he no doubt continued to reside at PlasGrono untill his death, January 14, 1690, aged 74 years.  His wifeUrsula died February 7, 1698, aged 74 years.  A tablet in the parishchurch at Wrexham gives these dates and also the dates of their sonsDavid and Thomas and Mr. Yale's sister, :Anna" Hopkins, the wife ofGovernor Hopkins.   The Yales and Wales pp. 96-98.     YALE, DAVID,Boston, came probably with his father-in-law, Governor Eaton, in 1637,by wife Ursula (perhaps brother from Wales, where was the home of hisfather David, yet more probably that he took her in Boston, though weknow not her f[amily?]) had: Elizabeth, born May 1644, died in fewweeks.; David, 18 Sept. 1645; Theophilus, 14 Jan. 1652, and soon afterremoved, perhaps home to England.     He owned some land at New Haven,and may have lived there two or three years and even have had Josephthere, as on page 24 of the "Yale Family" is presumed though to me isseems not probable how Farmer was led to make him freeman 1640, isstrange, for his name is not on the list, nor was he a memember of thechurch of B. but he sympathizes with the oppon. of our commun. whoprobably induced him to abandon our country. Gov. Hopkins who hadmarried his sister Ann, in his will, made at London, 17 Mar. 1657,left him L200. Savage

Sources

• 1. thomas YALEfrom LDS.ged
• 2. Ancestral File (R)
  • Name: Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998;
• 3. Ancestry Family Trees
  • Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com.  Originaldata:  Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.;
  • Ancestry Family Trees
• 4. A GENEALOGICAL DICTIONARY of THE FIRST SETTLERS OF NEW ENGLAND,1860-62