Captain Thomas Yale was the son of Thomas Yale (1580 - 1619). he was born in Plas Grono or Chester, England, in 1616, and died in North Haven on March 27, 1683. Thomas Yale came to America in 1637 with his stepfather, Gov. Eaton, mother Anne, and others. He settled in New Haven as a merchant in 1638 with an estate of £200. In the first division of land in 1641, he is listed as single and received 7 ½ acres in the first division, 1 ½ acres in the neck, and 5 ½ acres in the meadow with 22 acres in the second division. His annual tax for this land was 8 shillings and 6 pence. He was fined 1 pence for coming late to training in Jan. 4, 1643 along with many others and he is listed in attendance in the general court of July 1, 1644, as well as March 10, 1646. He married Mary Turner in 1645. Mary was born in England in 1624 and died in Connecticut Colony on October 15, 1704. Her father Nathaniel was one of the signers of the original New Haven agreement in 1639 (see Turner family).
Thomas was involved in a number of estates. He took the inventory of the estates of: Leonard Austin on April 13, 1678 with John Clarke, Joseph Potter on Aug. 17, 1669 with John Cooper, William Potter with David Atwater on Aug. 2, 1662, Jane Moulthrop on Dec. 21, 1668 with Allen Ball, Nicholas Stree on May 13, 1674 with Nicholas Auger. His own estate was inventoried by Moses Mansfield and Abraham Dickerman on May 7, 1683 and estimated at 479 pds, 5 shillings, and 3 pence. At a County Court held on June 24, 1684, an adjustment was made of his estate since the widow and children could not come to an agreement, deceased having declared his mind. The Court divided the estate among widow Mary, sons John, Thomas, Nathaniel and daughters Abigail Yale, Elizabeth Yale, Mary wife of Joseph Ives, and Hannah wife of Enos Talmage.
In 1646 Thomas sold 62 acres of upland from the second division to Robert Johnson along with 15 ½ acres of meadow and 3 ½ acres in the neck. In 1648 he and two others were complained of for not coming to watch on time but it was determined they were not given reasonable warning, “therefore the court for this time past it by.”
After the death of Eaton, he accompanied his mother, his brother, David, and half-sister, Hannah Eaton, back to England in 1659. He returned to New Haven and purchased land in 1660 in that part of the town which is now North Haven. The January 15, 1665 court appointed him collector of the church tax for the farms along with David Atwater. He attended the town meeting of February 1668 and was granted 56 acres in the third division of land in 1680. (continued tomorrow)
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