Ives Family History Blog

John Yale (1490 - ) and before

John Yale was born about 1490. His wife was Elizabeth Mostyn. She was the daughter of Thomas Mostyn, of Mostyn, county Flint, Wales. He was also called John Wyn or John Wynn. He inherited Plas-yn-Yale from his father. They had two children:

1. Thomas Yale was the heir to Plas-yn-Yale.

2. Jane Yale married Joseph Haynes.

His second marriage was to Agnes Lloyd. She was born in Wales about 1510. She is the daughter of John Lloyd. They had one child:

1. David Yale, (Dr.) was born in England about 1535, and died in Chester, England, in 1626 (see above).

There are records of earlier Yales under Welsh names going back to Llewelyn ap Cynrik was born in Wales about 1300. His wife was Nesta (Nest) Griffith. They were married the parish of Towyn. She is the daughter of Griffith ap Adda. Nesta was the daughter and co-heir of Griffith ap Adda, of Dolgoch, in the parish of Towyn, and of Ynys-y-Maengwyn, county Merioneth. He was a Collector of the Fifteenth (15% tax) in 1294, Raglot (Governor) of the Commote (jurisdiction) of Estimaner 3 and 7 Edward III (1330 and 1334). He was living during the reign of Edward III (1344). He derived from Madoc, son of Cadivor ap Gwaethvoed, Lord of Cardigan. Their eldest son was Griffith ap Llewelyn.

Let me know if you are interested in filling in the people between John and Llewelyn ap Cynrik. I cannot vouch for the acuracy of these records.

Frances and Dr. John Lloyd

Frances Lloyd, the wife of Dr. David Yale, was the daughter of John Lloyd ap David Lloyd of Cevn Amwlch, in Lleyn, Carnarvonshire, who was of the family of Griffiths of Cevn Amwlch. Dr. John Lloyd D. C. L. was for forty years an ad vacate in the Consistory Court of Canterbury and resided at Hartshorne, Derbyshire. His wife, the mother of Frances, was Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Pigott of "Dodder's Hall" in Co. Bucks. Dr. John Lloyd also had another daughter, Maria or Mary, who married Sir Symon Weston, Knight of Lichfield.

Dr. Lloyd died February, 20, 1607, aged 74 years and was interred in Chester Cathedral where his remains were covered by a brass, since destroyed, which bore the following inscription:
"Here lies John Lloyd a Cambritriton Doctor of Laws, for forty years advocate in the Canterbury Court of Arches, London; together with Elizabeth, his most beloved wife; daughter of Thomas Piggot of Dodders Hall, in the County of Bucks. An Esquire of ancient nobility and together with their niece Elizabeth, and their daughter Francisca, wife of DAVID YALE, DOCTOR of LAWS. The said wife Elizabeth died the 12th December, 1590. The niece Elizabeth died 4th October, 1591. The aforesaid John lived 74 years, devoted toward God, just toward all men. To whomsoever he could he did good. He injured no one. At length he entered upon the way of all flesh 20 February, 1607 English style."

In addition to Yale, Rodney Horace, Yale Genealogy and History of Wales, 1908, pp. 86–91, see Palmer, Alfred Neobard, History of the Country Townships of the Old Parish of Wrexham, 1903 where some of the above material was taken from.

David Yale (1535 - 1626) Part Two

Dr. David Yale also owned "Erddig House," (now Erddig Hall) and resided there, at least a part of the time, from about the year 1600 to the year 1619. He purchased some lands in Erddig as early as September, 20, 1598, as on that date he empowered "Robert Lloyd, gent., as his attorney, to take possession of lands in Erddig, purchased by him from John Erthig and William Erthig, gentlemen of Erddig," Also about the same time he was purchasing Messuages and lands, or leases of leasehold property, in the adjoining townships of Esclusham and Sontley. The Erddig House estate consisted of about 254 English statute acres. about the time Dr. Yale sold it to Mr. Richard Davies, according to "Norden's Survey" of 1620. Mr. Davies purchased it from Dr. Yale in the year 1619. Among the fields on the Erddig Hall estate in Dr. Yale's time were "Bron Erthick" (Erthig Brow) "Llwyn Erthick" (Erthig Grove) "Kae yr Castell" (Castle field) "Y dolydd Erthick" (Erthig Meadows) "Gweirglodd Erthick" (Erddig hay field) "Gwerne Erthick" (Erddig alder-marsh) and "Laund Y Glyn" (Glyn Glade).

On August 3, 1601, Dr. David Yale conveyed the estate of Erddig House to trustees: first, to the use of himself and of his wife, Frances, for the term of their natural lives, and after their death, to the use of Thomas Yale, their eldest son, or, in default, to George Yale, their second son, or, in default, to David Yale, their third son, or, in default, to John Yale, their fourth son, or, in default, to Hugh Yale, their fifth son, or, in default, to Richard Yale, their sixth son.

Dr. Yale also was in possession, by lease, of Glyn Park, which was English Crown land. The park, generally speaking, took in the whole valley of the Clywedog, from a point near "Erddig Fechan" to the King's Mills on the Ellesmere Road. He purchased the lease of part of the park, from Peter Warburton Esq., in the year 1606, and also secured otherwise a lease of nearly all the remainder; for it is stated that on October, 9, 1615, he was "seized for years yet enduring of 'One Parke commonly called Glyn Parke, also Parke Coed-y-Glyn,' in the parishes of Wrexham and Marchwiel, which said park had long since been disparked and turned to arable land, meadow and pasture, and wherein were divers messuages and tenements, and two 'corn milnes.' " Park Coed-y-Glyn included part of Erddig township and adjoined the rest of it. There is a map of Glyn Park at Erddig Hall, drawn up in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, on which the estimated area is given as 697 statute acres.

On October 9, 1615 Dr. David Yale conveyed to Richard Davies, Vinter of London, his right in a leasehold property in Sontley and September 15, 1619, he together with his wife Frances, and eldest son and heir apparent, Thomas Yale, sold for £2300 to the same Richard Davies, his Erddig estate; the same containing, four messuages, a dovehouse, 150 acres of (arable) land, eighty of meadow, hundred of pasture, twenty wood, twenty heath and bruery, and twenty of moor, "in Erthick and Esclusham."
David Yale died in Chester, England in 1626. He had outlived his oldest son, Thomas Yale who died on August, 1619 in Chester (see above).

David and Frances had 14 children: Thomas (born about 1580), George, David, John, Hugh, Richard, Simon, Samuel, Ellen, Katherine, Frances, Devereux, a daughter who married a Elyse, and a daughter who married a Reynolds.

See also the comment by Hal Whitmore about David Yale on John Yale post.

David Yale (1535 - 1626) Part One

Dr. David Yale was born in England about 1535, and died in Chester, England, in 1626. His wife was Frances, the daughter of John, (Dr.) and Elizabeth (Pigott) Lloyd. Dr. David Yale, the ancestor of the Yales of Plas Grono, and Thomas Yale, whose descendants continued the line of "Plas-yn-Yale," were half brothers; hence the relationship of the Yales of these two ancient estates. Dr. David Yale was also known as David Lloyd D. C. L., but this is not at all strange, as at that time surnames in Wales were quite unsettled, and in fact were first brought into use and handed down from father to son, just about this time. He and his half brother Thomas were the first, after their uncle Thomas Yale, Chancellor of Matthew-Parker, to assume definitely and finally, the surname "Yale."

Dr. David Yale was rector of Llandegla (1564–1573), prebendary of Y Faenol in St. Asaph Cathedral (1578–1624), prebendary of Chester (1582—), Chancellor of Chester (1587–1624), Justice of the Peace (1601–1620) "and of the Quorum" for the County of Chester (1603). He owned the estate known as Erddig House (now Erddig Hall) and also Plas Grono and other extensive tracts of land in the vicinity. In the deeds preserved at Erddig, he is generally called "doctor of laws" and sometimes "esquire and doctor of laws," and once he is described as "Chancellor of Chester." Before his acquisition of Erddig, he is generally described as "of Chester" or "of Tattenhall," Cheshire.

David Yale was in possession of Old Plas Grono before the year 1590, represented in later years by "plas Grono farm," in the hamlet of Hafod-y-bwch, in the township of Esclusham below Dyke, County of Denbigh. It is not known how long he had owned this estate before the year 1590, neither is it known when New Plas Grono was built, in the same hamlet, but nearer the confluence of the two brooks, called "Afon sech" and "Afon goch." The latter was, to avoid confusion, called "Plas Newydd" (New Hall) and "Ty Cerryg" "Stone House," but finally it was known by the original name "Plas Grono," or to employ its full form, "Plas Goronwy" (Grono's or Goronwyls Hall). It was pulled down in 1876.

The house could accommodate a family of twenty, with rooms to spare; there was an walled-in fruit garden, an ample lawn, a dove cot and sufficient stabling. The tax returns for 1670 state it contained eight hearths. It passed from the Yale family when in 1728 it was sold by the heirs of Governor Elihu Yale. On the 17th or 18th of December 1731, this house, with part of the estate belonging thereto, was resold to John Meller of Erddig and in 1908 was a part of the Erddig estate, now represented by Erddig Hall. After it became a part of Erddig it was occupied by several families, among whom were Rev. William Powell A. M., Dean of St. Asaph, Mr. Richard Lloyd, of "The Rossett" in Gresford parish. Mr. Isaac Wilkinson, ironmaster of Bersham Iron Works. Rev. George Warrington, afterwards vicar of Hope and Mr. Thomas Apperley, father of the famous "Nimrod" (Charles James Apperley), who wrote affectionately of the old place, in part, as follows; "I have never seen such noble sycamore and horse-chestnut trees, as those which sheltered Plas Gronow from the fury of the south western blast direct from the Welsh hills; nor tasted such fine fruit as its garden produced, nor drunk such cream, nor tasted such butter." He writes also of the surroundings of this old home: of the pretty cottages covered with honeysuckles, of the lovely lanes, of the noble woods of Errdig and of the tall and beautiful tower of Wrexham Church, seen two miles away. It seems likely that "New Plas Grono," later called simply, "Plas Grono," just described, was built by Dr. David Yale, for his son Thomas Yale who emigrated to America.

David Yale will be continued tomorrow.

Anne Lloyd Yale and Theophilus Eaton

After Thomas died in 1619, Anne married Theophilus Eaton, a wealthy merchant of London, who was the eldest son of the Richard Eaton, (Rev), A. B., vicar of Great Budworth, Cheshire. Theophilus Eaton was born about 1591 at Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, England. He, together with his wife, Anne, and three step-children, David, Anne, and Thomas Yale, sailed for New England in America in 1637 with John Davenport.

They landed in Boston, Massachusetts, and preferring to go into the wilderness, Eaton with a few men, after exploring the coast of the sound, spent the following winter at a desirable place in that region. In the spring, the remainder of the company sailed from Boston and arrived at the place where Eaton has spent the winter, now New Haven. William Ives was also part of this group.

Eaton was elected the first governor of New Haven colony in October, 1639. Eaton was re-elected to this post annually for over 20 years until his death on January 7, 1658. He was by far the wealthiest planter in the colony: in 1640 his personal estate was estimated at £3000, about three times that of any other planter, and about one tenth that of the entire colony. After her husband's death, Anne Lloyd-Yale-Eaton returned to England in 1659 where she lived with her son, David, in London. Anne and Theophilus had three children:

1. Theophilus Eaton was baptized in London, England, on March 11, 1630. He moved to Dublin, Ireland

2. Hannah Eaton was baptized in London on October 6, 1632, and died in New Haven on May 4, 1707. She married William Jones in London on July 4, 1659.

3. Elizabeth Eaton was buried on March 16, 1637, in London.

Thomas Yale (1580 - 1619)

Thomas Yale was the son of David Yale (1535 - 1626). He was born about 1580 in Wrexham, Dnbg, Wales, and died in Chester, England in August 26, 1619. He married Anne Lloyd about 1612. Anne was born in England about 1590, and died most likely in London, England, about 1660, after returning from New Haven. Thomas is the son of David, (Dr.) and Frances (Lloyd) Yale. Anne is the daughter of George and Anne (Wilkinson) Lloyd. Thomas lived at Chester, England, and at Plas Grono, the family estate near Wrexham, Wales. His will, to be found in the Chester Probate Registry, was dated August 27, 1619. His personal estate was valued at £36–10s–8d. They had four children:

1. David was born in Chester, England, or Plas Grono, Wales, in 1613, and died in Plas Grono, Wales, on June 14, 1690. He was part of the original New Haven settlement, having land next to Gov. Eaton, his step father. The Early List of Estates published by the New Haven Church in 1640 lists David Yale with one person in his household with an estate valued at 300 pds. But by 1644 he was a resident of Boston, MA, until 1659, purchasing a house there in 1645. In Mar/Apr 1640 he is listed as a shipper of goods on the Gilliflower, carrying planters and passengers from London (Coldham, p. 212). It is unclear if he was on the trip. He and his wife, Ursula, had six children, the first four born in Boston, the next three in St. Olavez, London, and the last two probably in London: Elizabeth (1644), David 1645-1690), Elihu (1648-1721), Theophilus (1651/2-), Elizabeth (1655-), twin sons (1656-), Thomas (1660-1697), Valentine (1666-1698). The third, Elihu Yale, was the major benefactor of Yale University and the source of its name. On March 2, 1647, Thomas Yale sold most of the land first held by his brother, David, to Robert Johnson.

2. Ann was born in Chester in 1615, came to Boston, married Governor Edward Hopkins, returned to England and died in Plas Grono on Dec. 14, 1698.

3. Thomas, Capt. was born in Plas Grono or Chester, England, in 1616, and died in New Haven on March 27, 1683. He married Mary Turner (-1704) and they had eight children: John (1646-1711), Thomas (1648-1735), Mary (1650-1710), Nathaniel (1651-1730), Martha (1655-1669), Abigail (1660-1708), Hannah (1662-1743), Elizabeth (1666-1702). All were born in New Haven.

4. Elizabeth (Mary) was born in Chester in 1618. Since she was not mentioned in her father's will dated August 15, 1625, it is assumed that she had died before that time. She was also called Mary Wright.

After Thomas died in 1619, Anne married Theophilus Eaton and their life will be covered in the next post.

Captain Thomas Yale (1616 - 1683) Part Two

This continues the story of Thomas Yale started yesterday. On Sept. 6, 1664 John Cooper presented the inventory of the estate of John and Elinor Vinton. The court was concerned for the welfare of their children, also John and Elinor. The court asked who they would like to be guardian or overseers of their estate. They requested John Cooper and Thomas Yale and the court approved it. Then the court concerned the disposition of the children, now orphans. The court received a letter from Purchase Clarke, who was at the ironworks in Lynn, MA that was read and kept on file.

It said he had much affection for the children and that they formerly lived in Lynn and had other fiends there. He promised to take care of them and see that they were disposed of for their good. John Cooper said to the court that Purchase was an able man and of good repute for godliness. They court approved that the children be sent to Purchase and ordered to Thomas Yale and John Cooper to see that the children were comfortably provided for the voyage there. The record said that later word was received by Patrick, formerly servant to Purchase that they children were lovingly received by Purchase and well disposed for their good.

Thomas held many offices of trust with honor. He left an estate of £479. Thomas and Mary had eight children, all born in New Haven:

1. John, born about 1646; died Dec 16, 1711 in New Haven, married Rebecca Mix (1657-1734) about 1688, they had at least 4 children: John (1694-1711), Elihu (1696-1748), Abigail (1697-1718), David (1699-1730). All were born in New Haven. John is listed as a Proprietor of New Haven, CT, in the Year 1685 (NEGHSR, vol. 1, pp. 157–8).

2. Thomas, born about 1648; died Jan 26, 1735/36 in Wallingford, CT. Thomas was one of the original 39 signers of the Wallingford Agreement in 1668. He married Rebeccah Gibbard (1650-1687) on Dec.11, 1667 in New Haven, they had eight children: Hannah (1669-1743), Rebecca (1671-), Elizabeth (1673-), Theophilus (1675-1760), Thomas (1678-1750), Nathaniel (1681-1711), Mary (1684-1703), John (1687-1782). The first 3 were born in New Haven and the last 5 in Wallingford, CT. After Rebecca died, he married Sarah Nash (1649-1716). Finally, after Sarah died, he married Mary Beach, the widow of Benjamin Beach on July 31, 1716.

3. Mary, born Oct 26, 1650 in New Haven and died in New Haven in 1710. She married Joseph Ives on Jan. 2, 1672. The had 10 children: Joseph (1673-1751), Mary (1674), Mary (1675-1712), Samuel (1672-1726), Martha (1678-after 1717), Lazarus (1680-1703), Thomas (1683-1767), Abigail (1685), John (1686-1690), Ebenezer (1692-1759).

4. Nathaniel, born Jan 3, 1651/52 in New Haven; died Oct 29, 1730 in North Haven, married Ruth Bishop (1664-1739) on Oct. 11, 1692 in New Haven (see Bishop family in Vol. 2). He is listed as a Proprietor of New Haven in 1685 and was granted 7 ¼ acres of land in the third division in 1680. Nathaniel was on the original committee to organize parish life in North Haven in 1716, along with the brothers Joseph and Samuel Ives and James Bishop. He was also on the 1717 committee to select the minister and the minister’s rate (or tax) in 1718. He was the first moderator of the parish meetings and he later led the movement, backed by Joseph Ives (his brother–in-law) and others, to dismiss the minister, Mr. Wetmore, for views too close to the Church of England. Nathaniel and Ruth had at least 4 children: David (1693-1757), James (1695-1700), Anne (1697-1744), Nathaniel (1702-1746). All were born in New Haven.

5. Martha, born May 6, 1655 in New Haven, CT; died Jan 15, 1669/70 in New Haven, CT.

6. Abigail, born May 5, 1660 in New Haven, CT; died Feb 28, 1708/09 in New Haven, CT. She married Major Moses Mansfield (1640-). They had no children but Moses had nine children with his first wife, Mercy Glover (1643-) .

7. Hannah, born Jul 6, 1662 in New Haven, CT; died Feb 10, 1743/44 in New Haven, CT. She married Enos Talmage (1656-1690) on May 9, 1682. They had four children: Mary (1682-1735), Sarah (1684-1715), Mehitebel (1686-1750), Thomas (1688-1766). All were born in New Haven. Then she married Samuel Bishop on Nov. 14, 1695. They had seven children: Hannah (1696-1719), Samuel (1698-1779), Ann (1700), Job (1702-1787), Elizabeth (1704-1734), Dinah (1706), Yale (1708). All were born in New Haven.

8. Elizabeth, born Jan 29, 1666/67 in New Haven, CT; died Sep 19, 1702 in New Haven, CT. She married Joseph Pardee of East Haven on Jan 30, 1688 in New Haven, CT. They had six children: John (1689), Enos (1691-1771), Joseph (1693-1762), Thomas (1695), John (1697-1766), Mary (1700-1758). All were born in New Haven.

See - Yale, Rodney Horace, Yale Genealogy and History of Wales, 1908 where some of the information for England and Wales was taken – after placed on the Gilbert family history web site.

Captain Thomas Yale (1616 - 1683) Part One

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)

Mary Yale (1650 - 1710) and Yale Family History in England and Early CT

This post begins a series on Yale family genealogy. Mary Yale was born Oct 26, 1650 in New Haven and christened Dec. 27, 1685. She married Joseph Ives on Jan 02, 1671/72 in New Haven. She was the first cousin of Elihu Yale for whom Yale University was named. The wikipedia said that the American Heritage magazine argued "that the college that would later bear his name (Yale University) was successful largely because of the generosity of a man named Jeremiah Dummer, but that the trustees of the school did not want it known by the name 'Dummer College'." However, Elihu got them started even though he moved back to England for good at age 4 and never came to the colonies. He was also generous with other efforts so I think he derves some credit.

Mary Yale was born Oct. 26, 1650 in New Haven, CT. (See Joseph Ives above for their life together). She died 1710 (or 1704?) in North Haven, CT. The Yale family moved to Wallingford and by the 1790 US Census, there were 15 male and 2 female Yale head of households in Wallingford and none in any of the other New Haven Co. communities. Next will follow coverage of her direct ancesters back to John Yale (1490 -).