Edwin R. Yale
[7] Edwin's father was a wealthy tin ware manufacturer, the largest in Meriden, and occupied various offices in the legislature.
In 1838, he is recorded managing the New York outlet of his uncle Samuel Yale Jr., who also owned multiple factories with his brothers Charles and Hiram, along with 12 houses in Meriden.
[5] Samuel was also cofounder and board director of the Meriden National Bank with Gen. Walter Booth and Ashbel Griswold.
[5] From 1835 to 1836, he entered in a partnership under Yale & Henshaw, as merchants and spoonmakers, with a factory and store in Yalesville, and the raw materials acquired from Mr.
[35] Yale's whole brigade at the time of the New Haven Grays, which he commanded, would later be his guests at the hotel for an official visitation.
[14][16] Yale sold his establishment around 1882 to John C. Van Cleaf, a business associate of Mr. Peed, proprietor of Pierrepont House.
[39] Passengers aboard included the Conklings and the Colgates, Congressman Amos Clark Jr., musician William Batchelder Bradbury, philanthropist Henry Chandler Bowen, Brooklyn mayor Alfred M. Wood, and about 200 others.
[39] While docked on the Oceanus at Fort Monroe, on April 18, 1865, they received the news of Lincoln's assassination, which occurred on the same night of the Sumter flag ceremony.
Following the passengers's sadness and disbelief, they decided to form an organization named the "Sumter Club" to annually commemorate this historical event, including the fort's commander, Gen. Robert Anderson, and president Abraham Lincoln for his leading role at saving the Union States.
[40] Gen. Yale was elected its first president and the club organized meetings every year, hoping to make the day into a national holiday.
[39][41] The first meeting was held at Yale's hotel in Brooklyn Heights, facing Wall Street, named the “Mansion House”.
[42][43] Founders of the Sumter Club, including Gen. Yale, were Senator Stephen M. Griswold, of the Griswold family, Senator Cyrus P. Smith, Mayor of Brooklyn, lawyer Charlton Thomas Lewis, New York Post's managing editor, Edward Cary, New York Times's editor, Rev.
[44][40][45] For the club's 20th anniversary of raising the flag on all the forts in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, General Sherman sent the members a letter.
[49] Her father was deacon of the Baptist church and selectman of Meriden, and his brother, Levi Yale, was a merchant and soldier in the War of 1812, and afterwards the city's postmaster for 12 years.
