William Yale (merchant)

William Yale (1784 – 1833) was a tin ware merchant, politician, Justice of the Peace, and the largest manufacturer in Meriden, Connecticut.

[4] The Yales imported skilled artisans from England following the end of the American War of Independence and changes in taxes from America's separation from Britain, and took the lead in the manufacture of Britannia goods, selling them throughout the country through peddlers.

[7][8] He was the founder of the Yale manufacturing dynasty of Meriden and Wallingford, and had been a patriot during the American War of Independence, having enrolled under Colonel Canfield's militia regiment, a personal correspondent of George Washington.

[9][1][8] His mother's family traced their descent from Sir Thomas Payne, Knight of Market Bosworth, whose arms were the same as those adopted by Hugues de Payens, first Grand Master of the Templars.

[8] His grandfather Street Yale was also a patriot of the War of Independence, being enlisted under Col. Charles Webb in the Boston campaign, and assigned to Gen. Sullivan's brigade on Winter Hill.

Yale began his mercantile business selling pint cups, pewter plates, japanned canisters, long combs and other wares.

In 1817, he purchased for $2,500 the land of what is now the whole West of Meriden, with a contract note of $1,800, which he was later forced to pay cash in full amount, which he complied.

[3] As safety was an issue at the time, he arranged a meeting at a hotel with his son, watching the strangers passing by, and met the sheriff of Hartford.

[3] They had drinks together and he then emptied the whole sum in sixpences and shillings on the table, surprising the sheriff who responded by stating that it would take him one week to count it, to which Yale replied "Very well...

During this time, William Yale became the largest manufacturer in Meriden, exceeding Ashbel Griswold's pewter and britannia business.

[15] He also had a niece, Sarah Yale, who married to Senator Edgar Atwater, and was aunt-in-law of Judge William Gardner Choate.