YALE, ELIHU

born April 5, 1649, Boston, Mass. died July 8, 1721, London, Eng. English merchant, official of the East India Company, and benefactor of Yale University. Although born in Massachusetts, Yale was taken to England by his family at the age of three, and he never returned to America. He was educated at a private school in London. In 1671 Yale began working for the East India Company and was sent the following year to Madras. From a fairly low-ranking position he worked his way up by 1687 to become governor of Fort Saint George, the East India Company's installation at Madras. Five years later the company removed him from office, charging him with self-aggrandizement at company expense. He was kept in Madras until 1699 and forced to pay a fine, but Yale was still able to take a sizable fortune with him to England. In London he entered the diamond trade, but he devoted a good deal of his time and money to philanthropy. Connecticut's London agent, Jeremiah Dummer, approached Yale with the suggestion that the Collegiate School at Saybrook in the colony would welcome a contribution. Yale responded with a gift of books. Later, in 1718, Cotton Mather wrote to Yale, hinting broadly that the Saybrook schoolwhich had recently moved to New Havencould be renamed in Yale's honour in gratitude for another sizable gift. Thereupon, Yale sent more books, a portrait of George I, and a variety of goods from the East Indies. The gifts were sold in Boston for some 800, and the money was used to construct a building called Yale College in New Haven. By its charter of 1745, the entire institution was named Yale University. Yale was buried at Wrexham in North Wales.