5288–5289.  David Yale, (Dr.) was born in England about 1535, and died in Chester, England, in 1626. His wife was Frances Lloyd He is the son of John and Agnes (Lloyd) Yale. She is the daughter of John, (Dr.) and Elizabeth (Pigott) Lloyd. They had 14 children:

From Yale Genealogy ... is taken:

It will be noted here, as well as in the preceding pedigree, that Thomas Yale, whose descendants continued the line of "Plas-yn-Yale" and Dr. David Yale, the ancestor of the Yales of Plas Grono, were half brothers; hence the relationship of the Yales of these two ancient estates will be understood.

The father of John Yale (Wynn), was David Lloyd ap Elisse (Ellis) of Plas-yn-Ial, who was descended from a long line of honorable, illustrious and noble ancestors, as set forth in the preceding pages.

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 one of the great men of his time and country. Mr. Alfred Neobard Palmer pays the following tribute to him: "a man, famous in himself, and famous in his connections and descendants, not the least of whom was Elihu Yale, the founder of Yale College in New England."

He 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.

The wife of Dr. David Yale was Frances Lloyd, 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., father of Frances Lloyd-Yale, was a very eminent man. He 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 the will of Dr. Thomas Yale, Chancellor of Canterbury (proved 1 April, 1578), the testator mentions bis "Kinsman" "Davy Yale, " and provides means for him to "re-edify the house in Yale," leaving him for that purpose "the reversion of the lease of the Vaynoll." "TheVaynoll" no doubt meant the prebend of Y Faenol in St. Asaph Cathedral, in which, as is known from other evidence, Dr. David Yale succeeded Dr. Thomas Yale. Therefore the "Davy Yale" of the will was unquestionably, Dr. David Yale. He was also co-executor of the will.

The Shield of the Arms of Yale of Plas-yn-Yale and that of the Arms of Yale of Plas Grono, differed only in the fact that the saltire on the former was engrailed, while on the latter it was not.

Dr. David Yale was prominent in his time, as the proprietor and landlord of large estates, as well as in an official capacity. He 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). A picture of this house is presented herein, and was, as is stated elsewhere, pulled down in 1876.

Plas yn Yale (Hall in Yale) In the Township of Bodanwyddow, Parish of Llanarmon, and in Yale, of the Lordship of Bromfield and Yale, County of Denbigh, Powys Fadog, North Wales. The present structure, which can hardly be called ancient, stands on or near the site of an older building. It was the home of the Yales for many generations, and is now mainly a hunting lodge. The estate is now owned by Sir Wm. Corbet Yale-Jone-Parry. The nearest village is Llandegla, but the church where the family worshipped, stands in the village of Bryneglwys, also near by. The region is [1909] picturesque and wild in character, and abounds in fish and game.

It was a commodious residence, of sufficient dimensions to accommodate a family of twenty, with rooms to spare; there was an excellent 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 has to this day [1908] remained a part of the Erddig estate, now represented by Erddig Hall. After it became a part of Erddig it was occupied by several very distinguished 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," which we have just described, was built by Dr. David Yale, for his son Thomas Yale, the father of David, Anne and Thomas, the first Yales in America.

Dr. David Yale 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 certainly 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 leashold 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).

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 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 and heirs male, or, in default, to George Yale, their second son and heirs male, or, in default, to David Yale, their third son and heirs male, or, in default, to John Yale, their fourth son and heirs male, or, in default, to Hugh Yale, their fifth son and heirs male, or, in default, to Richard Yale, their sixth son and heirs male.

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."

In August, 1898, Mr. Charles Henry Townshend of New Haven, Conn., a member of the Advisory Committee and Board of Directors of The New Haven Colony Historical Society, discovered at Chester, England the will of Dr. David Yale, dated August 15, 1625, and proved in the Consistory Court of Chester, with two codicils thereto, June 16, 1626. In this will are named two younger sons, Simon Yale and Samuel Yale, evidently born after the conveyance of August 3, 1601, heretofore mentioned. Several daughters are also mentioned in this will, namely: Ellen, Katherine, Frances, Devereux and two who were married, _____ Elyse and _____ Reynolds.

Besides the other bequests in the will he gives "to DAVID YALE, THOMAS YALE and ANNE YALE, children of THOMAS YALE, my eldest sonne late deceased, twentie pounds a yeare."

Dr. David Yale was one of the first of the name and certainly he was also one of the most prominent and honored of the name.

See Alfred Neobard Palmer's History of the Country Townships of the old Parish of Wrexham for evidence as to the parentage of Dr. David Yale and his relationship to the Yales of Plas-yn-Yale; also for the parentage of his wife Frances.

Mr. Palmer indicates that he must have made an error in copying the month, either of the sale of Erddig House, or of the date of Thomas Yale's property inventory, given in his biography; as the inventory date is given by as a month earlier than the sale of Erddig, in which Thomas participated.

• Yale, Rodney Horace, Yale Genealogy and History of Wales, 1908, pp. 86–91
• Palmer, Alfred Neobard, History of the Country Townships of the Old Parish of Wrexham, 1903