Elihu Club or Elihu is the fourth oldest senior society at Yale University , New Haven, CT . It was founded in 1903 and takes its name from Elihu Yale .
107-426: The Elihu Club was founded by eleven students in 1903 as an "open senior society", rather than a secret society. At the time, this was considered in "variance with accepted traditions" at Yale and "an interesting democratic innovation". its name from Elihu Yale who was the primary benefactor of Yale College . Its purpose is: "To foster among its members, by earnest work and good fellowship a stronger affection for Yale;
214-632: A Bengal tiger at the fort, among other things. Those who were taxed the most were the owners of the 128 houses within the fort, which half belonged to the Portuguese merchants. The company's chairman sent a letter to Yale, writing that "your elaborate arguments to persuade us not to impose a moderate duty upon the Portuguese and other inhabitants of our city of Madras, whom we do protect and exceedingly encourage in their several vocations, have no weight at all with us". Yale had received similar letters during
321-589: A Harvard University graduate. He had no male heir, and no descendants of his have survived past his grandchildren. In the 21st century, Yale's connections to slavery in India began to be more closely explored, a process assisted by the digitalisation and online publication of the East India Company's records. In 2020, Peter Salovey , president of Yale University, launched the Yale and Slavery Research Project to explore
428-529: A broader view of undergraduate life and its aims; a deeper and more helpful friendship for one another; and to give its members, after graduation, an additional tie to bind them to Yale and each other." The Elihu Club of New Haven incorporated with the State of Connecticut in June 1903. The first delegation of tapped members was from the class of 1904 and included: In October 1903, Elihu Club added six additional members from
535-536: A collared African child, was donated to the Yale Center for British Art in 1970 and regularly displayed at the university. In 2020 the artist Titus Kaphar produced a version of the painting, entitled "Enough About You" , in which the main sitters are distorted beyond recognition and the image of the uncollared boy is set within a gold frame. Yale arrived in England with Indian artworks, and used his new wealth to build
642-421: A day is a false story that was propagated by privateer Alexander Hamilton . The events were as follow: In August 1689, two soldiers of Fort St. George stole guns , horses, and other items, and left Madras as fugitives with a group of five confederates to join the enemy's army during war time. One was named George Isaac, and the other was named Charles Cross, the latter being not only a soldier but also one of
749-648: A family gallery. He then became a member of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel , and met there the Bishop of London, John Robinson , and the Lt. Gov. of New England, Francis Nicholson . From Nicholson's influence, and with Jeremiah Dummer as intermediary, Yale would answer a donation request for Connecticut College through Harvard graduate Cotton Mather . While his initial plan
856-473: A few months, and procured three elephants from King Narai of Siam , to be sent to the Sultan of Gingee as war elephants . In peace time, they were used with a Howdah as status symbols, while at war, they were the prototypes of the modern tank . Yale then obtained a house and garden at St. Thomas Mount for the sickly and their convalesce. Thereafter, he received 3 princes from Sumatra, Indonesia , bringing
963-432: A fine. In 1699, he returned to Britain with a considerable fortune, around £200,000 (equivalent to £35.3 million in 2023), mostly made by selling diamonds, and spent his time and wealth in philanthropy and art collecting. He was the primary benefactor of Yale College , now Yale University , which was named in his honor, following a donation of books, portraits, and textiles at the request of Rev. Cotton Mather ,
1070-528: A fortune of about £200,000 (equivalent to £45.4 million in 2023), and married his daughter to the son of the 1st Duke of Beaufort at Badminton House . During the same year, Yale welcomed the Armenian merchants to establish themselves at Fort St. George following their persecution in Europe. In July, he sent diplomats for the arrival of Dutch Gov. Johannes Camphuys , and on September 29, 1688, he inaugurated
1177-610: A large European art collection of 10,000 items, including 7,000 paintings, which would become, after his death, the first art auction in Britain. During this era, the English country houses started to include goods from India and China, brought over the continent by the East India Company . As about 75% of all Indian exports were long-lasting and colorful textiles, it gave rise to the 1700–1750 Western fashion period , which included
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#17330932243731284-426: A letter from Sultanah Inayat Syah , Queen of Acheen , resulting in a trade agreement. About this time, King Charles II of England died, with James II ascending to the throne. The change was well welcomed by the company, as the chairman, Sir Josiah Child , had spent a fortune on James's ascension. Yale then organized the official ceremony at Fort St. George , with Gov. Gyfford resuming his office, and received
1391-580: A lifelong friend. In 1679, Yale's duties now involved receiving and invoicing textiles worth about 100,000 pagodas , consisting of neckcloths, chintz, and longcloth of various grades. With the death of Joseph Hynmers, second-in-command, Yale was made Assistant to the Warehouse Keeper, and started courting his widow. They married at St. Mary's Church , the oldest Anglican Church in India, on November 4, 1680, with Sir Henry Oxenden , Governor of Bombay , as brideman. With his wife's capital, Yale learned
1498-520: A member of Gov. Gyfford 's council, he became a cofounder of the Madras Bank , the oldest in India. On February 12, the second-in-command was dismissed for his "language that was too independent and not sufficiently subservient in his letters". The Councilmen rose in rank, with Yale becoming Warehouse Keeper. When Gov. Gyfford was sent to inspect factories in the Bay of Bengal , Yale became acting governor for
1605-438: A new building. In 1717, Isaac Newton gave the college a copy of his book Principia , on Newton's laws of motion and Newton's law of universal gravitation , and in 1718, Yale sent Mather 417 books, a portrait of King George I of Britain , and nine bales of goods. These last were sold by the school for £800. In gratitude, officials named the new building Yale; eventually the entire institution became Yale College . Yale
1712-605: A new map of the Netherlands dedicated to him by John Senex , royal geographer of Queen Anne . Thereafter, his American godson David Yale entered Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge . Yale leased Latimer House from his son-in-law, Lord James Cavendish , son of the 1st Duke of Devonshire , to accommodate his daughter Ursula. He was elected High Sheriff of Denbighshire in Wales, gave money to Wrexham Church , and built
1819-410: A reputation for admitting racial minorities. In May 1982, the fifteen members of Elihu refused to tap any new members because of a dispute with the alumni who wanted to start charging new members $ 350. Elihu Club began admitting women in 1971. Starting in 2002, the club hosts the annual Elihu Yale Lecture which features notable speakers. Architect, planner, and Elihu members Alexander Garvin presented
1926-482: A secret society at Yale University, Alexandra Robbins alleges that Yale's headstone was stolen years ago from its proper setting in Wrexham . She further alleges that the tombstone is now displayed in a glass case in a room with purple walls. In the 21st century Yale University's historic associations with the slave trade have been re-evaluated. In 2017, the university determined to rename Calhoun College, which honoured
2033-689: A son named Charles. Following the English Revolution of 1688 , William of Orange , a Dutch, ascended to the throne of England, replacing James II , which was a fatal blow for Sir Josiah Child who had bet on the wrong side. The past wars between the Dutch and English merchants in Madras were now settled, and both started to form alliances through marriage. From then on, the directors' letters to Yale changed in tone. Sir Langhorne started complimenting him on his private trade in diamonds, as they now saw it as
2140-583: A way to expand the company to new markets without having to bear the risks themselves. Yale tried to build routes at Mindanao , the second largest island of the Philippines , getting from them Clove and Ironwood . He was then put on a secret committee with Sir John Child , governor of Bombay , and Nathaniel Higginson , mayor of Madras, to plan the establishment of a new fort near the South Seas , to engage in trade with China . On March 17, 1689, Yale received
2247-501: Is among the largest of the societies, belying the modest clapboard facade. It contains two single guest rooms in addition to beds for all the current undergraduate members, as well as a large formal meeting room, a library, a formal dining room, and an informal 'tap room' in the basement. The club also has a section of the old Yale Fence in its basement, a relic from the famous structure removed in 1888. The building has windows, though they are blinded. Originally, Elihu had no limit on
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#17330932243732354-454: Is inconclusive; the historian Steven Pincus suggests that he did not, while, in a 2016 article in the Journal of Global History , Elizabeth Kuebler-Wolf stated that he enslaved one or two people as household servants, citing explorer Hiram Bingham 's 1939 book Elihu Yale . Historian Joseph Yannielli writes that although Yale "probably did not own any of these people – the majority were held as
2461-632: Is older still, constructed in the early 17th century, and later frequented by colonists sympathetic to the English cause when it became known as the Tory Tavern, a central locale of the Revolutionary War . In 1781, the town of New Haven confiscated the building from its Loyalist owner, Nicholas Callahan, for his activities. The club expanded the Federal style building to the rear several times and now includes 12,726 square feet (1,182.3 m). The building
2568-575: Is sparse, a letter suggests that David Yale remained a successful merchant and settled his family in the Hanseatic merchant district " Steelyard Court". In 1662, at the age of thirteen, Elihu Yale entered the private school of William Dugard , but Dugard died a few months after Elihu Yale enrolled. Yale likely lived through the Great Plague of London and the Great Fire of London . In 1670, Yale joined
2675-638: Is the College That Bears His Name." At his death, with no proper will, his heirs-at-law inherited the Plas Grono estate and sold it to Sir George Wynne . In 1718, Cotton Mather contacted Yale and asked for his help. Mather represented a small institution of learning that had been founded in 1701 in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, as the Collegiate School of Connecticut, which needed money for
2782-456: The 1st Duke of Devonshire of Hardwick Hall , and Lady Mary Butler, the Duke of Ormond's daughter at Kilkenny Castle . Lord Cavendish was also a nephew of Earl John Cecil of Burghley House , and a grandson of Countess Elizabeth Cecil of Hatfield House . Ursula Yale, who never married, died in 1721 at Latimer House , a house rented by Yale from his son-in-law - who is buried in the church on
2889-459: The Anglo-Siamese War , with Yale acting on behalf of King James II of England , which resulted in number of casualties for the company, as cities were now being robbed by Siameses. Some English merchants at Siam sided with the enemy, and became involved in acts of piracy , which had Yale send warships in retaliation against Englishmen who changed sides. No peace treaty was ever signed, but
2996-678: The British East India Company , starting as a clerk at East India House in London . Among the board was the Earl of Berkeley , Sir Samuel Barnardiston , Vice-Admiral John Robinson , and Chairman Sir Andrew Riccard . Yale's uncle, Connecticut Gov. Edward Hopkins , was also one of the shareholders. It is possible that Yale had business training in his father's merchant counting house beforehand. He then sailed to India in December 1671 on one of
3103-548: The Chhatrapati of the Marathas , for the acquisition of a fort at Devanampatnam on behalf of the company, which was sold for 40,000 pagodas . They renamed the place Fort St. David in honor of a Welsh saint . On December 28, they supplied ammunition to general Zulfiqar Khan , son of Grand Vizier Asad Khan , from which they obtained the firman for the territories of Vizagapatam , Gingee and Golconda. During this year, Yale
3210-558: The Company 's activities in Madras. Gov. Yale was now under the overlordship of the Islamic Mughal Empire . He sent diplomats to pay Emperor Aurangzeb , one of which was his friend Daniel Chardin, diamond merchant and brother of Sir Jean Chardin , Yale's partner in England. He also sent letters to Mughal general Mahabat Khan , and complied with the ceremonies of prince Muhammad Bakhs and prime minister Asad Khan . The situation
3317-487: The Coromandel Coast to find investment opportunities for the sale of longcloth . During his mission, a great storm struck the coast, and 14,000 persons died. He made assessments of harbor facilities and fortifications, and was welcomed with coconuts as gifts of diplomacy. Yale then negotiated with Sikandar Shah , the Sultan of Bijapur , and obtained permission for the gold trade in his territory. In 1683, as
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3424-656: The East India Company . Her father was wealthy Levant merchant Walter Elford, son of Turkey merchant Walter Sr., the step-nephew of Admiral Sir Francis Drake of Buckland Abbey , the explorer, and the half-brother of Sir Francis Drake , the MP. Walter Elford Sr. was among the pioneers of the English Coffee Houses on Exchange Alley , next to the Royal Exchange , owning the Great Coffee House (Turk's Head) until
3531-476: The East India Company's headquarters were thousands of miles away, the board implemented policies that were not well adapted to the conditions in Madras. Letters took 6 months to be received, sometimes over a year, making communications difficult. One of these policies was the creation of a new tax upon Madras inhabitants that Yale had now to carry out, which caused a local rebellion . During this time, they accused him of not cutting expenses down, such as keeping
3638-526: The East Indiamen , on a voyage that would take six months, with the eminent dangers of pirates , storms and diseases. He landed in Madras on June 23, 1672, at Fort St. George , where Portuguese, English and Hindu lived. He then learned the rules of Gov. William Langhorne , some of which being the interdiction to start a duel , to desert the fort, or to blaspheme, and met with Father Ephrem de Nevers . At
3745-563: The Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition , and published its findings in 2024. Blight identified "Yale's key leadership role in the business of human trafficking " and confirmed that part of Yale's fortune unquestionably derived from "the purchase and sale of human beings [...] much of his growing wealth derived from the lucrative trade in cloth, silks, precious jewels, and other commodities, yet this commerce
3852-760: The Golconda mines and Kollur mines in Southern India. In relation to GDP , his fortune amounted to 1/4 % of UK's GDP at the time, which translates to nearly 6 billion British pounds in 2021 money. Famous diamonds extracted from these mines over time have included the Orlov Diamond , belonging to Catherine the Great , the Hope Diamond , belonging to Louis XIV , the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond , belonging to
3959-505: The Great Fire of London , and was featured in Samuel Pepys 's diaries. Catherine Elford's maternal grandfather was merchant Richard Chambers, Alderman and Sheriff of the City of London , family of Sir Amyas Bampfylde of Poltimore House and Barrington Court . Their wedding took place at St Mary's Church , at Fort St George, where Yale was a vestryman and treasurer . The marriage
4066-585: The Habsburgs , among others. Yale acquired rough stones from the Mughal Emperors of Golconda in exchange for a royalty, and were sent to Fort St. George, India , under the protection of 50 trained men. Thereafter, Yale would send the diamonds to Amsterdam to be faceted and polished, until ready to be shipped to London. The process took on average 3 years and needed large amounts of capital to endure setbacks, such as wars and political instability. During
4173-517: The Madras Corporation , where Nathaniel Higginson was elected its first mayor, with Amsterdam merchant Jacques de Paiva and others, elected on its board. Initially founded to restrain Yale's powers as governor, it became the oldest corporation in India, and the second oldest municipal body in the world after the City of London . Paiva's widow, Hieronima, would become Yale's mistress and bear him
4280-524: The Moghul , who received royalties, while Yale used his expertise and capital to hold on these stones until they were faceted and polished in Amsterdam , on their way to London. The process took on average 3 years before getting a return on investment, and Yale had 50 trained men to protect the goods from robbers during transportation. By 1688, Sir Josiah Child , the Company 's largest shareholder, retired with
4387-558: The Mughal Emperor , but having not followed the directors's order to tax the natives for it, he was fined 3484 pagodas with interest by the Company . Goldsborough then sent a group of musketeers to Mrs. Nicks 's house, Yale's friend, to investigate fraud charges regarding cloths , where she would be fined for her husband's mistakes. Not having enough money to pay the taxes to bring her children home to England, she would be forced to sail without them. For Yale's trial, William Fraser
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4494-519: The Pitt Diamond , became Yale's partner, as the Company had now removed all restrictions on private trade. In 1699, after a 30 years career in India, Yale decided to sail home, and was granted the usual privilege of past governors to bring back five tons of goods, which he filled with diamonds , rubies , sapphires , Chinawares , Persian carpets , nutmegs , and other items. He decided to have Gov Pitt 's ship as his vessel, and brought back with him
4601-760: The Qutb Shahi dynasty . Aurangzeb was a member of Tamerlane's dynasty , and his parents , founders of the Taj Mahal , were direct descendants of Genghis Khan . As Yale expected the Mughal's revenge for the Anglo-Mughal War started by the directors in Bengal , he prepared for war and raised a Portuguese militia, but as the Mughal had thousands of war elephants , he and the council had no choice but to pay him 50,000 pagodas to keep
4708-737: The War of the Spanish Succession , shipments would get stolen by pirates on their way to Europe, and once there, the Europeans princes and nobility would lack the funds to acquire them, forcing some merchants into bankruptcy. Demand followed the Coronations of monarchs , royal court events, war victories and other ceremonies. It became the most important branch of private trade of East India employees between Madras and London. Along with Sir Jean Chardin and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier , Yale became one of
4815-600: The Yale Dramatic Association , and Newbold Noyes Jr. , chairman of the Yale Literary Magazine . For some, Elihu was appealing because it was different from Yale's secret societies. Joseph Lieberman was courted by Skull and Bones, even though he wrote editorials critical of the society in the Yale Daily News . Lieberman wrote, "Heresy of all heresies, it would be wonderful if, as a symbolic gesture,
4922-455: The board in London . According to Madras historian Arthur Pringle, the official records are full of invented circumstantial charges of injustice and fraud. Yale was then promoted to the office of Mintmaster , and was given a seat on the council, occupying the fifth position on a board of six, as the directors were "pleased with Elihu's behavior and ability". In 1682, he was sent to Porto Novo on
5029-544: The grooms of the fort's stables. They were captured by the Polligars on their way to the Mughal and surrendered to Madras on condition of showing them mercy, which was initially agreed, but once arrived, Gov. Yale and the Council decided to have them sentenced for treason and desertion . One was executed before the stables , the other was shot in front of the fort's gate. Thirty-eight years later, Capt. Hamilton wrote about
5136-493: The marshal to temporarily release them to their private homes, and reversed other sentences made by the Mayor's Court. Yale wrote in his letter that "he would have been unfaithful to his trust had he permitted an innocent man to starve to death in prison". On October 1, 1692, letters arrived from London with accusations against Yale, making Nathaniel Higginson the new President of Madras . According to Madras historian Fanny Penny,
5243-486: The white supremacist and pro-slavery leader John C. Calhoun . In respect of Elihu Yale, the process was assisted by the availability online of the relevant East India Company records. In 2020 Yale's president, Peter Salovey , launched the Yale and Slavery Research Project to explore the university's links with slavery and colonialism, including Elihu Yale's central role. The project was led by David W. Blight , director of
5350-643: The Garden House, which was used for those who were resting outside the city, having a place to eat. Yale didn't follow this order and kept Gov. Gyfford there as his health was fragile. During August 1687, Yale is then recorded corresponding with the Ambassador of Shah Suleiman of Persia , regarding his arrival with a Koran to try to convert the Siamese king to Mohammedanism , which the latter refused. Being bankrupt after his failed mission, Yale loaned him money, which
5457-510: The Great Famine under Gov. Gyfford , where they had refused to collect taxes, with the directors replying that "you are still fencing against our creating revenue at the Fort, with slight, insignificant arguments, wherein the worst is that you should have so mean an opinion of us, as to think such sophistical reasons will make any impressions on our judgment". The directors also gave the order to close
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#17330932243735564-435: The King of England, William of Orange , ordered on March 15, 1695, the liberation of Elihu Yale, so that he could come back to England whenever he chose, with the additional order of giving him the Great Cabin in the Company ship of his choosing when he would be ready to sail home. When the letter reached Madras ten months later on January 8, 1696, Yale was immediately offered a ship for Britain, but having already served
5671-417: The King's Privy Council on February 14 at Kensington Palace , contesting the accusations. The Privy Council ordered a reply from the East India Company but were not impressed by their statements against Yale's activities, therefore they ordered, on behalf of the king, to stop all the company's ships that were ready to sail for Fort St. George in India. Yale's case was given to Sir Thomas Rawlinson , and
5778-483: The Netherlands. This new class of merchants who made their fortune in the East Indies would become known as the Nabobs in Britain. During the Georgian era under King George I , Yale and other merchants would meet at London coffee houses as centres of social life. He kept his title of governor, and after the failures of his bankers, he opened a bank account in the newly created Bank of England , with deposits at C. Hoare & Co of Sir Richard Hoare , now
5885-428: The Siameses nobles during the Siamese revolution of 1688 . On August 11, 1687, Yale approved the recall of several Englishmen to Madras detained by Prussian Wolf Henrik von Kalnein , governor of Tranquebar under the Danish East India Co. . About a month later, on September 22, 1687, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb conquered the nearby Kingdom of Golconda , defeating Sultan Abul Shah at the Siege of Golconda , ending
5992-523: The accusations were the same as with past governors, being the "old story of private trade, jealousy on the part of his fellow-merchants, and suspicion and distrust at home as his wealth accumulated". By then, Yale's fortune was at £205,000 (equivalent to £40.5 million in 2023), which was the same as the Company 's former chairman and largest shareholder, Sir Josiah Child . On November 23, Sir John Goldsborough and judge John Dolben arrived in Madras for Yale's investigation. The Councillors took
6099-418: The actions of the just Smell sweet and blossom in the silent dust. In Boston, Massachusetts , a tablet to Yale was erected in 1927 at Scollay Square , near the site of Yale's birth. Yale president Arthur Twining Hadley penned the inscription, which reads: "On Pemberton Hill, 255 Feet North of This Spot, Was Born on April Fifth 1649 Elihu Yale, Governor of Madras, Whose Permanent Memorial in His Native Land
6206-412: The ambassadors of Persia and Siam. In July 1687, Yale was appointed President of Madras and Governor of Fort St. George , replacing William Gyfford . A difficulty of the office was to deal with the native rulers through firmans , as Madras was surrounded by the Mughal Empire , with rulers always asking for bribes. When their demands were refused, they would seized the food supplies, half starving
6313-427: The arrival of Commander Job Charnock , with his staff and four companies of soldiers. He arrived from a failed mission that consisted of blocking and seizing the ships of Mughal Aurangzeb , who had attacked the company's ships in the Bay of Bengal , and taken control of Chittagong during the Anglo-Mughal War . Charnock stayed in Madras for a few months under Gov. Yale's protection, which caused dissensions in
6420-413: The books are at Yale Library . Yale's will included donations to the poor of Wrexham in Wales, to Christ's Hospital in London, St Bartholomew's Hospital , St Thomas' Hospital , various workhouse and poorhouses , and to Connecticut College, later known as Yale . In 1680 Yale married Catherine Elford, widow of Joseph Hynmers, second-in-command of Fort St George, India as Deputy Governor for
6527-429: The children of Mrs. Nicks . Over time, the old accusations against the company's officers enriching themselves at their expense appeared less frequently, as the directors learned that their employees could grow wealthy while advancing their commercial interests. Yale arrived in Britain in 1699 with a fortune that amounted to £200,000 (equivalent to £35.3 million in 2023), mostly made from his diamond business in
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#17330932243736634-417: The class of 1904, including seniors Coleman Curtis, Everett Dominick, Harry L. Foote, Joseph H. Holmes, Lawrence Mason, and Robert L. Smitley. For the 1904 to 1905 academic year, the club rented the home of Mrs. Francis G. Beach on Wall Street. In 1911, the club purchased a colonial-era house which looks out on the New Haven Green . It is considered a landed society because it owns a building on campus. Like
6741-436: The college that became 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". Of Yale's donation to the college, totalling just under £1,162, Gordon suggested that "never has so much immortality been purchased for so paltry a [...] sum." In her article for The Atlantic about Skull and Bones ,
6848-500: The company for over 20 years, he decided to stay as Fraser was still on his case. Fraser then suggested to Sir Josiah Child that Yale had poisoned four members of the Council over the years. Fraser's case relied on statements made by two Indian natives that were not sworn, where they said that they had heard someone, who is now dead, say that somebody else, who has now left Madras, that two of Yale's enemies were still alive, and that they would be dead soon. Based on native gossips ,
6955-453: The company's servants with a blockade . In terms of size, Madras consisted of about 300,000 people, or around 6% of England 's population at the time. Yale had previously been popular with both the Europeans and native Indians, and reverted to the former practice of living and dining in the Fort House with merchants, writers and factors. With Yale's nomination, Sir Josiah Child hoped that Madras would be less critical of London . As
7062-442: The council for fear of the Mughal's revenge. The Council eventually outvoted Yale, and Charnock was forced to leave, where he would found the city of Calcutta . In July, 1690, news of the war between William of Orange and Louis XIV of France arrived in Madras , and Yale prepared Fort St. George once more for war. On August 15, the French sent seven warships to attack the Madras roads, along with one fireship . The fort
7169-507: The council, coming from Thomas Gray, Sir Josiah Child 's servant, and lawyer William Fraser , a man known for his violent temper. They accused Yale of trying to get military power into his own hands. In 1691, Yale then received several Indian merchants and citizens who came to complain about Fraser's behaviour as new Mayor of Madras . Fraser had imprisoned four of their friends for refusing to sign an arbitration proceeding , and were stuck without food adapted to their religion. Yale ordered
7276-473: The directors dismissed the case. Thereafter, president Higginson was told by his servant of seven years that Fraser had threatened him twice, to which he replied that he had beaten him because he didn't like his Salams . Fraser was then charged and banned from the council. With Fraser removed, Yale stayed at Fort St. George for some years, and over time, cleared his name of all scandal and developed his diamond business. Gov. Thomas Pitt , who would find
7383-440: The estate. In 1687, after the death of Jacques de Paiva , a Portuguese Jewish diamond merchant and mines owner, Yale formed a relationship with his widow Hieronima de Paiva and brought her to live with him, causing a scandal within Madras's colonial society. They had a son who died, along with his mother, in South Africa . Yale died on 8 July 1721 in London . No descendants of his have survived past his grandchildren. His body
7490-411: The event in his memoirs, from a "weal and treacherous memory". As a past employee who became a Privateer , he never forgave the taxes the Company forced upon him during his private travels, and his depiction of the time, always critical of his past employer, are not considered faithful about the period. The later years of Yale's governance was marked by serious conflicts between his Presidency and
7597-437: The first lecture in 2002. The 2005 lecture was delivered by actor Sam Waterston , also an Elihu member. Members of Elihu Club received a pin. Elihu Club is housed in a three-story white clapboard house built between 1762 and 1776 at 175 Elm Street. This house is the oldest of all of Yale's secret society buildings, and purportedly one of the oldest original structures in the United States still in regular use. Its brick basement
7704-525: The health of the royal families of England and France. But around August 1687, disputes regarding Siam's strategic importance emerged among European powers , and Gov. Yale was charged by King Narai 's agents regarding the sale of jewels, which they estimated having overpaid by 25%. The man behind the charges was a Greek named Constantine Phaulkon , who wanted to lower English's influence over King Narai, and get him closer to Louis XIV of France through Chevalier de Chaumont . This trading dispute started
7811-527: The judges of the choultry before being transported. Transportation of young children, in particular, was made unlawful. During his tenure as President of Madras , Yale ordered a minimum of 10 slaves sent on every ship going to Europe, and on a month in 1687, Fort St George exported at least 665 slaves. In his judicial capacity he also on several occasions sentenced so-called "black criminals" to whipping and enslavement. Evidence as to whether Yale personally owned slaves, or participated directly in their sale
7918-532: The junior class to participate in its interview process. However, consideration for membership in Elihu is given to those juniors in the college who are nominated by undergraduate and alumni members. From its earliest days, the Elihu Club has favored members who leaned toward literary pursuits, acting, teaching, and the law. Elihu Society's taps among the Yale class of 1914, for instance, included Rufus King , president of
8025-484: The largest European diamond traders in the world, as nearly all diamonds came from India during that period. Chardin, the past jewel merchant of the Shah of Persia , was also one his partners. He kept doing business with his friends Gov. Thomas Pitt , grandfather of prime minister William Pitt , and Sir Charles Cotterell , during the era where London became the international trading centre of diamonds, dislodging Portugal and
8132-512: The law into their own hands, and had the Yale brothers imprisoned, and fearing of being poisoned, Yale wrote a letter to be delivered to the King of England by his brother, who will leave Madras on February 20, 1694. The investigators then inspected the fortifications around Black Town, the Indian natives's neighborhood. Yale had built the walls with the company's fund to protect the town against invasions of
8239-414: The number of members that could be tapped in a given year; its only rule was that these men not be a member of the other secret societies: Scroll and Key, Skull and Bones, and Wolf's Head. As a result, Elihu waited to invite its new members after Tap Day for the other societies. However, its founders estimated that between ten and twenty students would be tapped each year, along with worthy Yale graduates from
8346-556: The oldest bank in Britain. He lived most of his remaining years at the Plas Grono estate in Wales, next to Erddig Hall , inherited from the line of his great-grandfather, Chancellor David Yale , and at his London house in Queen Square . His neighbors included the Duke of Powis at Powis House , Lord Chancellor Bathurst , Queen Anne and her son Prince William , and artists Charles Burney and Jonathan Richardson . In London society, Yale
8453-674: The other societies, the organization's building is typically closed to non-members. While similar to Skull and Bones , Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head societies in charter and function, Elihu favors privacy over secrecy and is considered a "left-wing" society. Because it allows all members of the junior class to interview for membership, the Yale Daily News notes that, "Elihu is considered to be less prestigious." However, in May 1912, three men turned down invitations to secret societies in favor of Elihu Club, including baseball player Harold Carhart, football player Elmer McDevitt , and Edward Stevens. In
8560-492: The past twenty or thirty years. In May 1920, the club changed its recruitment policy and participated in Tap Day with the secret societies. Starting as an all-male organization, Elihu now also has female members. Annually, sixteen rising seniors are elected into the membership of Elihu during the spring tap process. Selection is performed behind closed doors, in keeping with the other major societies. The society invites all members of
8667-576: The property of the East India Company – he certainly profited both directly and indirectly from their sale", while the Sterling Professor David W. Blight suggests that Yale's personal ownership is "not a key question [...] some portion of [his] considerable fortune derived from his myriad entanglements with the purchase and sale of human beings" through his "key leadership role in the business of human trafficking ". Gov. Yale's story of having hanged his groom for taking his favorite horse on
8774-467: The seven founder members of the Harvard Corporation , the governing board and charter that incorporated the college in 1650. It was they, along with Elihu's uncle and aunt, Thomas Yale Jr. , and Anne Yale Jr., who brought the reconstituted Eaton/ Yale family to America, while other members of the family stayed in England. Their estates in Wales were Plas-yn-Yale and Plas Grono, and Elihu's brother
8881-555: The societies someday put windows in their buildings. No other institution seems to separate the haves from the have-nots so forcefully in the eyes of students." Lieberman rejected Bones in favor of Elihu, whose building had windows. Jacob Weisberg , was offered membership in Skull and Bones by Senator John Kerry . Weisberg declined, citing Bones' exclusion of women. Weisberg was persuaded by Robert G. Kaiser to join Elihu instead. Elihu Yale Elihu Yale (5 April 1649 – 8 July 1721)
8988-544: The spring of 1913, the sophomore class at Yale held a protest against secret societies; Elihu denied suspicions that it started the student protest. Elihu's normal meetings are held each Thursday and Sunday of the academic year. Its activities are similar to that of the other landed senior secret societies: personal histories or biographies and perspectives are shared among the current delegates. Its programs also include topical essays on pertinent issues, personal bonding time, and group reflection activities. By 1982, Elihu gained
9095-427: The time, the East India Company was already exporting to Europe spices , pepper , precious stones , Chinese porcelains , Japanese screens, and cotton cloth . In 1674, Yale was sent to negotiate the potential establishment of a new factory, and by February, was allowed to deal in private trade, which included pearls , diamonds , rubies , sapphires , neckcloths , cloves and nutmegs . By 1677, Gov. Langhorne
9202-503: The trade and became a specialist in diamonds and precious stones. In January 1681, he was promoted to the office of Provisional Customer. In the same year, Gov. Streynsham Master was replaced by William Gyfford , and Yale was sent as a diplomat to meet the VOC Governor of Pulicat . Despite Master's loyalty, the directors once again believed the charges of bad management, fueled by enemies, who brought complaints after complaints to
9309-559: The university's historical links with slavery and colonialism, including Elihu Yale's role. Yale was born in Boston , Massachusetts , to David Yale (1613–1690), a wealthy Boston merchant and attorney to Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick , and Ursula Knight; he was the grandson of Ann Yale (born Lloyd), daughter of Bishop George Lloyd . After the death of her first husband, Thomas Yale Sr. (1587–1619), son of Chancellor David Yale , Anne Yale married Theophilus Eaton , ambassador to Denmark. Eaton
9416-570: The use of tapestries . A new desire for collecting emerged among the English aristocracy under the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim Palace , and the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth House . Yale followed their lead and became a famous collector in London, with artists visiting him at his Queen Square home to secure patronage , one of which would be Vanderbank , who worked at Kensington Palace and Castle Howard . Rufus King (writer) Rufus Frederick King (January 3, 1893, New York City – February 13, 1966, Hollywood, Florida )
9523-480: The war against the Company will eventually stop around 1688. In London, the directors investigated the accusations of the Siameses on Yale and cleared his name, declaring that "you can not be ignorant that Phaulkon himself in the King of Siam's name, began the war... upon a pretense that Mr. Yale injured the King of Siam in a bargain". Phaulkon 's alliance with France would later cost him his life, being assassinated by
9630-510: Was London merchant Thomas Yale, later ambassador to the King of Siam for the East India Company . Elihu's father, David Yale, would later come from London to New Haven Colony with his stepfather, Theophilus Eaton , in 1639. He moved to Boston in 1641 and met and married Elihu Yale's mother, Ursula, in 1643. In 1652, at the age of three, Elihu Yale left New England , as David Yale took his family back to London. While documentation of this period
9737-589: Was a British-American colonial administrator. Born in Boston , Massachusetts, Yale lived in America only as a child, and spent the rest of his life in England , Wales , and India . He became a clerk for the East India Company at Fort St. George , later Madras , and eventually rose to the Presidency of the settlement. He was later removed from the post under charges of corruption for self-dealing, and required to pay
9844-574: Was accused of corruption by competitors within the Company . The directors were always suspicious, and with huge fortune being made six months away from London, they easily mistrust their employees. He was then replaced by Gov. Streynsham Master , the son-in-law of Richard Legh of Lyme Hall . In April 1678, Yale was promoted to the rank of Factor , doubling his salary. In June arrived the Welsh chaplain John Evans , future Bishop of Meath , who would become
9951-524: Was also a vestryman and treasurer of St Mary's Church at Fort St George . On 6 October 1968, the 250th anniversary of the naming of Yale College for Yale, the classmates of Chester Bowles , then the American ambassador to India and a graduate of Yale (1924), donated money for lasting improvements to the church and erected a plaque to commemorate the occasion. In 1970, a portrait of him, later renamed Elihu Yale with Members of his Family and an Enslaved Child ,
10058-506: Was also instrumental to the development of the Government General Hospital for Madras soldiers. Records of the period indicate a flourishing slave trade in Madras. After English merchants began to kidnap young children and deport them to distant parts of the world, the administration of Fort St George stepped in and introduced laws to curb the practice. On 2 February 1688, Elihu Yale decreed that slaves should be examined by
10165-784: Was an American author of whodunit crime novels . He created four series of detective stories: the first one with Reginald De Puyster, a sophisticated detective similar to Philo Vance ; the second one with his more famous character, Lieutenant Valcour; the third with Colin Starr, who appeared in four stories in the Strand Magazine during 1940–41; and the fourth with Chief Bill Dugan, who appeared in three stories in The Saint Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine 1956–57. In 2014, Wildside Press purchased Rufus King's copyrights and began reissuing his work, starting with
10272-631: Was associated with Sir Charles Cotterell , Master of the Ceremonies . He was then elected in December 1717 a Fellow of the Royal Society under Sir Isaac Newton . His candidature was introduced by Sir Hans Sloan , founder of the British Museum and compeer of Voltaire and Benjamin Franklin . In the same year, Yale was asked by Newton to deal with the donations of Dr. Thomas Paget, and later received
10379-515: Was attended by the King of England, William of Orange , Prince George of Denmark , Archbishop Thomas Tenison and the principal ministers. They ordered that the Attorney General examine the charter granted to the whole Company , and to examine their powers in matters of judicature . Their investigation was brought to Parliament , where they discovered briberies made by Sir Josiah Child and Sir Thomas Cook to Tory members. Thereafter,
10486-503: Was buried in the churchyard of the parish church of St Giles' Church, Wrexham , Wales . His tomb bears an inscription: Born in America, in Europe bred In Africa travell'd and in Asia wed Where long he liv'd and thriv'd; In London dead Much good, some ill, he did; so hope all's even And that his soul thro' mercy's gone to Heaven You that survive and read this tale, take care For this most certain exit to prepare Where blest in peace,
10593-492: Was delicate as the Dutch and Louis XIV at Versailles were also trying to get the Mughal in their favor, and the directors would hold Yale responsible if anything went wrong, including failing to keep the Golconda diamonds trade from the Kollur Mines . At the time, India was the world producer of diamonds, with Golconda producing 60% of its total output. Most of Yale's private fortune will be obtained from this trade with
10700-514: Was donated to the Yale Center for British Art from Chatsworth House . A portrait, painted during the 18th century, was also given to Yale University by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower . On 5 April 1999, Yale University recognised the 350th anniversary of Yale's birthday. An article that year in American Heritage magazine by John Steele Gordon described Yale as the "most overrated philanthropist " in American history, arguing that
10807-562: Was first put on the court, but Yale had him temporarily displaced after Fraser had imprisoned a Portuguese merchant for four years upon suspicion alone. By July, Sir John Goldsborough concluded his investigation, and left the countercharges to Fraser, not finding any evidence that Yale had defrauded the East India Company . His fines were based for the most part on technicalities, where he had not followed orders or made errors of judgment. Ten months later, while still in prison, Yale's brother arrived in London in 1695, and reached directly to
10914-526: Was inseparable from the slave trade". In his foreword to the report, Salovey wrote of the importance of the study as providing a "deeper, more honest understanding of who we are" and of helping in "coming to terms with injustices of the past and in confronting current wrongs". A linked re-evaluation considered the artworks donated by, and related to, Elihu Yale, in particular, the painting Elihu Yale with Members of his Family and an Enslaved Child . The picture, which shows Yale and his relations being served by
11021-503: Was never repaid. For many years, merchants of Madras and Siam were trading partners in the Andaman Sea , trading in rhinoceros horns , elephant tusks , copper and other commodities. Yale's brother, Thomas Yale, became ambassador to King Narai of Siam , and during this time, Elihu would entertain at his house the French ambassador and musketeer , Count Claude de Forbin , drinking to
11128-414: Was protected by a garrison of 700 soldiers under Gov. Yale, with the help of a Dutch fleet. Combat lasted a few hours, and the French were repulsed by the fort's guns, after which they didn't return. Yale then negotiated the release of Englishmen, dealing with Moghul general Shaista Khan , along with Daniel Chardin, who was sent to the King of Kandy . In 1690, Yale's brother negotiated with Rama Raja ,
11235-728: Was the co-founder of two of the Thirteen British Colonies , which are represented on the Flag of the United States , mainly through the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the New Haven Colony , and was the brother of Nathaniel Eaton , Harvard 's first Headmaster and President designate , at the founding of Harvard in 1636. His son, Samuel Eaton, the uncle of Elihu, was also involved in the foundation of Harvard, being one of
11342-562: Was the first registered at the church. They had 4 children together. David Yale died young in 1687. Katherine Yale (died 1715), married to Dudley North of Glenham Hall , a cousin of Lord North , the prime minister who later lost the American War of Independence . Their daughter would marry Nicholas Herbert , son of Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke , and lived at Wilton House and Highclere Castle . Anne Yale (died 1734) married to Lord James Cavendish of Chatsworth House , son of
11449-430: Was to bestow a charity at Oxford , he sent them books, along with Sir Isaac Newton . He also sent a newly painted portrait of King George I by artist Sir Godfrey Kneller , principal painter of the king at the time, and the institution changed its name to Yale College . The total sum gifted was about the same as John Harvard 's to Harvard College . The painting is now at Yale University Gallery , while about 214 of
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