Elihu Yale

Elihu Yale, (April 5, 1649 – July 8, 1721), was the first benefactor of Yale University. His ancestry can be traced to a family of North Wales, and the name Yale is the English spelling of the Welsh place name, Iâl. He was a prominent governor of Madras, in British East India, amassed a fortune in his lifetime, and he was generous with the proceeds.

Other references to the name

Elihu Yale is also the name of the Atlanta Police Chief in Tom Wolfe's novel A Man in Full. In the novel Elihu Yale is understood to be a black man, a fact that could possibly be interpreted as more of Tom Wolfe's commentary on class division in the United States. Wolfe himself earned a PhD. in American Studies from Yale.

Related Topics:
Tom Wolfe - A Man in Full

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Yale College, Wrexham, a college in Wales, is also named for Yale.

Related Topics:
Yale College - Wrexham - Wales

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