| Notes |
- Sometime before 1954, a number of Yeates descendents hired a professional genealogist, Harry Wright Newman, of Washington, D.C. The following is his report as transcribed by Annie Virginia Compton:
"The Yate family of Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland, owes its position in America to one GEORGE YATE, Gent., who settled in Maryland sometime in or before the year 1664. He was a scion of an armorial family of Great Britain, which is proved by the fact that he willed to his eldest son and heir 'My silver seal ring with my Coat-of-Arms ingraven thereon.' Unfortunately, the original will has not been preserved to ascertain if he placed in wax his arms beside his signature -- a custom of the early Maryland gentry. Nor have any known private documents come down to the present generation with the seal to establish which branch of the English or Irish Yate families he belonged Further-more, no old silver has been found owned by the family displaying either the crest or the arms.
"It is generally accepted, however, that he was of the English branch, inasmuch as he was a 'cousin' of Jerome White, Esq., one time Surveyor General of the Province and member of the Privy Councill. During a controversy over a land survey of George Saughier[?], Jerome White stated on March 13, 1670/1, 'That the land be laid out by my cousin George Yate who is best informed of the situation thereof.' (Land Office, Liber 12, Folio 558, Annapolis.)
"'Cousin' in the seventeenth century signified a collateral relative more distant than a brother or sister and frequently meant nephew of niece. In that period, however, when one referred to a cousin in the present day meaning, the word kinsman was used. It can, therefore, be almost positively accepted that George Yate was a nephew of Jerome White -- presumably the son of a sister. This close relationship is further strengthened when Jerome White conveyed to George Yate for divers considerations unnamed a very valuable tract of land known as the 'Iron Mine.'
"Jerome White, Esq., was from County Essex, England, and was always addressed or styled Esquire, which indicated that his social position was directly below that of knight but above that of Gentleman.
"His kinsman, George Yate, however, was always styled 'Gent.', and a single instance can not be recalled when his name was not followed in public records with 'Gent.' He was educated, being well versed in mathematics, and a Surveyor for the Lord Proprietary. He always signed his name George Yate, yet it is noted that it was usually written as Yates on public records by clerks or other third parties, which would indicated that while he wrote his name Yate, he generally pronounced it as Yates.
"George Yate, Gentl., the progenitor of the family, settled in the Province of Maryland, at a date prior to March 2, 1664/5 -- the earliest reference found for him. On that day he is recorded as serving on the jury of the Provincial Court. (Archives of Maryland, Vol. 49, p. 393.)
"The next record of George Yate on Nov. 4, 1665, when he conveyed to Daniel Johnson, of Anne Arundel County, the tract known as 'Great Brush Neck,' lying between the Severy River and Magothy Bay, consisting of 150 acres of land. The deed was signed as George Yate, with Abell Brown and Abraham Childs as witnesses. No wife waived dower. (Anne Arundel Deeds, Liber 1 H #2, Folio 240. Hall of Records.)
"Unfortunately, all recorded deeds in Anne Arundel County were destroyed by fire in or about 1712, but the above named deed was brought to the clerk of the court by John Summerland who was then seized of the tract and requested that the deed be recorded.
"Not long after his settlement in Maryland, George Yate became actively engaged in public service. He participated in the punitive expedition against the Nanticoke Indians of the Eastern Shore, and for this service he received by vote of the General Assembly in November, 1678, forty pounds of tobacco.
"Earlier in 1678, he was voted 7,200 pounds of tobacco by the General Assembly, at St. Mary's City, during April-May, 1668, for services performed that year. (Maryland Archives, Vol. 2, Folio 228.)
"his must important public service, however, seems to be that of Deputy Surveyor for Anne Arundel County under his uncle as well as other Surveyor Generals of the Lord Proprietary. The earliest records of his services in this capacity are dated May 17, 1670. He served continuously as Deputy Surveyor until 1684, when he became incapacitated through lameness.
"In 1681, the General Assembly voted George Yate One Hundred Pounds of Tobacco for performance of public service. And, at the session of Nov. 1-12, same year, he was awarded an additional Two Hundred and Sixty pounds of Tobacco.
"George Yate and fourteen other outstanding men of Anne Arundel County were appointed by the General Assembly on Nov. 4, 1683, as Commissioners to survey and manage the buildings of the Court House for Anne Arundel County. (
"George Yate was a member of the Committee in Anne Arundel County in 1683 for the advancement of the trade in the Province of ports at several places.
"George Yate was one of the largest patentees of land within the Province during the late seventeenth century, and before his death had acquired land exceeding several thousands of acres. The following shows a complete list of his patents, together with the year of survey, the number of acres and the location.
TRACT YEAR ACREAGE COUNTY HEIR(S)
Lyford 1666 1000 Talbot
The Chance 1666 25 Anne Arundel
Radnidge 1667 160 " "
Birkhead's Chance 1667 750 " "
Upton's Court 1668 500 Baltimore
Yate's Inheritance 1668 170 Anne Arundel
Mascall's Rest 1671 230 " "
Happy Choice 1671 320 Calvert
Locust Thickett 1672 200 Anne Arundel
Rowdown 1673 800 " "
Sway 1674 200 Prince Georges
Narrow 1679 100 Anne Arundel
Betty's Choice 1679 480 Baltimore
Denchworth 1679 250 Anne Arundel
Stopp 1680 118 Baltimore
Rich Levell 1680 800 Anne Arundel Elizabeth (200 acres)
Padworth Farm 1681 600 Prince Georges John
Lower Granery 1682 440 " "
Yates His Forbearance 1684 770 Baltimore George II & John
Yates Forbearance 1684 140 Anne Arundel George II
Charlie (Charney) 1684 340 Baltimore Anne
Come By Chance 1684 214 Anne Arundel
Levell's Addition 1685 118 Baltimore Elizabeth
Hogg Harbour ? 83 Anne Arundel Mary
Range ? 200 " " "
[Nameless] ? 113 " " "
"'Lyford,' it is noted was his first patent granted Apl. 12, 1666, by the Lord Proprietary. It consisted of a tract of land of 1000 acres in Talbott County on the north side of the Choptank River, adjoining the land of Henry Sewall, Esq. The certificate to 'Lyford' was issued to Jerome White, but patented in the name of George Yate.
"In the same year he was granted 'The Chance,' in Anne Arundel County.
"'Yate's Inheritance,' a tract of 170 acres in Anne Arundel County, has been a means of identifying definitely some of his descendants who held this tract for nearly a hundred years thereafter. (Copy of the Warrant in Land Office, Liber GG, Folio 438; Liber 12, Folio 134, Annapolis, Md.)"
The following is an exact coy of the last will and testament of George Yate -- (Wills, Liber 2, Folio, 228)
"In the name of God, Amen, I, George Yate, of Anne Arundell County in the Province of Maryland being weake in body but of perfect mind and Memory Praised be God do make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament In Form and Manner following, first I bequeath my Soul to Almighty God and my body to the Earth to be buried after the discretion of my Exec. thereafter named.
"Item, I give and bequeath unto my son George Yate and John Yate all my seven hundred acres of land called Yate his Forbearance Lying on the North side of Patapsco River -- To be equally divided between them to them the said George Yate and John Yate their heirs and assigns forever (for eveare.)
"Item I give and bequeath unto my son George Yate one hundred and forty acres of Land called Forbearance lying on the falls of Patapsco River in Baltimore County to him the said George Yate his heirs and assigns for Ever.
"Item I give and bequeath unto my Son George Yate my silver seal with my coat of arms ingraven thereon. (Note, silver seal ring).
"Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anne Yate all my three hundred and sixty acres of Land Called Charley Lying in the North East Branch in Baltimore County to her heirs and assigns for Eve.r, and in case of her mortality before her marriage them my will is that the Same be equally divided between my Two Sons George Yate and John Yate to them their heirs and assigns for Ever.
"Item I give unto my daughter Elizabeth Plummer my Two hundred acres of land being part unsold of Eight hundred acres of Land called Rich Levell and also my One Hundred and eighteen acres called Levell addition both parcels lying in Baltimore County which said Land I give and bequeath unto my said Daughter Eliz her heirs and assigns for Ever.
"Item I give and bequeath unto my Dear Loving Wife Mary Yate my Two Hundred acres of Land Called the Range Lying in Anne Arundel County to her the said (Mary) Yate and her assigns for Ever. Likewise, I give and bequeath unto my Wife Mary Yate my Eighty and Three acres of Land Called Hogg Harbour lying on the north branch of Patuxin River in Ann Arundel County and one other tract of Land lying on the said branch Containing one hundred and thirteen acres all which three tracts of land I give unto my said Wife Mary Yate and her assigns for Ever.
"Item I give and bequeath unto my Dear Lovin Wife all my Personal Estate Only five pounds excepted Sterling money of England the which I bequeath unto my Daughter Ann Yate, which my will is that she be paid at the day of Marriage or at the age of Sixteen Years all the remainder of my personall Estate I give unto my said wife Mary Yate for Ever.
"I constitute Ordain and appint my dear wife Mary Yate Sole Execx of this my last will and Testament In Witness whereof I do here unto Sett my hand and Seal this Sixth day of June in the Year of our Lord God one Thousand six hundred Ninety and One."
(Signed) George Yate seal
Signed and sealed in the presence of us: GEORGE BURGES, ARTHUR HERRING, Signum Phillip Dennis, William Lunn, Robert Morres, James X Douglas, Edward Cooke
Proved in Open Court by the Oaths of Geo. Burges, Arthur Herring, and Robert Morres. Nov the 11th H. Bonner Regr.
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Taylor Family Genealogy
1640 - 1691 (51 years)
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