Note by Phyllis Brown:  George Yate is my 9th great-grandfather.  My notes say his parents were John Yate and Mary Tettershell.  George was born in 1640 in Essex County, England.

From Anne Arundel Gentry

Yate(S) Family

The Yates, one of the few armorial families of Maryland, had its origin in Anne Arundel County but later became almost distinctly of Baltimore County.  George Yate, the pioneer, in his will of 1691, devised to his eldest son, George, a silver ring with “my coat-of-arms engraved thereon.”  The ring was undoubtedly one of the choice possessions of the family and presumably was among the few heirlooms which the emigrant brought from his English house.

George Yate, Gentleman (16– – 1691)

George Yate was in the Province before the year 1669.  He was described as the “cousin” of Jerome White, Gentleman, the Surveyor General of the Province, who appointed him one of the Deputy Surveyors of the Lord Proprietor.  About 1672 George Yate married Mary, the widow of Captain Thomas Stockett and the daughter of Richard and Frances Wells.  Mary, who was born in Virginia and brought to Maryland by her parents in 1652, was widowed in 1671 with several young children.

Children of George and Mary (Wells) Yate

• George Yate married Rachel Warfield
• John Yate married Elizabeth
• Anne Yate, died young
• Elizabeth Yate married Thomas Plummer

George Yate was one of the largest patentees of land in Maryland, no doubt in compensation of his services as surveyor, but he generally assigned his rights for a valuable consideration before the final warrant was issued.  He, however, retained several of his grants and at the time of his death he had accumulated an estate of several thousands of acres in both Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties.

Records show that George Yate was paid tobacco as early as 1669 for public services, and also in 1681.  He contributed to the punitive expedition in 1678 against the Nanticoke Indians of the Eastern Shore and for his services received 40 pounds of tobacco.

In March, 1681, George Yate was excused from attending a session of the Provincial Court on account of illness.  It seems as if he continued to suffer from ill health, and in 1684 at a session of the Council he was declared to be lame and unable to officiate further as Deputy Surveyor of Anne Arundel County.  The Council at that session recommended that Richard Beard be appointed in his place.

The year prior to his resignation as Deputy Surveyor George Yate served on the commission to purchase and lay out towns and ports in Anne Arundel County for the advancement of trade.

The will of George Yate was dated June 6, 1691, Anne Arundel County, the precise date of probation is missing.  He bequeathed his wife, Mary, who was named executrix, “The Range” of 200 acres and “Hogg Harbour” of 83 acres, both tracts lying in Anne Arundel County.

His sons, George and John, received jointly 770 acres of “Yate Forbearance” on the north side of the Patapsco River in Baltimore County.  George was willed also 140 acres of “Forbearance”, likewise John.  In addition John was devised a portion of “Padworth Farms”, which lay in what is now Prince Georges County.

Anne, at the age of 16 years, was willed “Charley” of 30 acres, but in the event of her death without issue, then to her brothers, John and George.  Elizabeth Plummer was devised “Rich Level” of 200 acres and “Level Addition” of 118 acres in Baltimore County.

His widow, Mary Yate, died eight years later.  The following is from the register of All Hallow’s Parish – “Mary Yeates was Buried the 21st Day of January Anno Domi 1698/99 in the parish of All Hollowes”.

She exercised her rights as possessor of “The Range” in fee simple and bequeathed it in her will to Thomas Stockett, the son of her first husband.  She also devised him his father’s black walnut box “with the coat-of-arms engraved thereon”.

To her daughter Frances (Stockett), wife of Mareen Duval, and her daughter, Elizabeth Plummer, and each grandchild living she willed various personalty.  To her sons, George Yate and John Yate, she bequeathed the residue of the estate including “Vale of Benjamin”, which was to be sold for their benefit.

By the Herring Creek rent rolls of 1707, “The Range” of 211 acres was unclaimed.  The records showed that it had been surveyed July 2, 1684, for George Burgess, lying near the Patuxent River, but had been assigned to George Yate.  The notation on the rent roll stated:  “George Yates heirs live in Baltimore County, but this is supposed to be a mistaken survey of his for no person claims it”.