David O. Vail is listed as a "merchant" on an 1862 ship manifest[3] and in a Van Rensselaer family history is described as "...resident partner of the house of Olyphant & Company at Shanghai, China."[4] His death notice describes him as being "...lately of China...", but it is not clear where or of what he died in 1865 at age 32.[5] His middle name, Olyphant, and the fact that he worked for Olyphant & Company reflect his connection to that family on his mother's side. Olyphant and Company, founded in 1827 by David WC Olyphant and Charles N. Talbot, was one of the pioneers of the Old China Trade.[6]