Benjamin Alden, son of David Alden (1646-1719) and Mary (Southworth) Alden (1654-aft.1719), was born probably in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, where his parents lived[1], sometime before 1687. He was named to a petit jury in 1708, at which time he was at least 21.[2] Benjamin was the grandson of Mayflower passenger John Alden.[1]
Benjamin Alden married Hannah Brewster between 3 October 1707 and 1 Jan 1709/10 (birth of eldest child) probably in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts.[1] On 3 October 1707, Hannah Brewster was party to a quit claim. "Hannah Brewster now the wife of Benjamin Alden", acknowledged the same deed 15 January 1713.[3]
Benjamin Alden, of Duxbury, yeoman, was a participant in several Plymouth deeds:
22 April 1717 Benjamin purchased lot #59 from Benjamin Bartlett, Jr.[4]
24 April 1717 Benjamin and Samuel Alden sold 37 acres of lot #77 to Benjamin Davy.[5]
6 May 1717, David Alden conveyed for "Love good Will & affection" to my "Well Beloved Son" Benjamin, 32 acres lot #54 of Upland.[6]
8 May 1717 Benjamin mortgaged to the Commissioners lot #54 and Lot #59.[7]
28 March 1718 David Alden deeded to Benjamin Alden all his lands, upland and meadow with housing etc in Duxbury and one-half share in the 3rd lot in Great Cedar Swamp in Pembroke after the death of his wife Mary, with two exceptions David's share of meadow on Common Island and his share in the beach.[8]
2 August 1718 Benjamin Alden sold land to Samuel Alden.[9]
29 July 1728 Benjamin sold to Joseph Soule, of Duxbury, two shares of fifth parts of #1 Salt meadow in the 2nd division of Duxbury-Pembroke.[10]
8 February 1731/2 Benjamin Alden, Samuel Alden and Moses Simmons sold to Benjamin Chandler, housewright, three shares or tenth parts of #5 and #29 lots in the cedar swamp, part of the 2nd division of Duxbury-Pembroke Commons.[11][12]
Benjamin served on Duxbury juries in 1708, and 1737.[2] In June 1713, he served as a Juror for the Plymouth County Court of Common Pleas.[13] In 1739, he was on the committee to inform Samuel Veazie that he was invited to settle in the town as a minister, and he was chosen to be a town moderator for the day.[2]
Deacon Benjamin Alden drowned in Duxbury 14 Apr 1741.[1][14]
Dying intestate, his son, David, and wife, Hannah, applied for letters of administration on Benjamin's estate and were appointed co-administrators, on 21 May 1741.[15]
The inventory dated 9 June 1741 in Duxbury, contained all the homestead, salt meadow, cedar swamp, and 1/4 of a sawmill, but was found to be such that division would have been prejudicial to the whole. [16] In July 1741, an account of his debts and charges was presented to the probate court.[17]
On 5 Oct 1741, all the housing and land was assigned to his eldest son, David Alden saving to his mother her right of dower. and David was obligated to pay each of the siblings : Bezaliel Alden, Wresting Alden, Abiathar Alden, Elizabeth Alden and Mary (Alden) Wadsworth, a fair share of their father's estate. Further agreement was made for additional money to be paid to each of them following decease of their mother, Hannah (Brewster) Alden.[18]
In 1759, the widow, Hannah Alden received her dower.[19]
Children of Benjamin and Hannah were all born in Duxbury.[1]
Mary Alden, born 1 January 1709/10; m. John Wadsworth[1]
↑ 1.001.011.021.031.041.051.061.071.081.091.101.111.121.13 Merrick, Barbara Lambert. Mayflower Families through Five Generations. Volume Twenty-Four The Descendants of Elder William Brewster Part 1. (Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2014.) p. 380.
↑ 2.02.12.2
Etheridge, George, Copy of the old records of the town of Duxbury, Mass., from 1642 to 1770, (Plymouth, Massachusetts : Avery & Doten, 1893 ), pp. 206, 249, 262-3. Links also available at FamilySearch.org: 206, 249, 262-3
↑ Mayflower Families cites Plymouth County Court Records 5:43
↑Vital records of Duxbury, Massachusetts, to the year 1850, (Boston, Mass. : Published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1911), p. 345
↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," vol 8, p. 372; images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-NVW8 : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1738-1742 vol 8 > image 200 of 288; State Archives, Boston.
↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," Vol 8, p. 375; images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-NK3H : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1738-1742 vol 8 > image 201-202 of 288; State Archives, Boston.
↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967,"Vol 8, p. 410+; images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-NVY6 : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1738-1742 vol 8 > image 219 of 288; State Archives, Boston.
↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," Vol. 8, p. 431; images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-NVTD : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1738-1742 vol 8 > image 229 of 288; State Archives, Boston.
↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-JSY5 : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1763-1771 vol 19-20 > image 70 of 641; State Archives, Boston.
↑Birth • Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915' "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZ3J-D77 : 15 January 2020), Benjamin Alden in entry for Sarah Alden, 1712.
See also:
Turner, Viola Main (ed.) Alden Genealogy. (New York: Alden Kindred of New York City and Vicinity, 1935,) p.137.
Woodworth-Barnes, Esther Littleford and Williams, Alicia Crane, Mayflower Families through Five Generations, Vol 16 Part 1 of 3, John Alden, Boston, Mass.: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2002. p. 168-170
Savage, Joseph, Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1981, Originally Published: Boston, 1860-1862. (also online version)
General Society of Mayflower Descendants Membership Applications, 1620-1920 NOTE: page 1 of 3, SOURCE: 105832055-00278 VOLUME: Brewster, William PAGE: 5223:1 General Society of Mayflower Descendants Membership Applications, 1620-1920. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2020). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB2731/i/60044/5223-co1/1430598066
Roser, Susan E. Mayflower Births and Deaths: From the Files of George Ernest Bowman at the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants. Volumes 1 & 2. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1992, vol 1, p. 2.
Merrick, Barbara Lambert, "Mayflower Families in Progress William Brewster of the Mayflower and the Fifth Generation Descendants of his son Love." (Plymouth: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2003) p. 109 ; images, American Ancestors, (https://www.americanancestors.org/DB2728/i/51964/109/1422163141 : accessed November 2023).
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Benjamin by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known yDNA test-takers in his direct paternal line.
Mitochondrial DNA test-takers in the direct maternal line:
Alden-2589 and Alden-186 appear to represent the same person because: The sensible thing to do is to eliminate the stray Benjamins (Alden-2586 & Alden-2589). Please merge with Alden-186 using Alden-186's father (David), not Jonathan. This was no doubt an error somewhere along the line and there is no point in keeping stray profiles.
Alden-2586 and Alden-186 appear to represent the same person because: The sensible thing to do is to eliminate the stray Benjamins (Alden-2586 & Alden-2589). Please merge with Alden-186 using Alden-186's father (David), not Jonathan. This was no doubt an error somewhere along the line and there is no point in keeping stray profiles.