John Alden

Born [date unknown] in Plymouth

Ancestors

Husband of Elisabeth (Phillips) Alden — married about 1 Apr 1660 in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 14 Mar 1702 in Boston, Suffolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay, New England

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Biography

John Alden(Jr) was the first son and second child of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, who both came to Plymouth in 1620 on the Mayflower. It is known that his parents married in Plymouth, and therefore calculated that John was born in Plymouth.

The Division of Cattle made 22 May 1627, placed John Alden(Sr), Priscilla Alden, and their children Elizabeth and John Alden(Jr) in a lot together. Using the death record of Elizabeth Alden (eldest child of John and Priscilla), we can guess that she was born about 1624-5, placing the marriage of his parents about 1623. This allows a calculated date of birth for John Alden(Jr) 1625-6.

The Alden family began building their home in Duxbury during the summers, possibly completing the home by 1631, and likely living in Duxbury year round. By April, 1632 the family was returning to Plymouth during the winter. The burden of getting the family to public worship and church meetings became great for all families living in Duxbury; and the Alden family was one of many that returned to living in Duxbury year round.

John(Jr) was a member of the Old South Church of Boston. He married at Boston, Massachusetts on April 1, 1660. His wife and mother of their 13 children was Elizabeth Phillips, widow of Abiel Everill. Little is known of Elizabeth (Philips) (Everill) Alden. It is believed she was born before 1640. Although John and Elizabeth had 13 children, only five lived long enough to marry.

For most of his adult life he maintained his residence at Boston. He was a freeman. He was a mariner (Sea Captain), and later he became a naval commander of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was involved with trade from Virginia to England. He also traded with the French in Nova Scotia. He lost cargo to the Bermuda Company and lost a ship to the Dutch. As a prominent and respected citizen, he also negotiated for the release of captives taken by Indians.

Deputy governor of MA from 1664-1665, 1667.

John Alden was accused of witchcraft in Salem

Once, on a trip to Salem, he was accused of witchcraft, spending 15 weeks in a Boston jail. He escaped shortly before nine others accused of witchcraft were executed. Later he was exonerated.

He was a partner with his father-in-law, William Phillips, in a saw mill at York, Maine and was involved with the settling of Maine.

On January 13, 1686, John Alden(Sr) willed “for that natural love and affection which I bear to my firstborn and dutiful son John Alden of Boston,” 100 acres at Pekard Neck, 100 acres at Rootey Brook, and other deeds of property to John Alden(Jr). The will stipulated that should John(Jr) decide to sell the Rootey Brook property, he was required to give first right of purchase to his brother, David Alden. (Plymouth County Land Records, 5:437)

Elizabeth Phillips Alden was buried at Boston, February 16, 1695/6.

John Alden(Jr) passed away on March 14, 1701/02 at Boston, Massachusetts His ancient slate headstone remains embedded in the wall of the Old South Church of Boston.

Children^[1]

1. Mary b. 17 Dec 1659.^[2] Mayflower Births and Deaths by Roser (1995) places Mary as the d/o a 1st wife Elizabeth. Mayflower Families Five Generations (1999) includes Mary with the children of Elizabeth Philips.
2. John Alden b. 20 Nov 1660. d. y.
3. Elizabeth Alden b. 9 May 1662; d 14 July 1662
4. John Alden b. 12 Mar 1663
5. William Alden b. 16 Mar 1664; d. 7 June 1664
6. Elizabeth Alden b. 9 Apr 1665
7. William Alden b. 5 Mar 1666
8. Zachariah Alden b. 8 Mar ____
9. William Alden b. 10 Sep 1669
10. Zachariah Alden b. 18 Feb 1672
11. Sarah bp Old south Church 5 Mar 1674/5, but prob. died before the second Sarah was born.^[2] Not included by Roser.
12. Nathan Alden b. 17 Oct 1677
13. Sarah b. 27 Sep 1681.

Sources

1. ↑ Roser, Susan E. "Mayflower Births and Deaths." Vol 1,& 2 Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., Vol 1 p. 24 link at Ancestry ($)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Family of John Alden. Mayflower Families through Five Generation. Vol 16 part 1. (General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1999) pp 36, 37

• http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/index.php
• 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.
• Robert Charles Anderson, "John Alden",The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Vol.I. Boston, New England Historic Genelogical Society 1995 p. 21-26
• Source for the Illustrations: Title: Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Name: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007.Original data - Various photo collections from the L Note: Ancestry.com, Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000 (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007
• Pope, Charles H. The Pioneers of Massachusetts (Boston, Mass., 1900)
• Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Boston, Little, Brown and Company, 1862)
• Alden Kindred of America
• Alden, Ebenezer. Memorial of the Descendants of the Hon. John Alden (S.P. Brown, Randolph, Mass., 1867) Page 3
• Plymouth County Land Records, 5:437

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