The line below is currently for the progenitor of the United State branch of this family line.
The English branch is not presently included.
Arrived in 1620 on the vessel the Mayflower
Origin: South Hampton, England ( This is an estimate based on signing onto the Mayflower. Actual origin still unknown)
Settled: 1620- Plymouth, Plymouth Colony; Now Plymouth, Plymouth, United States
1632- Duxbury, Plymouth Colonly; Present- Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
Occupation: Cooper (his inventory included "coopers tools" valued at £1 2s. [PPR 1:10; MD 3:10])1
Generation One:
John Alden- b. abt. 1599 England; m. 12 May 1623 Priscilla Mullins at Plymouth Colony, present-Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; d. 12 September 1687 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA, aged 89 years.
Their Children:
1. Elizabeth b. 1624 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. 26 December 1644 William Padobie at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; d. 31 May 1717 at Little Compton, Newport, RI, aged 93 years.
2. John b. 1 April 1626 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. 1 April 1660 Elizabeth Phllips at Boston, Suffolk, MA; d. 14 May 1702 at Boston, Suffolk, MA, aged 75 years.
3. Jonathan b. 1627 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. 10 December 1672 Abigail Hallet at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; d. 14 February 1698, aged 71 years.
4. Joseph b. 22 May 1627 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA.
5. Sarah b. 1629 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; m. 1658 Alexander Standish
6. David b. 1632 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; m. 1670 Mary Southworth; d. 1 April 1719 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA, aged 87 years.
7. Ruth b. 1634 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; m. 31 December 1657 John Bass; d. abt. 1674, aged 40 years.
8. Rebecca b. 1638 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; m. 1667 Thomas Delano at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; d. bef. 12 September 1688 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA, aged 50 years.
9. Mary b. abt. 1643 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA
10. Priscilla b. 1648 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA
The following narrative is a combination from the Silver Book of John Alden, the Leiden Kindred, and several other sites and documents.
When John Alden boarded the Mayflower at South Hampton, England, he was hired as a cooper. He was considered a stranger and was obligated to stay with the Plymouth colonists. (Bradford's History, p. 433; The Mayflower Descendant vol. 1:228). Despite the many historians and genealogists who have researched his background, we are still searching for his origin and the correct date of his birth. There are many theories in the Descendant, vol. 39:111-121 and vol. 40:133-136. One has ties a John Alden with the Harwich Alden Family. What is promising about this theory is Elizabeth Russell, daughter of William Russell, being the wife of John's possible grandfather. Her brother, Robert, married the widowed mother of Captain Christopher Jones. The captain of the Mayflower. There is no
John Alden was one of the free adult male passengers of the Mayflower to sign what is now known as the Mayflower Compact. The men signed the compact on 11 November 1620 and established the first set of laws for the new colony.
John Alden's birth is estimated based on his own deposition and a broadside that was published at is death. "In the deposition made on 6 July 1682 John stated he was “aged 83 years or thereabouts” (Plymouth Colony Records, Judicial Acts, Part 2, p. 32; The Mayflower Descendant vol. 3:120-121, which would indicate he was born between 6 July 1598 and 6 July 1599. When John died on 12 September 1687, a broadside published to commemorate the occasion stated he was “about eight-nine years of age,” indicating he was born between 12 September 1597 and 12 September 1598 (The Mayflower Descendant, vol. 9:129)." His age is determined to be about 22 years in 1620.
Despite legends on when they married, the actual date of John and Priscilla is not known. Their nuptials are estimated to be in 1623, based on the history of the first four marriages within the colony, and how the division of land was conducted. All records of John and Priscilla are listed in the Great Migration series by Robert Charles Anderson, vol.I, 1620-1633.
The Alden Kindred site has many important links. The Alden Duxbury home and the Mayflower Cemetery in Duxbury are featured.
Generation Two:
Dunbar
Joseph Alden- b. 22 May 1627 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. abt. 1660 Mary Simmons at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; d. 8 February 1697 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 69 years.
Their Children:
1. Joseph b. abt. 1658 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 1690 Hannah Dunham at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 22 December 1747 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 89 years.
2. Mary b. abt. 1662 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 1700 Samuel Allen at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA
3. Sarah b. abt. 1665 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 24 November 1685 Joseph Crossman at Taunton, Bristol, MA; d. bef. 29 June 1713 at Taunton, Bristol, MA, aged 48 years.
4. Isaac b. bef. 1666 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA
5. Mercy b. 1669 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 26 June 1688 John Burrill at Taunton, Bristol, MA; d. aft. 28 July 1727, aged 58 years.
6. Hopestill b. 1671 , at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 1689 Joseph Snow at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. aft. 18 December 1753 at Duxbury, Plymouth, MA, aged 82 years.
7. Elizabeth b. 1678 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 12 December 1693 Benjamin Snow at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 28 May 1743 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 65 years.
8. John b. 1680 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. Hannah White; d. 29 September 1730 at Middleboro, Plymouth, MA, aged 50 years.
Generation Three:
Dunbar
Isaac Alden- bef. 1666 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 2 December 1685 Mehitable Allen at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 24 June 1727 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 61 years.
Their Children:
1. Mehitabel b. 7 March 1687 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 1 January 1711 Benjamin Richards at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA;
2. Sarah b. 24 September 1688 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 1712 Seth Brett at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 4 July 1744 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 55 years.
3. Mary b. 1691 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 1720 John Webb at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 1772 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 81 years.
4. Isaac b. 10 March 1692 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 21 October 1781 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 89 years.
5. Ebenezer b. 5 January 1693 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 16 April 1717 Anna Keith at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 31 December 1776 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 83 years.
6. Mercy b. 30 October 1696 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 21 October 1725 Zacheus Packard at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 12 May 1775 at North Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 78 years.
7. Abigail b. 28 July 1699 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. bef. 24 April 1727 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 27 years.
8. Jemima b. 9 July 1702 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 22 November 1727 Thomas Whitman at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 5 March 1766 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 64 years.
9. John b. abt. 1703 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; m. 22 November 1727 Hannah Kingman at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA; d. 17 April 1759 at East Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA, aged 56 years.
2. John Alden- Mayflower History
1. Mayflower Descendant
2. The Great Migration Begins, Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, volume 1, p.21-26