John Alden (abt. 1674 - 1730)

Born about 1674 in Bridgewater, Plymouth Colony [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (White) Alden — married before 18 May 1702 (to 29 Sep 1730) in Plymouth, Plymouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 29 Sep 1730 at about age 56 in Middleborough, Plymouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Birth and Marriage

John, son of Joseph and Mary (Simmons) Alden, was born about 1674 based on his age at death,^[1] probably in Bridgewater, Plymouth Colony. He married Hannah White, daughter of Ebenezer and Hannah (Phillips) White, about 1701, with their first child born in May 1702.^[2] Hannah was born 5 May 1681 in Weymouth.^[3]

Land Transactions

John received land in 1697 by his father's will: 5 acres; the use and improvement of the homestead with his mother until her death, then the whole of it; 60 acres near the sawmill; half of a meadow lot; and one third of his right in the Majors Purchase. In August 1724 he gave his son David 50 acres which was part of the homestead, and in May 1725 he sold him a piece of cedar swamp. In May 1730 he sold land to Francis Eaton, husband of his daughter Thankful. His inventory, which was taken in January 1730/31, included land which had been bought from Joseph Warren and Samuel Dogget. ^[2]

Death and Legacy

John Alden of MIddleborough, signed his will on September 23, 1730^[4] and passed away there on September 29, 1730 in his 56th year.^[1][2] His gravestone in the Purchade Cemetery in Middleborough also gives his death date and his age.^[5][6]

In his will, John Alden made bequests of land and his moveable estate to his wife, Hannah, and his children John, Joseph, David, Noah, Ebenezer, Thankful Eaton, Hannah Wood, Lydia Alden, Mary Alden, and Abigail Alden. He directed that a burying place be set aside which was to extend to the gravestone of his son Lemuel, and gave his "negro man" to his wife "to be at her own disposing." He named his wife and his son, David, as executors.^[4]

John's inventory was completed January 13, 1730/31. It included an enslaved black man, valued at £70, who is not named in the inventory, but is named in Hannah's will.^[7] The value of the estate was £2893-5-6. ^[8] David refused to be executor, and Hannah died in 1732 without completing the settlement of her husband's estate. In 1746 Samuel Eddy, Jr., husband of daughter Lydia, was appointed administrator. ^[9]

Enslaved Individuals

Quacoo Alden^[7]

Children

John and Hannah (White) Alden had the following (13) children born Middleborough: ^[2]

1. David, b. 18 May 1702; m. Judith Paddleford
2. Priscilla, b. 2 March 1703/4; m. Abraham Barden
3. Thankful, b. 30 May 1706; m. Francis Eaton
4. Hannah, b. 24 March 1708/9; m. Thomas Wood
5. Lydia, b. 18 Dec. 1710; m. Samuel Eddy, m. John Fuller
6. Mary, b. 18 Nov. 1712; m. Noah Thomas
7. Abigail, b. 28 Sept. 1714; m. Nathan Thomas
8. Joseph, b. 11 Sept. 1716; m. Hannah Hall, m. Deborah Redding
9. John, b. 10 Sept. 1718; m. Lydia Lazell, m. Rebecca Weston
10. Ebenezer, b. 8 Oct. 1720; m. Abigail Whitaker, m. Rebecca Smith
11. Lemuel, b about 1721, died before his father made his will, but his gravestone is mentioned in that will.^[10]
12. Nathan, b. 12 June 1723; died probably before 1730
13. Noah, b. 31 May 1725; m. Joanna Vaughn

Research Notes

• Unsourced birth: 1 Sep 1674, found on Find a Grave.^[5]
• Lemuel is mentioned in the John Alden Silver Book, on page 105, in a quoted genealogical letter by John's son, John, dated April 14, 1801.^[1] However, he does not appear in the list of children on pages 107-108.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Bowman, George Ernest, "A Genealogical Letter from John⁴ Alden," Mayflower Descendant, Vol. 6:111-14. Link on Archive.org.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Woodworth-Barnes, Esther Littleford and Williams, Alicia Crane, Mayflower Families through Five Generations, Vol 16 Part 1 of 3, John Alden, Vol. 16, Part 1 (Plymouth, Mass.: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2002. Pp 105 - 108.
3. ↑ Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). Birth RecordHannah, ch. Ebenezer and Hanah [dup. Hannah], May 5, 1681.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897D-FC44?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-WZ9%3A337878501 : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1724-1731 and 1838-1842 vol 5-5T > images 457 and 458 of 596; State Archives, Boston. Plymouth County Probate Records, Vol. 5:842-45, Will of John Alden, 1730.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13533041/john-alden: accessed 18 October 2023), memorial page for John Alden (1 Sep 1674–29 Sep 1730), Find A Grave: Memorial #13533041, citing Purchade Cemetery, Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by Treena Jackson-Clarke (contributor 46786079). (Includes gravestone photo.)
6. ↑ 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. 33
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-NH3X?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-W38%3A337877001 : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1730-1733 and 1839-1845 vol 6-6U > image 152 of 589; State Archives, Boston.

   Plymouth County Probate Records Vol. 6:297, Will of Hannah White, 1732.

8. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-FHVH?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-WZ9%3A337878501 : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1724-1731 and 1838-1842 vol 5-5T, image 450-451 of 596; State Archives, Boston.
9. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-82RK?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-3NG%3A337797101 : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1745-1749 and 1836-1849 vol 10-10A > image 167 of 611; State Archives, Boston.
10. ↑ PCPR 5:844, Will of John Alden, 1730, left leaf about 2/3 down.

See also:

• Bradway, Bette Innes, Richard (4) Bradway of Schoharie County, New York and his mid-west and western descendants. 1985.
• Alden Kindred website Note: This page has been archived by Archive.org, but the associated Notes links are no longer available. Sauls-238 17:21, 12 September 2023 (UTC)
• H. B. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections, (S.B. Nelson & Co., 1891) Pp. 584-589.

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