Nathan (Aldis) Aldous (bef. 1592 - 1676)

Born before 17 Sep 1592 in Fressingfield, Suffolk, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (UNKNOWN) Aldis — married before 1623 in England

Descendants

Died 15 Mar 1676 after age 83 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Nathan (Aldis) Aldous migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 3) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Nathan Aldis was born in England about 1596^[1] and died at Dedham, (then) Suffolk County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, on 15 March 1675/6.^[2] Mary, his wife named in his will, died at Dedham on 01 January 1676/7.^[3] A Nathan (Alders) was baptised on Sept.17, 1592, the son of Francis and Mary "Alders"^[4] in St Mary the Virgin, Dennington, England. Regarding his mother's given name, Sarah was often referred to as Mary, and it appears her name was interchangeable. See her profile for further details.^[5]

Nathan was named as an heir and an executor in his father's will of 1625 signed at Toftmonks in the County of Norfolk, England, and said to be residing in Fressingfield.^[6] In that same will is named a deceased brother named Nathaniel.

Nathan Aldis or Aldous, arrived in Dedham, (then) Suffolk County, Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638. ^[7]

Nathan was also named in the will of his brother John Aldus dated at Mendham, Suffolk, England, on 29 July 1639:

"Item I doe give and bequeath unto Nathan Aldus my brother and his heires the some of Threescore pounds of lawfull money of England to be paied by myne executrix into the hande of my kindesman Eliazer Dunchen wthin Three Yeares next after my deceas To and for the use & benefitt of the said Nathan Aldus and his heires So as he the said Elizaer Dunken Doe give a sufficient dischardge in writinge under his hand & seale unto myne Executrix for the same, And further I will accordinge to my trust repose in my said kindesman Elizaer Dunkon that the same some of Threescore pounds be by the next safe opptunity transported over sea unto the said Nathan and his heires..."^[8]

The earliest American record of Nathan Aldis in New England was his admission to the Dedham Church on February 11, 1639-40.^[9] Mary, wife of "brother Alldys," was admitted March 11, 1640-41.^[9] He was chosen one of the first deacons of the Church on June 23, 1650.^[10] He became a freeman on May 13, 1640.^[11] Nathan Aldis first appears in town affairs as a "viewer of fences," April 17, 1640.^[12] He was selectman for the years 1641, 1642 and 1644. ^[12] This proves incorrect the statement of Paige (History of Cambridge, p. 479) that in 1642, Nathan Aldus occupied land near what is now Harvard Square and Dunster Street.^[13]

As a Dedham proprietor, Nathan Aldis signed the Dedham Covenant, as did his only son, John.^[14] He received various grants of land, but always in small quantities. This is explained by the small number of cow-commons, the unit of proprietorship, which he held. The number varied, being seventeen in 1666, decreasing to eleven in 1669, out of a total of 335 at that time. In August, 1642, Nathan Aldis acquired a sixth interest in the water mill on East Brook. ^[13]

Seven years later he, with John Allin (the pastor) and John Dwight, sold his interest to Nathaniel Whiting, the fourth partner.^[15] Nathan Aldis acted as appraiser in a number of probate cases, and in two of these the original papers are preserved. All show a similarity of writing, but not of spelling; it being "Alldis " in town affairs, "Aldous " in Suffolk Probate case, No. 33, in 1642 and "Aldis " in case No. 531 of the year 1670.^[13]

He was not wealthy, judging from the proportion of taxes he paid, and the comparative assessed valuation of his house which was £20 in 1651, ranging afterwards from £15 to £30. His public acts were chiefly in connection with the meeting-house and pastor's salary, he being a committee on both. His last appearance on the town records was on November 29, 1675, when he was assessed 1s. 3d. for the general tax.^[13]

Nathan Aldis died on the 15th day of the 1st month of 1676 (15 Mar 1676), in Dedham in Massachusetts Bay Colony.^[16]

Administration on Nathan Aldis's estate was granted on 25 April 1676 "to Mary Aldis, his relict and John Aldis, their sonne." The inventory amounted to £112, including the house lot valued at £40. ^[17]

Children baptised at Fressingfield, Suffolk, England:^[18]

1. Mary "Aldows", bp. 18 Oct 1621^[5]
2. Anne Aldus, bp. 17 Nov 1626; no further record.^[5]
3. John "Aldows", bp. 26 Feb 1628^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ [ Suffolk County (Mass.) court files, 1629-1797, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS41-RQ5Z-D?i=576&cat=240378 Calendar index Cases 1-1015 1629-1670, case #966] Chickering & Judson, Deposition of Nathan Aldis, age 73, 26 Feb 1669.
2. ↑ Hill, Don Gleason, Early Records of Dedham, Massachusetts (Dedham: Dedham Transcript Press., 1886) Vol. I:15
3. ↑ Hill, Don Gleason, Early Records of Dedham, Massachusetts (Dedham: Dedham Transcript Press., 1886) Vol. I:15
4. ↑ Suffolk : Dennington : St Mary : Other Transcript : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5f268bf7f493fdac660d0a47 : viewed 2 Dec 2022) baptism Nathan Alders 17 Sep 1592
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Hyde, Myrtle Stevens. Corrected Ancestry for Nathan Aldus of Early Dedham, Massachusetts in: New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 150, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 1996, p. 487-9, (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) (Link via $ubscription.) citing Norwich Consistory, 261 Belward; Register 64[1910]:245-46.
6. ↑ French, Elizabeth, "Genealogical Research In England," New England Historical and Genealogical Register Vol. 64(1910):245-247, citing Consistory of Norwich, 1625, f. 261.
7. ↑ Filby, P. William, ed.. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. (Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2006)
8. ↑ French, "Genealogical Research In England," NEHGR Vol. 64(1910):246-248, citing Archdeaconry of Suffolk (Ipswich), 1639, file 2, No. 1, original will.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Hill, Don Gleason, The Record of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths and Admission to the Church... in the Town of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1638-1645 pp. 22-23
10. ↑ Beach, Seth Curtis,Covenant of the First Church in Dedham (Dedham, Mass. : H. H. McQuillen, 1878)page 67.
11. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel Bradstreet, Records of the governor and company of the Massachusetts bay in New England (Boston : William White, 1853)Vol. 1:377 13th 3mo 1640, Nathan Aldishe
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Hill, Don Gleason, The Early records of the town of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1636-1659 Vol. 3:67, 75-6, 102,etc.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3} Whitin, Frederick H., "Aldis Family in America, 1640-1800," Dedham Historical Register Vol. 14 (1903):18-24, citing Hills, Dedham Records Vol. II:22, 24, 35; III:67, 75-100, 95, 108, 111, 183, 211; VI:77, 126, 174, 178; V:36.
14. ↑ Hill, Early Records of Dedham 1639-1659 Vol. 3:3.
15. ↑ Suffolk Deeds (Boston: Rockwell & Churchill, 1888), Liber IV 285.
16. ↑ Hill, ‘’The Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths and Intentions of Marriage in the Town of Dedham, v. 1, p. 15.
17. ↑ Suffolk County, MA, probate records, Nathan Aldis case #768, Vol. 5:338-9.
18. ↑ Whitin, "Aldis Family in America, 1640-1800," Dedham Historical Register Vol. 14 (1903):18-24

See also:

• Charles Henry Pope, The Pioneers of Massachusetts, A Descriptive List, Drawn from Records of the Colonies, Towns and Churches, and other Contemporaneous Documents. (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1998), p. 12.
• Beach, Seth Curtis. Covenant of the First Church in Dedham (H.H. McQuillen, Dedham, Mass., 1878) Page 67
• Don Gleason Hill, ed., ‘’The Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths and Intentions of Marriage in the Town of Dedham, with an Appendix Containing Records of Marriages before 1800, Returned from Other Towns, under the Statute of 1857. 1635-1845’’, Volumes 1 & 2, Dedham, Mass.: Printed at the Office of “The Dedham Transcript,” 1886.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Judy Rolfe for creating WikiTree profile Aldis aldous-1 through the import of judy rolfe family tree.ged on Jan 25, 2013.