TWELFTH GENERATION

3866. Deputy Governor John Alden ^(42)(170) was born about 1599 in England. He died on Sep 9 1687 in Duxbury, Massachusetts. By far the most famous of all my American ancestors, John Alden and Priscilla Mullins are a classic example of stumbling into history. Alden was a cooper and, because of his needed skills, was recruited for the Mayflower before it sailed in the autumn of 1620. Thus he was not one of the saints--i.e. of the sect that organized the expedition--but one of the strangers, those who were added to the roster because of their skills.

Although assured of fame by virtue of having sailed on the Mayflower, they became even more famous because one of their vast progeny, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote a poem about their love affair. This legend--of Alden going to Priscilla to press the suit of his friend Miles Standish and she preferring the messenger to the message--has no documentary evidence but it is very ancient and might be true.

Alden was the last surviving male passenger and signer of the Mayflower Compact. He served as surveyor of highways, deputy from Duxbury to the General Court, as a member of the colony's war council, treasurer, and as governor's assistant for many years, an important position. He was Deputy Governor of Plymouth Colony in 1664-65 and in 1677. He also served on the jury of one of the two witch trials held in Plymouth. In both these trials the defendant was acquitted while the accuser was convicted of libel, fined, and whipped.

After living in Plymouth for a few years he moved to Duxbury where he was granted a farm of about 169 acres. He later was granted an additional farm in Bridgewater. His house still stands, one of the greatest tourist attractions in Massachusetts.

Despite a great deal of research, John Alden's ancestry remains uncertain. All that is known for sure is that he was hired in Southampton, England, for his skills as a cooper and that he must have had a good education judging from the positions of responsibility in which he was very soon placed when he setled in the Plymouth colony. Because he and Priscilla had ten children, all of whom lived to maturity and eight of whom married and had children of their own, the Alden descent is by dfar the most common of Mayflower descents. The genealogist who uncovers his English origins will have instant fame in the genealogical community.

John Alden and Priscilla Mullins were the 3rd great grandparents of President John Adams and the 4th great grandparents of President John Quincy Adams. They are also the 9th great grandparents of Vice President Dan Quayle.

An article about John Alden appears in the Dictionary of American Biography. He was married to Priscilla Mullins Probably 1622 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

3867. Priscilla Mullins ⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1602 in England. She died after 1651 in probably Duxbury, Massachusetts. Children were:

i. Elizabeth Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1624 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. She died on May 31 1717.
ii. John Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1626 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He died on Mar 14 1702/3.
iii. Joseph Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1627. He died on Feb 8 1697/98.
iv. Priscilla Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1630 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
v. Jonathan Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1632. He died on Feb 14 1696/97 in Duxbury, Massachusetts.
vi. Sarah Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1634 in probably Duxbury, Massachusetts.
1925 vii. Ruth Alden.
viii. Mary Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1638 in Duxbury, Massachusetts. She died before 1699.
ix. Rebecca Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1640 in Duxbury, Massachusetts.
x. David Alden⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ was born about 1642 in Duxbury, Massachusetts. He died in 1719.

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