JOHN ALDEN hired on as cooper of the Mayflower and thereby hangs a tale and much tradition. His ancestory is not proved. Imaginative romantics find intrest in a George Alden, a fletcher, and William Mullins, both on the tax list of Holyrood Ward in 1602. This George Alden probably died in 1620, leaving John an orphan free to take a job overseas. And, could be that the famous romance began in Southampton.
Another more plausible story is that Capt. Christopher Jones of the Mayflower was related by marriage to an Alden family in Harwich Co. Essex. These Aldens were seafarers and there was a John Alden among them about the same age as the pilgrim.
John, the pilgrim, was born in England about 1599. He married Priscilla Mullins, either the second or third marriage at Plymouth, and before August 1623 when the "Anne" (3rd ship) came. He died in Duxbury, Sept. 22,1687 (?"aged 84" ?).
John Alden was Assistant from 1633 to 1641, Deputy to the General Court from 1641 to 1650, and a member of the Council from 1650 to 1687. He was a signer of the compact and life-long friend of Miles Standish.
John and Priscilla had at least 11 children: |