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JOHN ALDEN/PRISCILLA MULLINS--Page 1
"There was until the 1960s a line of canned goods produced in Massachusetts with the brand name John Alden, which carried a slogan in small print on its label: "It speaks for itself," referring of course to the can's contents, whether peas, corn, beans or some other vegetable."
--James Deetz and Patricia Scott Deetz: The Times Of Their Lives, Life Love, and Death in Plymouth Colony
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Younger genealogists may not realize that Mayflower passenger John Alden's courtship and subsequent marriage to Priscilla Mullins was the subject of a famous poem by Longfellow entitled, "The Courtship Of Myles Standish." The poem is quite easy to find, and therefore it is not necessary to reproduce it here. The short version of this legend is that Captain Myles Standish was enamored of Miss Mullins, but did not have the courage to ask for her hand in marriage. He therefore decided to call upon his friend John Alden to assist him in this endeavor. When John Alden went to Priscilla Mullins to put forth the case for his friend, Priscilla's famous reply was, "Prithee, John--why dost thou not ask for thyself?" He did, they married, and the Aldens became one of the more fruitful of the Mayflower families. There are many Alden descendants all over the country, including two presidents. |
The story of the Alden's courtship was oral tradition before the poem was written. One of John Alden's descendants, Rev. Timothy Alden, published it in his "Collection of American Epitaphs" in 1814. Longfellow is also a descendant of John and Priscilla; his poem was published in 1858.
John Alden was often called upon by the Colonial Government to perform civic duties and public services, including a period as a Colony Treasurer, member of law creation and revision committees, land surveying, and boundary arbitration.
Not much is known about his life in England, but there is a marker in Plymouth, Devon which says he was a cooper from Harwich. He was a settler of Duxbury, MA, and a building stands there which is said to incorporate some of the original Alden home. This building is now the headquarters of the Alden Society.
Descendants Of John And Priscilla Alden:
John Alden (abt. 1599 – 12 SEP 1687) m. Priscilla Mullins (d. aft. 1651), daughter of William Mullins:
- Elizabeth (abt.1624 – 31 May 1717) m. William Pabodie
- John abt. 1626 – 14 March 1701/2) m. Elizabeth Mrs. Everill
- Joseph (abt. 1627) m. Mary Simons, daughter of Moses Simons or Simondson
- Priscilla (abt. 1630)
- Jonathan (abt. 1632 – 14 February 1696/7) m. Abigail Hallett
- Sarah (abt. 1634) m. Alexander Standish, son of Myles Standish
- Ruth (abt. 1636) m. John Bass
- Mary (abt. 1638)
- Rebecca (abt. 1640) m. Thomas Delano
- David (abt. 1642) m. Mary Southworth, daughter of Constant Southworth
Anecdotal sources (links may open in a new window):
- Freeman, Frederick. The History Of Cape Cod: The Annals Of Barnstable County, Including The District Of Mashpee. Boston: George C. Rand & Avery, 1860. Vol. 1, Pg. 189. This book can be read for free at the Making Of America Website. It is also occasionally available used at abebooks.com. Also, this book can be read online, as part of Family & Local Histories Online Subscription at genealogy.com