Weymouth New England Genealogy

Joseph married, perhaps about 1660, Mary Simmons, daughter ofMoses and Sarah (--) Simmons, born say about 1641 (her childrenborn in the 1660's and 1670's); died after 10 March 1696/7, whennamed co-executor of Joseph's estate; sister of John Simmons whomarried Mercy Pabodie, and of Rebecca Simmons who married JohnSoule, son of Mayflower passenger George Soule. Moses Simmons,in his will dated 17 June 1689 and proved 15 September 1691,bequeathed to "my daughter Mary, the wife of Joseph Alden £4 .Moses Simmons came to Plymouth on the Fortune, 9 November 1621.By a deed dated 1 April 1679, acknowledged 14 April 1679, butnot recorded until 10 April 1700, his father "in considerationof love and natural affection" conveyed to "Joseph Alden my true& natural son all that my share of land ... within the townshipof Bridgewater". Joseph and Mary Alden sold land near Gurnet'snose to Joseph Alden, 2 September 1684.Joseph Alden was on the list of men from Duxbury between 16 and60 able to bear arms August 1643, but his name is interlined andmay have been added a few years after the fact. Joseph, with hisbrother Jonathan, was admitted a freeman of Plymouth Colony on 3June 1657. He served on Grand Juries in 1660, 1666, and 1685;and on a jury to "lay out all ways in Bridgewater" in 1667. Hewas a surveyor of highways in Bridgewater, in 1669, 1679, and1685. At the Court of General Sessions and Common Pleas held inSeptember 1686, Joseph Alden of Plymouth was freed from militarytraining "for bodily Infirmity".The will of Joseph Alden, Sr., of the town of Bridgewater, dated14 December 1696, proved 10 March 1696/97, was witnessed byPallatiah Smith, Thomas Delano, and Joseph Hayward. It mentionshis son Isaac (50 acres which he lives upon; 10 acres of swamp,out of which he was to allow Joseph 3 acres; 2 acres of upland"which he hath taken up in liew of the upland belonging toCoasters kitchen meadows"; 1 acre of meadow at Byrams Hole; andhalf of 60 acres between Byrams Hole and the sawmill); sonJoseph (land where he lives "of which already Given himAssurance by written deed"; and 20 acres lying on the GreatRiver below Goodman Bayleys land); sons Joseph and John together(10 acres to be equally divided between them); wife Mary(homestead plus 10 acres on the Plaine; 2 acre woodlots on theleft hand of the way to Thomas Washbourn's; and all moveables todispose of as she saw fit); son John (use and improvement of thehomestead "for his and my wife's Comfort during her life time"then to entirely go to John; 60 acres near the sawmill; and halfthe lot of meadow at Byrams Hole); and three sons Isaac, Josephand John (all his right in the Majors Purchase and the undividedlands to be equally divided among them). Executors were his wifeMary and son John. The inventory of the moveable estate,amounting to £76, was taken 3 March 1696/7 by John Leonard,Joseph Snow and Samuel Allin, Jr., and it stated that he died 8February 1696/7. I was presented by John Alden on 10 March1697/7.A Genealogical Letter written by John Alden (John, Joseph, John)at Middleborough on 14 April 1801 states: "My grandfather [whosename he though was John] had three sons and three daughters whowere married ... The daughter's names I cannot relate ... Two ofthe daughters married into the family of Snow of Bridgewater ...the other married a Burrill of Weymouth".Joseph Snow, Jr., of Bridgewater sold on 28 May 1726 to Capt.John Field, 2/3 purchase right in the seven great shares inBridgewater and 1/3 of the 32nd lot on the Buckhil [Brickiln]Plain which fell to Joseph Alden deceased and nine acres inSnells Meadow part of the lot of Joseph Edson deceased;acknowledged 20 March 1726.Note: It has been claimed that Joseph Alden had anotherdaughter, Mary, who married, as his second wife, Samuel Allen, 1January 1700 or 10 April 1700. No proof has been found; Asa W.Allen in his Genealogy of the Allen and Witter Families (1872),page 97, says that Samuel Allen's second wife was Mary Pratt.For a discussion of this problem see the Alden Gen, pages 100and 101.