Joseph Alden, Sr.

Joseph Alden, Sr. was a farmer and an early settler of Bridgewater, Massachusetts. He arrived in 1654 to make a homestead on land that his father and Myles Standish had purchased earlier on from the local Native Americans. The land was near the present-day History Society buildings in the present town of West Bridgewater.

Alden married Mary Simmons. Conflicting sources state that they had seven or eight children. The exact date of his death is unknown, with some sources saying February 8, 1695/6 and others saying that he died after 1696/7.

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The Alden House The Alden house was built for Deacon Joseph Alden, the second son of John Alden of Plymouth fame and message carrier for Myles Standish around 1690. It is one of the oldest houses in our town. The old house has many unique features: windows are fully framed with raised moldings, a large fireplace wall raised panels with a built-in shelf above the fireplace opening the front stairway has a heavy banister and boldly turned spindles. To the left of the fireplace is a very fine and unique slant back pewter cupboard with open shelves at the top and an original feather edge bottom door. The house is an integral saltbox with a small well added at the rear. Many families have called the old Alden house their home down through the many years it has been there. At the present time, it is owned by Mrs. Martha Johnson. Located at: 15 South Street, Bridgewater, Mass.