Genealogists Can't Agree on John & Priscilla's children--how many or birth order   The amount of information, researched and referenced on John Alden and Priscilla Mullins is vast. As I waded through biographical references, it was apparent there lacked a concensus among the different and notable genealogical authorities when it came to the Alden children's order of birth, dates and their number.  For general reference and interest, here are some of those ancestral lists & dates (notated & referenced as available.)  --erika415   #1.  (From:  Mayflower Web Pages.  Caleb Johnson © 1998) JOHN ALDEN - BORN: c1598-1599, England (possibly Harwich, Essex, England) DIED:  12 September 1687, Duxbury, MassachusettsMARRIED:  Priscilla Mullins, c1623, Plymouth, daughter of William and Alice (---) Mullins CHILDREN:  (birth/death/marriage) Elizabeth  --  cir 1623-1625, Plymouth -- 31 May 1717, Little Compton, RI -- William Pabodie, 26 December 1644, Duxbury John  --  cir 1626, Plymouth  --  14 March 1701/2, Boston  --  Elizabeth (Phillips) Everill, 1 April 1660, Boston Joseph  --  aft. 22 May 1627  --  8 February 1696/7, Bridgewater  --  Mary Simmons Sarah  --   aft 22 May 1627  --  bef 13 June 1688  --  Alexander Standish (Miles' son) Jonathan  --  cir 1632  --  14 February 1696/7, Duxbury  --  Abigail Hallett, 10 December 1672, Duxbury Ruth  --  unknown  --  12 October 1674, Braintree  --  John Bass, 12 May 1657, Braintree Rebecca  --  bef 1649  --  aft 13 June 1688  --  Thomas Delano, bef 30 October 1667 Mary  --  unknown  --  aft 13 June 1688  --  Unmarried Priscilla  --  unknown  --  aft 13 June 1688  --  Unmarried David  --  cir 1646  --  betw 5 Jun 1718 and 1 Apr 1719  --  Mary Southworth     *   *   * #2.  From:  The Great Migration Begins - (Sketches, PRESERVED PURITAN) JOHN ALDEN  --  BIRTH: About 1599 (deposed aged 83 on 6 July 1682 [MD 3:120]; in his 89th year at death on 12 September 1687 [MD 9:129]; "about eighty-nine years of age" at death on 12 September 1687 [MD 34:49]).DEATH: Duxbury 12 September 1687 [ Sewall 150; MD 9:129, 34:49].MARRIAGE: Plymouth about 1623 to PRISCILLA MULLINS, daughter of WILLIAM MULLINS; she died after 1651, when she is mentioned in Bradford's summary of Mayflower passengers. CHILDREN:    i   ELIZABETH, b. about 1624; m. Plymouth 26 (or 20) December 1644 William Pabodie [PCR 2:79; DuVR]; she d. Little Compton 31 May 1717 [ LCVR 143], "a. 92" [Boston News-Letter]. (Her tombstone at Little Compton gives her age at death as "in the 94th year of her age," but as the current monument was erected in 1882, this may not have been on the original stone.)     ii   JOHN, b. about 1626; m. Boston 1 April 1660 "Elizabeth Everill, widow, relict of Abiell Everill, deceased" (although the correct date should probably be 1659, as a child was born to John and Elizabeth Alden on 17 December 1659 [ BVR 69], and in the original form of the vital records, given in the second of the following citations but not in the first, this record is imbedded among others for 1659) [BVR 76; NEHGR 18:333; but see NEHGR 52:162 and Munsey-Hopkins 55, which interpret the 1659 birth record to imply that John Alden had an earlier wife, also named Elizabeth] she was born before 1640, daughter of Wm Phillips, and m. Boston 6 Jul 1655 Abiel Everill [BVR 52] John Alden d. 14 Mar 1701/2 [Sewall 463]     iii   JOSEPH, b. about 1627 (in list of men able to bear arms in 1643, and therefore at least 16 [PCR 8:189]); m. by about 1660 Mary Simons, daughter of MOSES SIMONS or SIMONSON and Sarah _____ [MD 31:60].     iv   PRISCILLA, b. say 1630; living unm. in 1688 [PPR 1:16].     v   JONATHAN, b. about 1632; m. Duxbury 10 December 1672 Abigail Hallett; he d. Duxbury 14 February 1696/7 "in the 65 year of his age" [MD 9:159; NEHGR 52:365]. (The date on the tombstone is 14 February 1697, but the double-dating problem is resolved by the probate papers, as administration on the estate was granted 8 March 1696/7 [MD 6:174-78].)     vi   SARAH, b. say 1634; m. by about 1660 Alexander Standish (date based on approximated birthdates of children [NEHGR 52:363-65]).     vii   RUTH, b. say 1636; m. Braintree 3 February 1657/8 John Bass [ BrVR 716].     viii  MARY, b. say 1638; living unm. in 1688 [PPR 1:16].    ix   REBECCA, b. say 1640; subject of unfounded rumor that she was "with child," 1 October 1661 [PCR 4:7]; m. in 1667, before 30 October, Thomas Delano [PCR 4:168, 8:122; NEHGR 102:83, 86].     x   DAVID, b. say 1642; m. by 1674 Mary Southworth, dau. of CONSTANT SOUTHWORTH and Elizabeth Collier (in his will, dated 27 February 1678, Constant Southworth bequeathed to daughter Mary Alden [ PCPR 4:1:18-20]).  COMMENTS: According to William Bradford, "John Alden was hired as a cooper at Southampton where the ship victualled, and being a hopeful young man was much desired but left to his own liking to go or stay when he came here; but he stayed and married here" [ Bradford 443]. In his accounting of the Mayflower Families in 1651, Bradford stated under William Mullins that "his daughter Priscilla survived, and married with John Alden; who are both living and have eleven [sic] children. And their eldest daughter is married and hath five children" [Bradford 445]. (As the marginal annotation for this entry gives the "increasing" as fifteen, and the eldest daughter already had five children, the correct number for John and Priscilla is more likely ten [MD 39:111].)   *   *   *   #3  From website:  The Alden Family Tree John and Priscilla were married about 1622 (some records indicate 12 May 1622). Their's was the second marriage in the Colony. According to "The Women of the Mayflower," page 126, they were not married until after the arrival of the Anne, which was in July of 1623. They had twelve children. The older children were born in Plymouth. The younger children were born in Duxbury. The dates of birth would indicate that the first four were born in Plymouth. Their children were:   1) Elizabeth Alden (our ancestor), born about 1624. Her monument in the cemetery at Little Compton, R.I., reads: Elizabeth Pabodie, daughter of the Plymouth Pilgrims, John Alden and Priscilla Mullins. The first white woman born in New England. Here lieth the body of Elizabeth the wife of William Pabodie, who died May 31, 1717 in the 94th year of her age. A bud from Plymouths Mayflower, transplanted here to live and bloom her memory ever sweet and young. The centuries guard within this tomb. Erected June 1882. William Pabodie died in 1707, shortly after they had celebrated their sixty third wedding anniversary. She died ten years later, a gr-gr-great grandmother. She (Elizabeth) outlived every individual then in the colony and even survived the Plymouth Colony by 25 years. When her first great-great-greatgrandchild was born, the old lady composed this couplet: Rise, daughter, to thy daughter run; her daughter's daughter hath a son!  2)  John Alden, Jr., born abt 1626.  3)  Joseph Alden, born abt 1628. Joseph named for his mother’s little brother who died in Plymouth the first winter of 1620-21.  4)  Sarah Alden, born about 1629.  5)  Jonathan Alden, born about 1632.  6)  Ruth Alden, born about 1634 or 1635. John Adams descended from Ruth and John Bass.  7)  Zephaniah Alden, born about 1640.  8)  Rebecca Alden, born about 1642.   9)  Mary Alden, born abt 1643. Franklin Delano Roosevelt descended from Mary and Thomas Delano.  10) Priscilla Alden, born about 1645. 11) David Alden, born about 1646. 12) Lydia Alden, born 3 April 1652.   *   *   *     #4.  Ref:  John Alden and Priscilla Mullins Family - website:  www.alden.org/family   Biographical Summary of the Alden Children  In order of birth, the children of John and Priscilla Alden are listed and briefly described below. They have ten known children with a possible eleventh, dying in infancy.  It is presumed, though not documented, the first three children were born in Plymouth, the rest in Duxbury. Note: Zachariah Alden and Henry Alden have both been incorrectly identified as sons of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins in various publications. For the genealogy of Henry Alden, see Mayflower Descendant 43:21-29,133-138; 44:27-30,181-184.   1. Elizabeth. Married William Pabodie, a civic and military leader of Duxbury where all thirteen of their children were born. They moved to Little Compton, Rhode Island where Elizabeth died in 1717 at the age of about 94. Their descendants were prominent in settling areas of Rhode Island and Connecticut. From Elizabeth’s line comes the one individual most credited with spreading the fame of John and Priscilla far and wide, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his "Courtship of Miles Standish."  2. John. Moved to Boston and married there Elizabeth (Phillips) Everill, widow of Abiel Everill. They also had 13 children. He was a mariner and became a naval commander of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was a member of the Old South Church of Boston and his ancient slate headstone is embedded in the wall there. Perhaps the best known event of his life is when, on a trip to Salem, he was accused of witchcraft, spending fifteen weeks in a Boston jail. He escaped shortly before nine of the other "victims" were executed. He was later exonerated.  3. Joseph. Moved to Bridgewater where he was a farmer on land purchased earlier from the Indians by his father and Myles Standish. He married Mary Simmons. They had a total of seven children. Joseph died sometime after 1696/7.  4. Sarah. Her marriage to Myles Standish son, Alexander, puts to rest any idea of a long-standing feud between the Aldens and the Standish clan. In fact, there is much evidence to suggest that John and Myles remained lifelong friends or, at the minimum, associates. Sarah and Alexander lived in Duxbury until Sarah’s death sometime before June 1688. (Alexander subsequently married Desire Doty, a twice widowed daughter of Pilgrim Edward Doty.) They had seven and possibly eight children. The Duxbury house where they lived still stands.  5. Jonathan. Married Abigail Hallett December 10, 1672. Lived in Duxbury until his death February 14, 1697. Was the second owner of the Alden House which he received from his father. The house then passed to his own son, John. Six children. We gain a little insight into his life when, at his funeral oration, Jonathan was described as, "...a sincere Christian, one whose heart was in the house of God even when his body was barred hence by restraints of many difficulties which confined him at home."  6. Ruth. Married John Bass of Braintree where they lived and had seven children. Of the more illustrious descendants of this union came Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Ruth died on October 12, 1674.  7. Rebecca. Married Thomas Delano of Duxbury by 1667, a son of Philip Delanoye, one of the original settlers of Duxbury. They had nine children. She died in Duxbury sometime after June 13, 1688.  8. Mary. No record of birth or marriage. Died after June 13, 1688.  9. Priscilla. Same information as for Mary.  10. David. Married Mary Southworth, daughter of Constant Southworth. Died sometime during 1718 or 1719. Six children. A man described as "a prominent member of the church, a man of great respectability and much employed in public business." www.view.atdmt.com/iaction/ancestrycom_non_secure_universal_v3/v3/atc1.-lib-TinyMce_2_1_0-blank_htm/   * * * Priscilla Mullins, "Mayflower Passenger" - from website: www.geni.com/people/Priscilla-Mullins  Priscilla Mullins (c.1603 – c.1688), Mayflower passenger and noted member of Plymouth's "Pilgrim" colony in Massachusetts, and wife of fellow colonist John Alden (c.1599-1687), was most likely born in Dorking, Surrey, England. The second daughter and fourth child of William (c.1578 - 1621) and Alice Atwood (c.1574 - c.1620), Priscilla was a 17-year-old girl when she and her family boarded the Mayflower, arriving at Plymouth in December 1620. Her parents and her brother, Joseph, died during the first winter in Plymouth, leaving her the only remaining member of her family in the New World (although another brother and a sister remained in England). Sweet of temper and blessed with great patience, she rose above her grief and spun wool and flax for the colony, taught the children and helped with the cooking. Priscilla Mullins and John Alden were married at Plymouth circa 1622, likely the third couple to be married in Plymouth Colony. Priscilla is last recorded in the records in 1650, but oral tradition states that she died within a few years of her husband (who died in 1687). Although she was buried at the Miles Standish Burial Ground in Duxbury, Massachusetts and there is a marker at the Burial Ground in her honor, no one knows the exact location of her grave. The Alden Children Priscilla and John Alden had ten children, with a possible eleventh dying in infancy. Although not documented, it's presumed that the first three children were born in Plymouth, and the remainder in Duxbury. John Alden, Jr. (1623 - 1701) Born at Plymouth, John moved to Boston and married Elizabeth Phillips Everill, widow of Abiel Everill, 1 April 1660 at Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; John and Elizabeth had thirteen children. He was a mariner and became a naval commander of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was a member of the Old South Church of Boston and his headstone is embedded in the wall there. On a trip to Salem John Alden was accused of witchcraft and spent fifteen weeks in a Boston jail. He escaped shortly before nine other accused were executed during the Salem witch trials. Later exonerated, Captain John Alden died at Boston, Massachusetts, on 14 March, 1701. Elisabeth Alden (c.1624 - 1717) married William Pabodie (also recorded as 'Peabody'), a civic and military leader of Duxbury, where all thirteen of their children were born. They later moved to Little Compton, Rhode Island, where Elizabeth died on 31 May, 1717, at the age of ninety-four. Joseph Alden (c.1627 - c.1697) Moved to Bridgewater where he farmed land purchased from the Indians by his father and Myles Standish. He married Mary Simmons and they had seven children. Died 8 February 1696/97 at Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Jonathan Alden (c.1632 - 1697) married Abigail Hallett on 10 December 1672 at Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Jonathan and Abigail lived in Duxbury and raised six children in the original Alden home, which he received from his father, and which passed to his son upon his death on 14 February, 1697. Sarah Alden (c.1628 - 1674), whose marriage to Alexander Standish, son of Miles Standish, belies any idea of a feud between the Aldens and the Standish family. Sarah and Alexander had at least seven children and lived in Duxbury until Sarah’s death on 12 August 1674. Ruth Alden (1634 - 1674) married John Bass 12 May 1657; had seven children; died 12 October 1674 at Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts. Priscilla Alden (1639 - 1689) No record of marriage nor children David Alden (c. 1645 - 1719) married Mary Southworth, daughter of Constant Southworth of Plymouth Colony, and had six children. Described as "a prominent member of the church, a man of great respectability and much employed in public business." Rebecca Alden (c.1649 - 1688), married Thomas Delano of Duxbury before 30 October 1667. They had nine children. Robert Alden (1649 - 1685) Mary Alden (c.1659 - c.1688) No record of marriage nor children Priscilla Mullins Alden is known as the unrequited love of the newly-widowed Captain Miles Standish in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1858 poem The Courtship of Miles Standish. According to the poem, Standish asked his good friend John Alden to proposed to Priscilla on his behalf, only to have Priscilla ask, “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?” A direct descendant of John and Priscilla's, Longfellow based his poem on a romanticized version of a family story, though there is no independent historical evidence for the account. Prior to Longfellow's version, the story was originally published by John and Priscilla’s great-great-grandson, Rev. Timothy Alden, in 1814. * * *  The following is from the Alden Kin Search Project - 8 Generations website: http://www.alden.org/aldengen/pafg01.htmDescendants of John Alden First Generation John Alden was born about 1598 in , , , England. He died on 22 Sep 1687 in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA, US. He was buried in 1687 in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA.   John married Priscilla Mullins about 1621 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. Priscilla was born about 1602 in Dorking, Surrey, England. She died after 1650. They had the following children: i Elizabeth Alden + ii John Alden + iii Joseph Alden + iv Jonathan Alden + v Sarah Alden + vi Ruth Alden + vii Rebecca Alden + viii Mary Alden was born in of Duxbury, Plymouth, MA.  She died after 13 Jun 1688. + ix Priscilla Alden was born in of Duxbury, Plymouth, MA, US. She died after 13 Jun 1688. + x David Alden.