Individual Details
Reverend Noah Alden
(30 May 1725 - 5 May 1797)
Events
| Birth | 30 May 1725 | Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, British America |  | ||
| Religion | From 7 Mar 1742 to 1744 | Member - Middleborough Congregational Church, Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, British America | | ||
| Religion | 1744 - 1753 | Member - Congregational Church, Stafford, Connecticut, British America | |||
| Marriage | 14 Feb 1744/45 | Middleboro, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, British America - Joanna Mary "Mary" Vaughn | | ||
| Religion | 5 Jun 1755 | Ordained a Baptist Minister - Stafford, Connecticut, British America | | ||
| Occupation | From Jun 1755 to Nov 1766 | Baptist Minister - Stafford, Connecticut, British America | | ||
| Occupation | From 12 Nov 1766 to 5 May 1797 | Baptist Pastor - Bellingham, Massachusetts Bay, British America | | ||
| Religion | 8 Sep 1767 | Member of Warren Association - Warren, Rhode Island, British America |  | | |
| Military | 6 Dec 1776 | Continental Army: Captain Daniel's Company, Colonel Ephraim Wheelock's Regiment - Bellingham, Massachusetts Bay, British America | | | |
| Military | From 25 Sep 1777 to 31 Oct 1777 | Continental Army: Captain Amos Ellis' Company, Colonel Benjamin Hawe's Regiment - Little Compton, Rhode Island, British America | | ||
| Election | 16 Aug 1779 | Delegate to Massachusetts Constitutional Convention | | | |
| Military | From 2 Aug 1780 to 7 Aug 1780 | Continental Army: Captain Ellis' Company, Major Seth Bullard's (4th Suffolk County) Regiment - Tiverton, Rhode Island, United States | | ||
| Miscellaneous | 1782 | | |||
| Election | From 9 Jan 1788 to 5 Feb 1788 | Delegate to Massachusetts Constitution Ratification Convention - Boston, Massachusetts, United States | | | |
| Death | 5 May 1797 | Bellingham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States | |
Families
| Spouse | Joanna Mary "Mary" Vaughn (1725 - 1804) |
| Child | Elisha Alden (1745 - 1826) |
| Child | Israel Alden (1747 - 1817) |
| Child | Lucy Alden (1749 - 1837) |
| Child | Lydia Alden (1751 - 1789) |
| Child | Fear Alden (1753 - 1755) |
| Child | Noah Alden (1755 - 1832) |
| Child | Ruth Alden (1759 - 1839) |
| Child | Samuel Alden (1761 - 1755) |
| Child | Joanna Alden (1763 - 1787) |
| Child | Zilpha Alden (1766 - 1775) |
| Father | John Alden (1674 - 1730) |
| Mother | Hannah White (1681 - 1732) |
| Sibling | David Alden (1702 - ) |
| Sibling | Priscilla Alden (1704 - ) |
| Sibling | Thankful Alden (1706 - ) |
| Sibling | Hannah Alden (1708 - ) |
| Sibling | Lydia Alden (1710 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary Alden (1712 - ) |
| Sibling | Abigail Alden (1714 - ) |
| Sibling | Joseph Alden (1716 - ) |
| Sibling | John Alden (1718 - ) |
| Sibling | Samuel Alden (1720 - ) |
| Sibling | Ebenezer Alden (1720 - ) |
| Sibling | Nathan Alden (1723 - ) |
Notes
Religion
The Warren Association had its origin in three years from the date of the founding of the church and college. Organizations similar to Associations had become common among other denominations long before this period of time, in other colonies, but they had assumed and exercised such powers over the churches as to cause the liberty-loving Baptists to regard the proposition of a Baptist Association with a large amount of suspicion. The Baptists suffered so much from these organizations, that they could not be persuaded to meet in an association for many years, though the plan proposed differed essentially from that of associations in other denominations. Yet, in September 1766, a number of elders and brethren agreed to send to their churches an invitation to appoint a meeting the next year, 1767, to confer upon these things. Thus, on September 8th, 1767, ten churches met by delegation in Warren, with three ministers from the Philadelphia Association, Revs. John Gano, Samuel Jones, and Morgan Edwards, they having been appointed the previous year for that purpose, who also brought a letter from the body appointing them, written for the purpose by Rev. Mr. Jones. Most of the brethren, who were assembled for deliberation, thought that they were not then fully prepared to proceed to the formation of an association; yet four churches were apparently prepared, and they formed the association, and named it from the town where they met. These four churches were Warren, R. I., Rev. James Manning, pastor; Haverhill, Mass., Rev. Hezekiah Smith, pastor; Bellingham, Mass., Rev. Noah Alden, pastor; and the second church in Middleboro, Rev. Ebenezer Hinds, pastor. The Rev. Isaac Backus was present, and officiated as clerk, though his church and himself did not then join in the formation of the body. And as the anniversary of the college or its commencement came annually on the first Wednesday in September, and some who came to attend that also wished to be present at the meeting of the association, the latter was appointed to be on the Tuesday first following the former -- the Tuesday after the first Wednesday of September. (4)The pastors and delegates met accordingly in Warren, September 18th, 1768, when four churches joined the association. Four more churches joined it when it met in the same village, on the following year, September 12th, 1769. The next meeting of the body was at Bellingham, Mass., September 11th, 1770, and the following one was at held in Sutton, Mass., September 10th, 1771, when the association had increased to twenty churches, having in all 837 members, each year seeing tokens of divine approbation. With this meeting of the association was adopted the rule to print the minutes of the doings, which custom has been continued down to the present time. In due time the association began to collect a fund for assisting pious young men in obtaining an education, preparatory to the gospel ministry, thirteen men being chosen by the association, and incorporated by the legislature of Massachusetts, as managers of the fund.(5) The location of the college in Warren, in connection with the constitution of the church and the organization of the Warren Association, made Warren a place of much resort and a general rallying-point for the influential and pious members of the denomination, during several successive years.
Military
Noah Alden served three times in the Continental Army.1) As a Private in Captain Daniel's company in Colonel Ephraim Wheelock's regiment; discharged on December 6, 1776.
2) As a Private in Captain Amos Ellis' company in Colonel Benjamin Hawes' regiment; enlisted on September 25, 1777, and discharged on October 31, 1777, serving one month and seven days, on an alarm to Rhode Island, stationed at Little Compton, Rhode Island.
3) In Captain Ellis' company in Major Seth Bullard's (4th Suffolk County) regiment; enlisted on August 2, 1780, and discharged on August 7, 1780, serving eight days, on an alarm to Rhode Island, marched to Tiverton, Rhode Island (the "Tiverton Alarm").
Election
The Constitutional Convention of 1779–1780 was the second constitutional convention held in Massachusetts to draft a new state constitution following the state's declaration of independence in 1776. The convention that drafted the proposed constitution was composed of delegates specifically elected for the purpose, unlike the previous year's convention, which had been composed of legislators. The convention's proposal was principally drafted by John Adams, and was published in early March 1780. After an extended process of ratification debates involving town meetings, the convention approved a modified version of the March proposal on June 15, 1780, although the vote to do so was not without some controversy. The new Massachusetts State Constitution then went into effect, and the convention on June 16 issued a call to elect a governor and General Court under its terms before it finally adjourned.The state constitution adopted by the convention provided no mechanisms for amendment other than the calling of another convention. This was changed by the next constitutional convention, held in 1820 after the separation of Maine from the state precipitated a constitutional crisis. That convention ratified the constitution's first nine amendments.
Isaac Backus, the famous Baptist leader from Middleborough, did what he could to encourage fellow Baptists and like-minded people in the towns to respond to issues of religious freedom. Noah Alden of Bellingham, who had no legislative service, was elected a delegate to the constitutional convention and urged by Backus to think about "how the Bill of Rights ought to be drawn." At least a dozen Baptists or men convinced of their principles attended the Convention, and most of them were urged by Backus to work for religious freedom. Because most of these peole were obscure, it is difficult to ascertain whether they volunteered for the service because of Backus's letters and conversation with them or for other patriotic reasons. (Legislators of the (Massachusetts General Court 1691-1790, p. 28)
A member of the Massachusetts convention to form the state constitution and was a leader of the Friends of Religious Liberty in that body. He was also one who was present to ratify the new Constitution of the United States (in 1788).
Miscellaneous
Nathan Alden played a role in aiding his cousin (Deborah Sampson) to impersonate a soldier at the time of the Revolutionary War, after she had unsuccessfully attempted to enlist as a sailor. Rev. Alden disguised her as a man, and told her how to find the money necessary for enlisting. When her disguise was complete, she enlisted as "Robert Shurtliff" on May 20, 1782. As Private Shurtliff, she marched to New York, where she joined the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment; she saw action near Tarrytown, fought Indians at Albany, and was sent to guard the congressmen in the State House (who were threatened by disgruntled soldiers who had not received their pay). She was honorably discharged on Oct. 23, 1783, after her identity had been revealed (see Sharonhistoricalsociety.org).Election
Massachusetts was the sixth state to ratify the Constitution. The Massachusetts legislature called for a ratifying convention on October 25, 1787. The Massachusetts Ratifying Convention met in Boston from January 9, 1788 to February 5, 1788 to discuss “the adoption of the federal Constitution.” 370 delegates had been elected on October 25, 1787, and when the final vote was taken on February 3, 355 registered their vote. On February 6, 1788, the delegates voted to ratify the Constitution by a vote of 187–168.Endnotes
1. H. C. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections (Chicago, IL: S. B. Nelson & Company, Publishers, 1891), 585, accessed through Ancestry.com, January 2019.
2. H. C. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections (Chicago, IL: S. B. Nelson & Company, Publishers, 1891), 585, accessed through Ancestry.com, January 2019.
3. Mary M. De Bolt, Lineage Book, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Volume 77, 76001-77000, 1909 (Washington, DC: Press of Judd & Detweiler, Inc., 1925), 38, electronic document, accessed through Ancestry.com.
4. Town of Middleboro, "Index to Marriages, 1743-1854" (Middleboro, MA: Middleboro Town Clerk's Office, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1743-1854), filmed by: The Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah, September 1973, Noah Alden and Joanna Vaughan, 4 March 1744; citing reference Roll 4 P23 R5; FHL microfilm 945,014; online database, "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," accessed through FamilySearch.org: https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/004934230, January 2019.
5. H. C. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections (Chicago, IL: S. B. Nelson & Company, Publishers, 1891), 585, accessed through Ancestry.com, January 2019.
6. H. C. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections (Chicago, IL: S. B. Nelson & Company, Publishers, 1891), 585, accessed through Ancestry.com, January 2019.
7. David Benedict, A General History of the Baptist Denomination in America and Other Parts of the World (New York, NY: Lewis Colby and Company, 1848), 416-417.
8. H. C. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections (Chicago, IL: S. B. Nelson & Company, Publishers, 1891), 585, accessed through Ancestry.com, January 2019.
9. Myron M. Dean, Rev. "Annals of the First Baptist Church in Warren, Rhode Island," American Baptist Memorial Journal (Warren, RI, 1855): 113-118, , electronic document, accessed December 2018: http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/warren.ri.hist.html.
10. H. C. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections (Chicago, IL: S. B. Nelson & Company, Publishers, 1891), 585, accessed through Ancestry.com, January 2019.
11. Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Volume 1 (Boston, MA: Wright & Potter Printing, 1896-1908), 110, electronic document, accessed through Ancestry.com.
12. Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Volume 1 (Boston, MA: Wright & Potter Printing, 1896-1908), 110, electronic document, accessed through Ancestry.com.
13. John A. Schutz, Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court, 1691-1780: A Biographical Dictionary (Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press, 1997), 28.
14. D. Hamilton Hurd, History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Philadelphia, PA: J. W. Lewis & Company, 1884), 148.
15. H. C. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections (Chicago, IL: S. B. Nelson & Company, Publishers, 1891), 585, accessed through Ancestry.com, January 2019.
16. Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Volume 1 (Boston, MA: Wright & Potter Printing, 1896-1908), 110, electronic document, accessed through Ancestry.com.
17. Gaspare J. Saladino and John P. Kaminski, eds., The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution, Volume 6 (Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2000) , "Delegates to the Massachusetts Convention," 1152-60, electronic document, accessed December 2018: https://www.consource.org/document/delegates-to-the-massachusetts-convention-1788-1-9/20130122084236..
18. Gaspare J. Saladino and John P. Kaminski, eds., The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution, Volume 6 (Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2000) , "Newspaper Report of the Massachusetts Ratification Convention," 1471-89, electronic document, accessed December 2018: https://www.consource.org/document/newspaper-report-of-the-massachusetts-ratification-convention-1788-2-6/.
19. D. Hamilton Hurd, History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Philadelphia, PA: J. W. Lewis & Company, 1884), 149.
20. H. C. Bradsby, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Selections (Chicago, IL: S. B. Nelson & Company, Publishers, 1891), 585, accessed through Ancestry.com, January 2019.