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The Alden House Historic Site, P. O. Box 2754, Duxbury, Massachusetts 02331 www.alden.org
Aldens’ Progress
T he Alden Kindred of
America is collaborating
with the Duxbury Com-
munity Garden Club
(DCGC) and Duxbury’s Boy Scout
Troup 62 to begin a multi-phase
project to improve the grounds of the
Alden House Historic Site.
Phase One consisted of a garden
with plantings of the type that would
have been used by Aldens during the
nineteenth century. Over the course of
two days, Garden Club members, Boy
Scouts and volunteers worked to
remove invasive plants and weeds and
plant the appropriate flora. Scout
Kristopher Dowling played an integral
part in the garden’s implementation as
a component of his Eagle Scout
project.
The coastal garden is located
along the kitchen “El” now used as the
museum’s gift shop. The plantings
include pear trees, cavatine
andromeda, lilacs, rug juniper,
heather, solomon seal, several
perennials and the soon to be added
375th flower, the calendula.
The new look was made possible
by the gracious donations of time and
back-breaking effort by these
wonderful community partners, by
Alden Kindred members who
purchased plants, and by Pembroke
Landscape Supplies, which donated all
of the loam for the project.
Phase Two will focus on
improving the herb gardens against the
house, the walkways, as well as
adding a shade tree to the front of the
house.
Some of the plants that have been
discussed as part of Phase Two are
inkberry, yarrow, lavender and the
American Liberty Elm. Continued on page 15
The Alden House Historic Site 2012-2013 Calendar
Community Garden Club and Boy Scouts Help Create New Alden Garden
Fall 2012
Contents Community Garden Project ................ 1
2012/13 Calendar of Events ............... 1
President’s Message ........................... 2
Facebook ............................................ 2
Linda Osborne’s Message ................... 3
Speak for Thyself ................................ 4
School Tours………………………………...…..5
2012 AnnualMeeting…………….……….6-7
From the Collection ............................ 8
Rug Hookers ....................................... 9
Volunteer Section ........................ ….….9
Wish List………………………………….….…..10
Yelp……………………………….……………..….10
Archaeology Month ......................... .11
Haunted House ................................ 11
2013 Annual Fund…………………………...12
Aunt Polly’s Gift Shop……………………...13
Duxbury’s 375th ……………………………..14
Manager’s Message………………………..15
Scholarship Reminder……………………..15
Museum Closes
for Season
October 1
Alden
Archaeology
October 6
1:00 - 3:00
Alden Haunted
House
Sixth Speak for
Thyself Award
Banquet
Museum Opens
for the Season
October 20
6:00-9:00
May 2013
June 2013
A s Duxbury celebrates its 375th
anniversary, we as Aldens can take
enormous pride in knowing that our
ancestors were here from the beginning.
John and Priscilla lived, worked, and raised their
children as this community
grew. Generations of Aldens
continued to live here, and
every August we still gather as
a family in the shadow of the
old house. I can’t help thinking
that John and Priscilla would be
proud of our accomplishments,
too.
Indeed much has been
accomplished at Alden House
under the leadership of Linda
Osborne — the building of the
barn and National Landmark
status to name just two. I am
very grateful that she has graciously offered to advise
and lend a hand. I can’t thank her enough, and I know
that this would be a very difficult job for me without
her guidance and support.
There is still much to do, however, and we look
forward to an exciting year. The Haunted House is just
around the corner and it won’t be long until we are
gearing up for another Speak for Thyself event. Alden
House has also welcomed its first high school interns,
and we continue our relationship with the Duxbury
Rug Hookers and Garden Club. Alden House is still
very much a part of the community that our ancestors
helped to build.
I am very excited and honored to be president of
the Alden Kindred and look forward to meeting and
working with many of you in the months to come.
With your continued support, the story of John and
Priscilla will endure … it is a story worth telling.
Respectfully submitted.
Mary-Ruth Duquette, President
President’s Message
2 Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012
Aldens on Facebook
Alden Kindred of America, Inc. P.O. Box 2754 —105 Alden Street
Duxbury, MA 02331-2754
Phone: 781-934-9092
FAX: 781-934-9149
Editors
Alicia Crane Williams
Bonnie C. Conant
Matthew F. Vigneau
We welcome submissions and suggestions. Our
goal is to provide current information on what's
happening at the Alden Kindred of America, Inc.,
and the Alden House Historic Site. Let us know
how we're doing—we'd love to hear from you!
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.alden.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
AldenHouseHistoricSite
Museum Open: Wednesday-Saturday Noon-4 PM;
Last tour at 3:30 PM
Open June 1st through the end of September
Check website or call for up-to-date information
Members may request copies of the 2011
Annual Report by calling the office or e-mailing
I n keeping with the times, the Alden Kindred has
increased its presence on Facebook by adding a
group page for the Alden House Historic Site.
On our group page we will
be sharing event updates, pic-
tures, historical information and
news from other organizations.
This is a great way to receive up-
to-date information and see some new and interesting
looks at the Alden Homestead. This group page also
allows us to analyze how well our viewers are enjoy-
ing the information we provide. It is important for us
to connect with our Alden cousins, so log on and
“Like” us on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/AldenHouseHistoricSite.
I t has been my privilege and honor to
serve as your president for the past
seventeen years. In 1995 when I was
approached by Alden (Keyser) who
said, “it’s time for you to be president,” I
initially said “no, I’m not ready,” but Jim
Tiffin was ready to step down and it was time
for me to step up. I nervously said I would do
it and soon found myself deeply involved in
AKA affairs.
I don’t remember much about that first
meeting, as I was quite nervous and awed by
the responsibility of being president.
However, I clearly remember Jim handing me
the gavel and leaving. I’m thinking where are
you going as I watched him walk out of the
tent, down the driveway and across the street to
his car. I was on my own. Even though I felt
that way at the time, that was never the case.
Through the years I have had the pleasure of
working with many dedicated board members, staff,
volunteers, and friends of the AKA. We have worked
together as a team and the Aldens have accomplished
a great deal during this time. Some have passed
away, others have moved on and yes, many of you
are still volunteering in various areas helping the
AKA operations and continuing with our goals.
During my presidency I have been fortunate to
have been a part of a journey of milestones from
before 1995 to the present. I am listing many that I
remember and some of the dedicated team I was able
to work with: Hiring and working with our first
Director, Elln Hagney, the collapse of the Meeting
Hall, attempting to acquire the Gibson property and
the adjacent house (now owned by the Evans), long
range strategic plans and retreats, Bob Edmunds,
Linda Ashley, Director and Curator, the Barn Project,
Dig, ground breaking, Barn Raising, Ribbon Cutting,
John Alden Williamson and Priscilla Williamson
Higgins (major donation to the barn), John W. Alden
(CEO UPS) barn donation, Cold Turkey tours, a new
web site, oral history and genealogy projects, Charles
Coombs, Director, Bonnie Conant, Administrative
Assistant, Darla Patriacca, 100th Meeting, digitizing
records including establishing a data base of
members, Operations and Education committees
established, major donation from the Rockwell
Foundation, Tom McCarthy comes on as our
Historian, partnerships with the Rug Hookers,
Newcomers, Garden Club, Duxbury Business
Association, Historical Society, and others, Jim Baker
answering our ad for Curator, all our Vision Quests
with Alden Keyser and Bob Edmunds, adding non-
descendants and community to the Board and
Museum, contributions of Wil Gwilliam to the house,
Chris Daley, docent and education, Alicia Williams,
genealogy, Alden Ringquist, director, Pauline Kezer,
our retreats, grants and assessments of the house,
“Back Roads of the South Shore” – collaborating
with museums off the beaten path, golf tournament,
CPC window repair with the help of the Town of
Duxbury, educational programs developed with Elln
to take into the schools, “Speak For Thyself” awards,
National Historic Landmark, chimney repair, hiring
Matthew Vigneau. With some milestones
accomplished, others are ongoing, and some we hope
will eventually work out.
continued on page 13
Linda Osborne’s Outgoing President’s Message
Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012 3
Pictured left to right: Ryan Curley, Finnian Curley, Janet Curley,
Jeffrey Osborne, Yingshu Osborne and Linda Osborne
T he Alden Kindred of America will hold its
sixth annual “Speak for Thyself” Dinner in
May 2013. This dinner has become a much-
appreciated community event and brings
recognition to outstanding women from Duxbury and
surrounding communities. Nominations for this award
begin in October. Please consider making a
nomination using the form below.
The Speak for Thyself Award honors exceptional
women who, in the spirit of Priscilla Mullins Alden,
make their own choices. The award recognizes the
role of women in America as pilgrims, pioneers, and
business leaders, as well as those women whose
service to civic organizations has made a significant
difference in the lives of others.
Last year’s recipients were: Alba Thompson of
Plymouth, The Rev. Catherine Cullen of Duxbury,
Janet LaBerge of Pembroke, and Pamela Campbell
Smith of Duxbury.
Speak for Thyself 2012
4 Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012
2012 awardees pictured left to right: The Rev. Catherine Cullen,
Pamela Campbell Smith, Alba Thompson, and Janet LaBerge
2013 Speak for Thyself Nomination Form
Nominee Name:_____________________________________________________________
Mailing Address:____________________________________________________
City/State:________________________________ Zip Code:______________________
Phone: Work ____________________________ Home _____________________
E-Mail Address: ____________________________________________________
Category: ____ Pioneer ____ Advocate ____ Community Leader ____ Business Leader
Materials to Be Submitted With Nomination Form:
One-page summary of the nominee’s contributions in any of the above roles.
One-page biographical sketch of the nominee.
Other supportive materials may be included and all should be legible.
Person(s) Submitting Nomination Name: ______________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________ City _______________ State _____ Zip Code ___________
Phone: Work _______________________ Home ____________________________
E-Mail Address: ______________________________________________________
This form and accompanying materials must be received by February 1, 2013.
Mail To: Alden Kindred of America, Inc. PO Box 2754, Duxbury, MA 02331-2754
T he first week in June has traditionally
brought our second grade tours to the
Alden House. Beginning as in-class
discussions at Chandler Elementary School
and ending with enthusiastic tours of the house, this
program is always a frenetic event. The sun may not
have provided the nice backdrop we were hoping for
this year, but the students’ enthusiasm and
inquisitiveness shined through as always.
The in-class presentations provided students with
the opportunity to learn about the story of the Alden
family, their homestead and some of the objects
found within its walls. Students were shown four
objects from the museum and asked to guess what
they thought each object was. The students came up
with some fun and interesting guesses and left
knowing a little bit more
about Aldens and some
of the objects they used.
Students arrived at
the museum a week later
and received a weaving
demonstration courtesy
of Barbara Itz and a tour
of the Alden House that
included an artifact
scavenger hunt. It was
evident as soon as the
first group of students
arrived how important
the in-class presentation
is. The students were
quick to identify the
objects they had seen and were able to locate all of
them within the house.
This was a special group because it is the last
group of second graders to visit the Alden House.
Starting in 2014, the historic tour of Duxbury will
shift to the third grade. This change will result in a
program more suited for older students. The new
curriculum will focus on the geography of Duxbury
and the towns earliest beginnings.
Alden House Welcomes Second Graders for One Last Tour
Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012 5
Alden House Welcomes Japanese
Children’s Society
Students look on as AKA Board Member Barbara Itz gives a
demonstration on weaving in the Alden Barn.
T he Alden
House was very
pleased to wel-
come back the
Japanese Chil-
dren’s Society
this spring, after
a year’s hiatus.
It is always a
pleasure to
share the story of the Alden family and their colonial
roots here in Duxbury with school children from all
over the world.
Despite the rainy day, students were welcomed to
a tour of the house, as well as a visit from some of
our wildlife including a female snapping turtle laying
her eggs. We look forward to welcoming this wonder-
ful group of students back next year to share the
Alden story.
Second grader working on her
scavenger hunt
Alden Kindred Sweats it Out at the 112th Annual Reunion
6 Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012
T he Alden Kindred welcomed back
many of its cousins once again on
Saturday, August 4th, for the 112th
Annual Alden Reunion. After a few
years of moderate summer temperatures, we
also welcomed back the hot, muggy weather
that is often a staple of our reunions. The sun
was out, the tent was up and cousins both old
and new braved the heat to enjoy an Alden
family tradition. The morning began with
registration that allowed cousins to say hello
and share stories while waiting for the
business portion of the meeting to commence.
President Linda J. Osborne called the
meeting to order shortly after 11 am followed
by the invocation/blessing given by her son
Jeffrey Osborne, and by her grandsons Finnian and
Ryan Curley leading everyone in the Pledge of
Allegiance. Attendees were then led by Jeffrey in
singing the first two stanzas of America the Beautiful,
a song that highlights our nation’s ties to our colonial
roots.
The opening ceremony ended with an
introduction of new members. The business portion
of the meeting was rather short as the published
reports were accepted as distributed and there were
no items in need of discussion. A heartfelt
presentation of the Dr. Donnell B. Young scholarship
to Brianna Itz by her grandmother Barbara Itz
(Donnell’s daughter), and to William Alden
(grandson of long time board member, John C. Alden
of Chelmsford, Ma.) by Linda Osborne, highlighted
the wonderful accomplishments of these two scholars.
A special moment for the AKA followed as
longtime president Linda Osborne gave her final
message. Linda provided a wonderful retrospective of
all of the accomplishments and people who helped
(and continue to help) along the way.
Next came the Roll Call. This year once again
our oldest member was Elsie Alden Clemente, now
age 94, of Quincy, Massachusetts. Our youngest
descendant was Joseph James Smith III, age 5
months, of Massachusetts.
The number of members in attendance at the
meeting by Alden child were: Elizabeth 15, Sarah 15,
Jonathan 13, Ruth 13, Joseph 12, Rebecca 4, David 0,
John Jr. 0. The tally of attendees by state was:
Massachusetts 38, New York 4, Rhode Island 5,
Maine 2, New Hampshire 1, Connecticut 1, Illinois 2,
Texas 1, Washington 1.
Alden Keyser presented the report of the
nominating committee, the slate was elected and the
new Alden Kindred president, Mary-Ruth Duquette
of Rhode Island, was installed by Linda Osborne.
Mary-Ruth gave her thanks and appreciation for all
the work that has been done. The family gathered on
the lawn for the family portrait and then enjoyed a
delicious box lunch by Honey Baked Ham under the
tent.
After lunch a talk was given by food ways expert
Paula Marcoux, who provided some delicious bread
and intriguing information about food ways during
the lifetime of Mary Windsor Alden, “Aunt
Polly” (1789-1882).
Save the Date to join us next year for our 113th
Annual Alden Reunion on Saturday August 3rd. We
will be working on adding new activities and
welcome suggestions and participation by members.
2012 Annual Meeting Photo Collage
Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012 7
T he American population expanded like
never before by the end of the nineteenth
century. With this growth came the need to
provide consumer goods to a population
that was stretching out across North America. One
way in which businesses began to reach a far greater
customer base was through the development of mail
order catalogues. These catalogs provided consumer
goods to Americans and in some cases rewarded their
customers with incentive programs that yielded a
wealth of household items.
The rise of these mail order
catalogues was an effort to
increase business by eliminating
middlemen such as wholesalers,
retailers and traveling salespeople.
Although it is uncertain who
established the first mail order
catalogue, perhaps the most
commonly agreed upon company
was Montgomery Ward in 1872.
Shortly after the creation of the
Montgomery Ward Catalogue,
John D. Larkin opened a modest
soap factory in Buffalo, New
York, that would give rise to an
innovative and successful
catalogue business.
The Larkin Company
developed a strong customer base
through the implementation of
what would become known as the “Larkin Idea,”
which was formalized in the company’s motto of
“From Factory-to-Family: Save All Cost Which Adds
No Value.” In order to provide such thrifty
consumerism to Americans, Larkin developed a mail-
order catalogue that provided much more than just
soap.
The growth of the mail-order catalogue business
occurred just as Larkin began to add what was called
“premiums” to each order of its soap. Premiums such
as handkerchiefs, towels and soap powder were
included as an incentive to buy more soap.
Eventually, premiums were replaced by certificates
that could be redeemed for a number of different
goods in the Larkin catalogue.
The sale of soap along with the included
premiums that could be used to purchase a wide array
of household products in the Larkin catalogue,
allowed customers to purchase a myriad of items in
an age before chain stores. What began as a small
company that made two types of soap, grew to offer
six hundred products and seventeen hundred
premiums by the turn of the twentieth century.
The collection at the Alden House Historic Site
includes one of the premiums
offered by the Larkin Company
from their 1908 catalog. Pictured
here is a decorative pitcher that
could be purchased through the
use of Larkin premiums.
This glazed ceramic clay
pitcher is approximately thirteen
centimeters tall by eighteen
centimeters wide and weighs
over two pounds. The pitcher is a
cream color and has sides that are
adorned with scenes of John and
Priscilla Alden, Myles Standish,
and the Mayflower. The spout of
this pitcher has been damaged
and it is missing a portion of its
rim.
The pitcher was designed by
George H. Wood and the art was
created by Ralph Stuart of the Larkin Company. The
overall design was meant to compete with products
from the English Staffordshire factories. This pitcher
is an early version of what came to be referred to as
“Deldare” pottery. Deldare pottery was marked by its
distinctive olive green color. Some pitchers (such as
this one) however, were made in the Deldare style,
but without its distinctive color. Often referred to as
“specials,” these pieces are thought to have been
made by special request.
Pitchers such as this one would most likely be
used for special occasions. This piece is a fine
example of how Americans commemorated their past
with consumer objects.
From Our Collection
8 Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012
O nce again, the Duxbury Rug Hookers have
come together to make another wonderful
rug that was raffled off to benefit the
Alden
House Historic
Site. This year’s
rug is “Leaves of
New England,”
and depicts leaves
from the flora
that scatter the
landscape of the
northeast. Some
of the leaves
pictured include
those of the
maple, elm, oak
and sassafras.
These lovely
ladies’ rugs have raised over $12,000 for the Alden
Kindred. This year’s winner was Leigh Tuckey of
Wyoming, who bought dozens of tickets because she
was determined she had to have this one!
Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012 9
Volunteers’ Section
Volunteers enjoy an evening of food, drinks and conversation in
the Alden barn
A s a small organization the Alden Kindred of
America, Inc., relies on a wonderful group of
volunteers to help us with everything from
educational programming and editing to the
design and implementation of new gardens on the proper-
ty. We believe it is important for us to take the time to say
thank you to our dedicated volunteers.
This year it was a pleasure to spend a few hours with
some of our volunteers on the Friday night before our an-
nual meeting at our Volunteer Appreciation reception. Too
often our volunteers pitch in but many of us never have
the chance to get to know them. This was a great evening
that allowed Alden Kindred Board members and staff to
share some nice conversation over drinks and appetizers
with volunteers from the Duxbury Rug Hookers, the
Duxbury Community Garden Club, Boy Scouts and oth-
ers. It was a wonderful experience to become acquainted.
Everyone had a great time and all look forward to coming
back to the Alden House to pitch in and to have fun with a
great group of individuals next year.
The Alden House is always looking for individuals
who would like to help preserve and protect the Alden
House Historic Site. We have opportunities for those who
live nearby and for those who are farther away. For more
information on becoming a volunteer, please e-mail us at
The Duxbury Rug Hookers Present their 2012 Rug
to the Alden Kindred of America, Inc.
See the rug in full color on our website: www.alden.org
Catching up with Leaves of New England Duxbury Rug Hookers create another wonderful rug
T he Alden Kindred is blessed with
a membership base that holds the
safety and integrity of our
ancestral home as our highest
priority. In order to maintain the museum
and provide an excellent experience to all
of those who come to visit us, we must
strive to be creative and sustainable in our
approach. One way we have been able to
make strides in this area is through our
members who have generously supported
our Aldens’ Progress Wish List. The items
on our wish list are needed to improve how
we engage with our members and visitors,
as well as to foster our museum’s
sustainability.
In the past two years donations allowed us
to purchase items such as computers, tents, an
internet-ready TV and a riding lawn mower. These
items all provide us with greater financial and fiscal
flexibility. Our riding mower in particular has
reduced our operating budget because we now
provide our own lawn care. Our new television is a
tremendous asset that we will use as an educational
tool as well as a means of communicating with Board
members who live outside of the area.
As we continue to work on improving our
museum and Kindred operations, it is important to
work on preserving our collection of artifacts and
documents. With Aldens and museum members
scattered all over the globe, improved museum
collections can help to improve how we share
information with a far reaching constituency.
We would like to thank everyone for their
generous support of our wish list. We couldn’t do it
without you!
Your Contributions At Work
10 Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012
Wish List
Archival Scanner
Containers to store tents
Tablet (e.g. Ipad)
Video Camera
Digital Camera
N ow that we have successfully transitioned into
the social media world
with outlets such as Facebook
and Flikr, its is time to expand
and learn more about how we
are doing. The Alden House can
now be found on Yelp, a social
media site that allows users to
review different businesses and
sites of interest. Yelp is a free site where people can
search other reviews as well as leave reviews of
their own. It is important for us to receive feedback,
so sign up and let us know how we are doing on
Yelp at http://www.yelp.com/biz/alden-house-
museum-duxbury.
Museum Manager Matthew Vigneau mowing the Alden lawn
Let us know how we are doing on Yelp
A visit to the Alden
House Historic Site
and the nearby
location of the first
Alden home in Duxbury gives
you a sense of where it all
began, but a look below the
surface reveals even more about
these brave individuals that
began a proud and storied
progeny. The archaeological
studies conducted on both the
original home site and at the
current AKA barn reveal a great
deal of information about the
Aldens and their time here in
Duxbury. This October we will
participate in Massachusetts
Archaeology Month, sponsored
by the Massachusetts Historical
Commission.
Archaeology Month began in 1992 to celebrate
the scientific study of the material remains of past
human life and activities. This month-long
celebration incorporates museums, libraries and
archaeologists in the presentation of lectures,
exhibitions and programs for adults, children and
teachers.
The Alden House Historic Site will present an
exhibition of archaeological finds and a lecture given
by the museum manager on the Roland Robbins
excavation of the original homesite in 1960. In
addition to the discussion of the Robbins excavation,
there will be an exhibition of local artifacts spanning
thousands of years. Objects to be displayed include
everything from lithics (stone tools) to pottery. This
program will take place on Saturday, October 6th,
from 1 to 3 pm in the Alden Barn. Weather permitting
we will also take a walk to the original Alden site
excavated by Robbins. Additional programming may
be added, so check our website and Facebook for
additional information.
Alden House Participates in Archaeology Month
Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012 11
Haunted House Scarecrow Contest
O ur annual Alden Haunted House is the best
attended
event we
present each
year, and now it will get
a little bit scarier. This
fall we will present our
first “Alden Scarecrow”
contest. Contestants will
make their own scare-
crow to be left on dis-
play at our Haunted
House on Saturday Oc-
tober 20th (entry fee
$5). This is a great op-
portunity to be a part of
this Duxbury tradition,
with prizes to be given to the top three scarecrows. For
more information about the contest or the Haunted
House please contact the Alden House Historic Site.
2013 Annual Fund
12 Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012
T hanksgiving is always a special holiday for
us here at the Alden House. We imagine
how it must have been in early times with
all the fireplaces roaring and the family
gathered in the cozy Great Room enjoying their
traditional meal. These days it’s darned cold in the
Alden House after we close for the season, but still
we can feel the warmth of our family heritage as we
go about our chores.
Each year we ask our members to remember the
Alden House with a donation to the Annual Fund.
This money is needed to supplement our income
from dues, admissions and gift shop sales, which are
not enough to cover all necessary expenses even
though we try very hard to keep those expenses in
check.
As you read this newsletter, you will see the
many good things we are doing. Our little family
museum is active in our community and progressive
in the world of social media – hmmm, what would
John and Priscilla have thought about Facebook?
I’m sure they’d ask what the younger generation is
coming to, but they’d still be pleased that the family
is staying in touch.
Our membership is now less than 1500 which
means we depend upon everyone’s support. Last year
we raised nearly $28,000 for our annual fund and this
year we hope to meet our goal of $30,000. For the
past several years we have held a raffle for a free
$1,000 Life Membership for everyone who donates
at least $100 to the Annual Fund or pays
Contributing Membership dues. This year our winner
was John MacKenzie from Bethesda, Maryland.
John has been a dues paying member of the AKA
since 1970, so he certainly deserves this!
Please once again consider a donation to the
Alden Kindred. All gifts are greatly appreciated, but
if you are able to give $25, $50 or $100 or more, you
will help us ensure that we can continue to protect
and preserve our National Landmark homestead and
teach the younger generations about John and
Priscilla and the family they founded.
Please cut off and return with your donation to Alden Kindred of America, PO Box 2754, Duxbury, MA 02331 – 2754
I wish to participate in the 2013 Annual Fund of the Alden Kindred and Alden House Historic Site:
____$25 ___$ 50 ____$100* _____$250* _____$500* ____$1000* ____other
Name _________________________________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________ Email ___________________________________________________
____Check enclosed
____ Visa _____ Master Card Card Number ____________________________ Exp date __________
If you would like to give a gift of stocks or bonds, please contact our office and one of our Finance Committee members will re-
spond.
*Donors of $100 or more will be entered in the raffle for a free $1,000 Life Membership to be drawn at the 2013 Annual Meeting:
Life Raffle Entry:
Name: _________________________________________ Street: _______________________________________________
Town: _____________________State__________Zip______ E-mail: _______________________________________
New Items in Aunt Polly’s Gift Shop
Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012 13
Linda Osborne
Continued from page 3
My association with the Alden House goes back
to my childhood when my Uncle Russell (Edwards),
who was active in the Kindred, would bring us over to
the house and out by the marker of the First Site. We
would look for arrowheads and poke around for signs
of the first house. He was instrumental in getting
Helen Howe and the AKA to hire Roland Robbins to
find and excavate the First Site. I found this
fascinating. Every Thanksgiving we would have to go
over to the house, sometimes we would just walk
around the outside, and other times we would go in for
a cold turkey tour. My grandmother, Emma Alden
was born in the house in 1881. We have always had
close connections with the house. It is easy to be
pulled into the Alden House and the story of the Alden
Family. Once you are here, you are hooked!
As I end my 17 years as president, I leave the
position with much satisfaction, many memories, and
a bit of sadness, but once the Alden spell hits you it’s
pretty certain you’ll still be just as involved.
As I close these remarks, I ask that you all as
Kindred members take the responsibility to preserve
and protect the House and promote our wonderful
Alden Story. You can do this by supporting our
Annual Fund or other various funds and by
volunteering.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda J. Osborne, Past President
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Alden House Ornament $14 Each ______ $ ________________
Subtotal $ ___________________
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Mail form and check to: Alden Kindred of America, Inc., PO Box 2754 Duxbury, MA 02331-02754
See items in color
on the website
W ith the town of
Duxbury celebrating
its three hundred and
seventy-fifth
birthday, it is only fitting that the
Alden House would play an
important role in the festivities. The
Alden family has been a central part
of the town since its inception, and
we are pleased to have museum
manager, Matthew Vigneau serving
on the town’s committee to help
plan the activities and events
throughout the year that
commemorate Duxbury’s long and
storied history. What began in July as a
group brimming with ideas and possibilities
has so far produced six months of fun and interesting
events and programs that featured many different
aspects of the town’s past.
The year began with an art show at the Duxbury
Art Complex and has included a lecture series (which
featured Mr. Vigneau providing a talk on the
Mayflower), an old fashioned clambake, birthday
celebration, and plenty of family events. Pictured to
the left is a watercolor of the Alden House by
committee member Sandy Sweetser that was featured
on the town’s birthday cake. This watercolor has been
reproduced as a gift card for our shop and has been
framed for members who are Landmark Contributing
Dues members.
The Alden House has provided time, effort and
facilities to help make the year-long celebration a
success. Meeting space was provided by both the
Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the AKA,
which continue to work together to promote the
town’s storied roots. This fall the Alden House will
continue this collaboration as part of a town-wide
historic home open house on Sunday, September
16th, from 1 to 4 pm. This event will allow visitors
free admittance to the Alden House, as well as other
homes and sites throughout Duxbury.
All of the celebration events have been very well
attended and they will continue throughout the rest of
the year including Farm Day at Historic O'Neil Farm,
a candlelight concert series, and our very own Alden
Haunted House. For more information on upcoming
375th events, please contact the AKA or check our
Facebook page.
Alden House Helps Duxbury Celebrate 375th Birthday
14 Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012
Duxbury 375th Committee pictured in front of the town’s birthday cake
Alden House water color by artist Sandy Sweetser
pictured on the birthday cake
Aldens’ Progress Fall 2012 15
Alden Garden Project Continued from page 1 To fund portions of this next phase, the AKA and
the Duxbury Community Garden Club (DCGC) have
submitted
an historic
preserva-
tion grant
application
to the Gar-
den Club
Federation
of Massa-
chusetts,
Inc. Deci-
sions on
this grant will
be made this
fall in time to
begin the final planning stages for subsequent phases.
For more photos of this project, take a look at our
Flikr page at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aldenhousemuseum/.
Manager’s Message
W ith summer’s warm rays slowly fad-
ing into the chill of another beautiful
New England fall, the Alden House
Historic Site begins its transfor-
mation as well. Although the end of September
marks the official end to our tour season, the fall and
winter still bring visitors to the museum and to
events aimed at engaging visitors in the Alden story
and at providing as many smiles as we can along the
way. The key element needed to provide the events
we currently have and to develop and implement
new programs are volunteers.
The important aspect to consider when becom-
ing involved in an organization such as ours is that
whatever amount of time you can give is extremely
valuable. Some people come to the Alden House
and can only give an hour of their time, that is great!
Some may be able to provide help remotely by as-
sisting us with projects aimed at engaging prospec-
tive, current members, as well as those who visit the
museum. This could be everything from working on
promotional materials to providing technical sup-
port.
The Alden House has a small group of dedicat-
ed local volunteers with even larger numbers of
friends and family scattered all over the globe. For
those scattered across the country, getting to the
Alden House is no small task. Perhaps distance can
be a deterring factor in becoming involved in organ-
izations such as ours, but as technology moves at an
increasingly fast pace opportunities to volunteer re-
motely will increase significantly.
Our membership is filled with talented individ-
uals who have many different skill sets that can be
invaluable resources to fulfilling our mission. Even
though many of you live outside of Massachusetts,
we would love to discuss some of the ways you may
be able to help remotely. If you are interested in vol-
unteering or becoming involved in some capacity I
would love to hear from you.
Respectfully Submitted,
Matthew Vigneau
Reminder
The basic requirements to receive the Dr. Donnell B.
Young Scholarship are: (1) you MUST be a Lineage
member of the Alden Kindred of America, Inc.; (2)
you MUST be a graduating high school senior plan-
ning to attend college after graduation; and (3) you
MUST properly complete and submit the scholarship
application and required essay (with both footnotes
and bibliography) so they are received by the Scholar-
ship Committee on or before the due date of March 1
of the year the scholarship is to be awarded. The
Committee does not make exceptions to this rule.
IMPORTANT: All Lineage membership requirements
must be completed by September 1st prior to the scholar-
ship year. If you have children or grandchildren who might
be interested in the scholarship but who are not yet mem-
bers, NOW is the time to start their membership applica-
tions. (Because of a large backlog of applications, the
membership process can take many months, even for a
child of a member.) Visit www.alden.org to learn more
Members of the DCGC, including AKA
Member Mariette Wooden plant a pear tree
donated by AKA member Patricia Randall
Alden Kindred of America, Inc.
Alden House Historic Site
PO Box 2754
Duxbury MA 02331-2754
Located at 105 Alden Street
Duxbury, Massachusetts
www.alden.org
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Duxbury, MA
Permit No. 9
“Green” Delivery
The Alden Kindred has gone “Green” by
encouraging members to sign up for e-mail delivery
of newsletters and other mailings. If you requested
e-mail delivery, but receive this in the regular mail,
please let us know so we can correct the database!
If you have not already notified us that you would like to
receive e-mail delivery, please let us know at
[email protected]. Electronic delivery saves trees and it
saves the Alden Kindred money — which helps to keep your dues
from rising. Your participation is appreciated. Thank you.
Volunteer newsletter editor(s), writers, graphics technicians needed.
Interested? Contact Alicia at [email protected].
