Captain John Alden, Jr. (1623-1701) - A prominent sea captain and merchant, John Alden was in his mid-sixties when he was accused of witchcraft on May 28th, 1692. He was born to John Alden, Sr. and Priscilla Mullins Alden, who settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620, arriving on the Mayflower. He grew up to be a sea captain, a Boston merchant and a charter member of Reverend Samuel Willard's Third Church in Boston.

There were several reasons that he might have become a target including a number of scandals and controversies. He had connections with the Indians of Maine, allegedly trading with the Wabanaki Indians who had attacked English settlements in Maine.

Captain John Alden, Jr. is accused.

There were also rumors that he was providing supplies to French enemies. His marriage to Elizabeth Phillips, who had inherited sawmills in Saco, Maine, strengthened his ties with that colony. For some of the young female accusers who had painful ties to Maine where the Indian Wars had orphaned them, he was a perfect target.

Accused on May 28, 1692, Alden was arrested and imprisoned at the Boston jail. However, he soon escaped and fled to New York. He returned from New York and posted bail by the end of the year. By the time his trial was scheduled on April 25, 1693, the hangings had stopped and his case was discharged. John Alden, Jr. died on March 14, 1701 in Boston, Massachusetts.

“Those Wenches being present, who plaid their jugling tricks, falling down, crying out, and staring in peoples faces; the Magistrates demanded of them several times, who it was of all the people in the Room that hurt them? One of these Accusers pointed several times at one Captain Hill, there present, but spoke nothing; the same accuser had a man standing at her back to hold her up; he stooped down to her ear, then she cried out, Alden, Alden afflicted her. One of the Magistrates asked her if she had ever seen Alden, she answered no, he asked her how she knew it was Alden ? She said, the Man told her so.” -- John Alden describing his examination.