By Barbara Carney
TERRE HAUTE — The charming young girl in the portrait is seated in a chair, holding her doll. From the sepia tones of the drawing, her dress appears to be white with a square neckline. Her face is framed by short hair and bangs. Born in 1910, Priscilla Alden was five years old when her likeness was sketched by artist, Glen Henshaw. Her early ancestors, Priscilla and John Alden came to this country on the Mayflower in 1620. One branch of the Alden descendants became prominent in the history of Terre Haute.
Lyman P. Alden, with his family, moved to Terre Haute in 1884 to become superintendent of the Rose Orphan Home located at 25th Street and Wabash Avenue. Upon Lyman’s death in 1904, his son, Ernest accepted the offer of George Farrington, secretary of the Rose Orphan Home board of trustees, to take his father’s place as superintendent. He held this position with affection and respect for nearly 44 years. Ernest G. Alden and his wife, Katherine were the parents of three daughters; Priscilla Alden George, the subject of the drawing, Barbara Alden Taylor, and Elizabeth Alden Notter.
Priscilla attended King Classical School and Indiana State Laboratory High School, graduating from Indiana State Teachers College. While working in the State Department in Washington, D.C., in 1945, she met and married M/Sgt Lawrence George of the Air Force. After residing in various locations, they settled in Denver. She passed away in 1991.
It is estimated that there are at least 1 million descendants of John and Priscilla Mullins Alden who married in 1621 and had 11 children. Barbara, Elizabeth and Priscilla, all deceased, represented the 10th generation of the family.
The framed 24-by-16 inch portrait in charcoal by Glen Henshaw was done in 1915. Henshaw, an artist of note, was a member of the Brown County Art Colony. Born in Windfall, Indiana in 1884, he spent his early life on the East coast. Moving to Nashville, in 1941, he purchased the Odd Fellows Building where he exhibited until his death in 1946. Glen Henshaw was a friend of the Alden family and sketched the portrait while visiting their home in Terre Haute.
The portrait of Priscilla Alden formerly belonged to Clayton Taylor of Indianapolis, an 11th generation member of the Alden family and the son of Barbara Alden Taylor. It is a recent addition to the Vigo County Historical Museum’s collection.
