Born in Haddam, CT on 20 Sept. 1756 to Gideon Bailey and Sarah Senter, Louden lived most of his life as a Middletown, CT resident.  His experience at sea, like so many others’, is difficult to ascertain until he became an officer in the new US Navy and his time as a merchant ship master.  In 1798 he was captured by a French privateer while sailing the brig Caroline which likely prompted his entry into the Navy.  He served as the Sailing Master under Capt. Tryon and was promoted to Lieutenant mid-1800.  He was discharged from the Navy under the March 1801 Peace Establishment Act which downsized the new Navy and Louden went on resume his merchant vessel master employment.  He became a land owner in Middletown and in 1822 he was voted to hold the office of one of four city “Health Officer” positions.  He even went on to pursue an idea of a “public bath” or semi-enclosed swimming area along the CT river to which one could hold “season tickets”.

Louden died in 1827 and is buried in Mortimer Cemetery, no surviving headstone.  His son Louden Jr. had served as an officer in the CT State Militia and had died several years earlier… It is likely that he is also buried in that cemetery, also no surviving headstone.