David Hedden was the son of Joseph and Abigail (Huntington) Hedden. He was born in Newark Township, Essex County, New Jersey on 30 Jul 1750. David married Esther Baldwin and together they had seven children:

          Stephen, b. 13 Oct 1773, m. 1795 Sarah “Sallie” Peck, d. 10 Jul 1856 in New Albany, Floyd Co., Indiana;

          Abigail, b. 16 Oct 1775, m. James Tichenor of Newark, New Jersey;

          Cyrus, b. 6 Mar 1778, m. 1) Hulda Tichenor, 2) Jane Roberts, d. 3 Feb 1864;

          Joseph, b. 28 Oct 1780, m. Phoebe Beach, d. 1869;

          Moses, b. 18 May 1783

          Aaron, b. 10 Nov 1785;

          William, b. 2 Jun 1789

Along with seven of his brothers, David served several tours of duty as a private minuteman during the Revolutionary War. He first entered the service of the United States in July 1776 as a volunteer in Captain Samuel Parsons Company and was marched from Newark to New York and from there to Long Island. He was stationed on Long Island under the command of Colonel Philip Van Courtland and when the British took possession of the Island he was marched back to Newark and from there to Elizabeth Town Point, where his enlistment expired. In September 1776 he served in a company of militia commanded by Captain Mathias Lyon. He was again stationed at Elizabeth Town Point under the command of Colonel Van Courtland. In October and November of the same year, 1776, he again performed duty under Captain John Peck still stationed at Elizabeth Town Point under the command of the Col Van Courtland & Major Samuel Hayes.

In late December 1776 or early January 1777 he enlisted for three months under Captain James Wheler. He was stationed first at Chatham in Morris County then at Springfield and Connecticut Farm in Essex County. Next he was stationed at the short hills Woodbridge and Amboy in the county of Middlesex all in New Jersey under the command of Colonel Ebenezer Lindsly and part of the time commanded by Colonel Yaguish. He served in this company for three months and fourteen days all one term and was discharged at Amboy. After his term of enlistment expired in the spring of the year 1777 he served three additional tours of duty in a company of militia commanded by Captain Josiah Ceinson.

From 1778 through 1780 he continued to be enrolled in the Captain Josiah Ceinson Company of Militia and served a total of twelve tours of duty. During that time he was stationed at Second River now called Belvill, Newark, along the lines from Hackensack to Woodbridge and along the lines between Elizabeth Town Point and Hackensack. In 1780 he saw action in the Battle of Connecticut Farms and at the Battle of Springfield. At the Springfield Battle he was sent to Morris Town with prisoners as he had done several times before.

In the year 1781 he served three tours of duty of one month each. He was stationed a Newark and along the lines from Hackensack to Trembly Point. In all, his service in the Revolutionary War totaled two years and fourteen days.

Esther died on August 8, 1789, possibly of complications from the birth of her son, William. Esther was buried in Old Newark Burying Ground.

David later married Mary (Harrison) Hayes.  They had one daughter, Esther, born 23 Apr 1796.  Mary died 24 Feb 1825 and was buried in the First Presbyterian Churchyard in Newark. 

David died in Newark April 16, 1835 at the ripe old age of 84, and was buried in the First Presbyterian Churchyard [Lot 9, Section C].*

*In the late 1950s much of the remains buried in the First Presbyterian Church yard were moved by the church to a mass grave in a memorial garden in a different section of the church grounds. The area previous to where they were buried was made into a parking lot. The burial ground had fallen into serious state of neglect and disrepair previous to the project. The remaining intact headstones were placed in storage in the basement of the church.