Name | Cotton Mather |
Date of Birth | February 12, 1663 |
Place of Birth | Boston, Massachusetts |
About
Cotton Mather was born on February 12, 1663 in Boston, Massachusetts. He died on Feb 13, 1728 (age 65). This Puritan priest is noted for his many written sermons and pamphlets, but he is probably most remembered for his contentious and crucial participation in the historic Salem Witch Trials of 1692. His most well-known works are titled Magnalia Christi Americana, Wonders of the Invisible World, and Pillars of Salt, respectively.
He received his degree from Harvard College following his time spent studying at the Boston Latin School. Subsequently, he began working as an assistant priest at the Massachusetts church that belonged to his father. During the height of the smallpox outbreak in New England, Mather opposed the religious concerns of his Puritan contemporaries to the practise of inoculation, and he became an outspoken proponent of the procedure. He was the child of Maria Cotton, who was the daughter of a priest named John Cotton, and Increase Mather, who was a notable Puritan minister and writer. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
House
Cotton Mather’s house was built in 1678 and is located in Boston, Massachusetts. It is a three-story, wood-frame house with a gambrel roof. The house was owned by the Mather family until 1828, when it was sold to the city of Boston. The house is now a museum and is open to the public.
Books
Cotton Mather was a prolific author who wrote on a wide variety of topics, from theology and natural philosophy to history and biography. He is perhaps best known for his work on the Salem witch trials, which he used as an opportunity to promote his belief in witchcraft and demonology. Mather’s other notable works include The Wonders of the Invisible World (1693), a collection of essays on the supernatural, and Magnalia Christi Americana (1702), an account of the early history of New England.
Wife and Family
The wife of Cotton Mather was a woman named Elizabeth. She was a very religious woman who was very supportive of her husband’s work. She was also a very talented writer and helped him with many of his projects. Elizabeth was a very kind and caring person, and she was loved by all who knew her.