by Suzette Baker

Created on: October 05, 2010   Last Updated: October 28, 2010

Cotton Mather was a prominent Puritan minister in colonial New England. The same was true of his father, Increase Mather and his grandfathers, Richard Mather and John Cotton. He was a prolific author with nearly 450 works to his name, most of which were sermons. Mather's literary works not only served to make him a prominent religious leader, they also allowed him to set the moral tone of the colonies. Considered to be one of the first American thinkers, Mather spent a considerable amount of his time preaching on how to know and serve God. The influence of his writings made Cotton Mather a force to be reckoned with in both secular and spiritual matters.

The eldest child of Increase Mather and Maria Cotton, Cotton Mather was born in Boston on March 19, 1663. It is interesting to note that Increase and Maria were step brother and sister; their marriage having united two prominent and powerful families. When he was just twelve years old, Mather enrolled in Harvard College making him the youngest student in the history of the college. In the beginning, Mather began studying theology but due to his tendency to stutter, he soon gave up his studies and turned his thoughts toward becoming a physician. In later years, he conquered his speech impediment and returned to his theological endeavors.

Cotton Mather graduated from Harvard in 1678 at the age of 15 and began teaching. In 1683, Mather was ordained and joined his father on the staff of Boston's Second Church. He remained in the position of assistant minster until his father's death in 1723 at which time he became minister. He held this position until his death.

In 1682, Mather married Abigail Phillips, the first of his three wives. Before her death in 1702, the couple had nine children. His next wife was Elizabeth Hubbard whom he married in 1703. To this union was born six children. Elizabeth died in 1713 and two years later, Mather married yet again. This time he wed Lydia Lee George. With this last marriage, he inherited financial obligations which left him on the brink of poverty and dependent upon the good will of his friends. Of his fifteen children, only two survived him.

When Increase Mather secretly set out for England in 1688 in an attempt to get the colony's charter reinstated, Cotton Mather was left in charge of not only his father's church but also the colonial opposition to James II, more specifically his representative Governor Edmund Andros. Cotton was an instrumental leader in the “Happy Revolution”

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