Katherine HOLT

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of Edmund Hoult/Holt

Katherine married Rev. Richard MATHER on 29 Sep 1624 in Bury, Lancashire, England. Richard was born about 1596 in Lowton, Winwick Parish, of Toxteth, Park, England; died on 22 Apr 1669 in Dorchester, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Rev. Samuel Mather, the elder brother of Timothy, was born in Lancashire, May 13, 1626, and accompanied his father to America. He graduated at Harvard in its second class in 1643, and was appointed the first Fellow of the College. After preaching for a short time in Boston, he returned to England where he became noted as a clergyman. He was Chaplain to the Lord Mayor of London, and afterwards of Magdalen College, Oxford. He preached two years in Leith, Scotland, and then in 1655 went to Ireland where he was made Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin.Though a most liberal non-conformist, he was suspended soon after the Restoration on the charge of sedition. Returning to England he was minister at Burton Wood till ejected by the Bartholomew act in 1662. He afterwards gathered a church at his own house in Dublin, where he died Oct. 26, 1671, in his forty-sixth year. As a preacher he held the first rank and his name was known throughout the kingdom.

He married the sister of Sir John Stevens of Dublin, Ireland.

He had 4 or 5 children; all died young but a daughter.

mr. Mather was born in Much-Woolton, Lancashire, and came to America when nine years of age with his father. He became hopefully pious before he was six years of age, and is represented as an extraordinary instance, not only of early developed intellectual ability, but of "discretion, seriousness, prayerfulness, and watchfulness." He took such a view of life that when asked to play he would decline by saying,"I was not sent into the world for sport." In the year 1643, at the age of 17, he graduated at Harvard College. he was the first Fellow of the college. Those who were under his tuition held him in very great esteem, and it was said by them "such was the love of all the scholars to him, that not only when he read his last philosophy lectures in the college hall, they head him with tears, because of its being his last, but also, when he went away from the college, they put on the tokens of mourning in their very garments for it." When Mr. M. began to preach he assisted the Rev. Ezekiel Rogers in Rowley, and was invited to settle with them, but, owing to his extreme youth, probably, declined. The Second or north Church when it as formed invited Mr. M. to preach for them. He preached for them their first service and through the following winter. After that this church was for a long period, until 1741, under the charge of his brother, rev. Dr. increase, or rev. Dr. Cotton, or rev. Dr.Samuel, the son of the latter, with the exception of a few years when the Rev. M. Mayo and Joshua Gee were settled over the church. In England the Rev. Mr. Mather became quite noted; he was appointed, on his arrival in London, chaplain to the Lord Mayor of London, where he made the acquaintance of eminent ministers in that country. Such was the demand for him that he was overtaxed in work, and came near losing his life. He rested awhile from his labors, and was again restored. He then preached at Gravesend, and then in the city of Exeter in the Cathedral. At one time was chaplain of Magdalen College, Oxford, near by the college, Brazen-Nose, in the same city, where his father studied before settling in Toxteth Park, Liverpool. he made a tour in Scotland with English commissioners, where for two years he preached. In the year 1655 he went with Dr. Harrison, Dr. Winter, and Mr. Charnock, and the lord deputy, Henry Cromwell, into Ireland. He was appointed senior fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and joint pastor, with Dr. Winter, of the Church of St. Nicholas. An opportunity was now presented for the exercise of charity, and for the display of that true Christian liberality for which he was ever distinguished; for when his patron, the lord deputy, gave him a commission for the displacing of several Episcopal ministers, he refused to do it, saying, "I came into this country to preach the gospel, not to hinder others from preaching.".......

Notes:

Name:
Timothy Mather, second son of Rev. Richard Mather and his wife Catharine Holt, was born in Liverpool in 1628 and came to Boston with his father in 1635 when he was but seven years of age. He was not educated at Harvard as all his brothers were, nor did he like them become a preacher, but for some reason he took a bent contrary to the rest of the family and gave himself up to the care of his father's large landed estate. Hence, and as if to emphasize this contrary bent, he became known as the "Mather Farmer." Apparently he was the business head of the family and kept things going while his brothers were fitting themselves to become preachers and his father was struggling with the versification of the "Bay Psalm Book". In his will his father very thoughtfully and considerately provides: - "And concerning my son Timothy, inasmuch as he hath not had so much cost bestowed upon him in his education as his brothers have had, therefore I think it meet that I should otherwise bestow upon him and his a greater portion of my outward estate," and then proceeds to give Timothy a life interest in the bulk of his real estate, remainder over to his children, and to make him also his residuary legatee.

Family/Spouse: Catharine ATHERTON. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Timothy married Elizabeth WEEKS on 20 Mar 1678. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Rev. Nathaniel Mather, the next younger brother of timothy, was born in Liverpool, march 20, 1630, and came to this country with his father. He graduated at Harvard in 1647 and afterwards went to England, where he was presented with a living at Barnstable by Oliver Cromwell in 1656. Upon his ejectment in 1662, he went to Holland and was minister at Rotterdam. About 1672 he succeeded his brother Samuel at Dublin, whence he removed to London where he was pastor of a dissenting church and one of the lecturers at Pinner's Hall. he died July 26, 1697, aged sixty-seven years, and was buried near Bunhill Fields. On his tombstone is a long Latin inscription written by Dr. Watts, which ascribes to him a high character for learning, piety and ministerial fidelity.

Family/Spouse: Maria BENN. Maria died in 1705. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Rev. Eleazer Mather, the fifth son of Rev. Richard Mather, was born in Dorchester, Mass., may 13, 1637. He graduated at Harvard in 1656 and was minister at Northampton where he died, July 4, 1669, at the age of thirty-nine years. He was a man of talents and exalted piety and a zealous and eminently useful preacher. His father died the same year. His daughter, Eunice, married rev. John Williams, and was a victim of the Deerfield massacre. Her daughter was carried off into Canada with other prisoners, and subsequently married an Indian and was the ancestress of Rev. John Williams, a missionary in the Northwest, who was supposed by many to be the lost Dauphin, sons of Louis XVI, of France.

Eleazer married Esther WARHAM on 29 Sep 1659. Esther (daughter of Rev John WARHAM and Jane DABINOTT) was born in 1644; was christened on 8 Dec 1644; died on 10 Feb 1736. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Minister of the North Church of Boston, Mass., and President of Harvard University

Notes:

Name:
Rev. Increase Mather, so named from "the never-to-be-forgotton increase of every sort wherewith God favored the country about the time of his nativity," the youngest and by far the most distinguished brother of timothy, was born in Dorchester, June 21, 1639, and died in Boston, August 23, 1723, in the eighty-fifth year of his age, having been a preacher for sixty-six years, sixty-two of which were spent in the ministry in Boston. He graduated at Harvard in 1656, and being invited by his brother to Dublin, remained abroad four years studying and preaching. In 1664 he was ordained pastor of the North Church in Boston, and continued such until his death. He was President of Harvard College from 1685 to 1701, and enjoyed the distinction of having received from the college the first degree of Doctor of Divinity ever conferred in British America. In April 1688, he was sent to England as agent of the Provinces, to lay their grievances before King James himself. he had five interviews with the King in about six months, and at his request prepared and presented a memorial and petition, but all ended in good words and fair speeches. After the accession of William and Mary in November of that year, his efforts were rewarded with better success, for although he was unable to obtain a restoration of the Old Charter, he procured a grant of the New Charter of Massachusetts, and to him was entrusted the nomination of Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and the Board of Council, who were to be appointed by the King. In the spring of 1692, after an absence of four years, he returned to Boston, accompanied by the new Governor, Sir William Phipps, and the new government, under the new charter, was quickly put in operation.

Increase married Maria COTTON on 16 Mar 1661/2. Maria (daughter of Rev. John COTTON and Sarah HAWKREDD) was born on 16 Feb 1640/1 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; died on 04 Apr 1714 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Increase married Anne LAKE on 30 May 1715 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Anne was born on 12 Oct 1663 in Hampton, New Hampshire; died on 29 Mar 1736/7 in Brookline, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Samuel graduated at Harvard in 1671, married Hannah, daughter of Governor Treat of Connecticut, and died in 1727 at the age of seventy-seven years. In 1682, when thirty-two years old, he settled inWindsor, Conn., where he remained as the pastor of its church until his death. He was a clergyman of considerable celebrity, able and faithful; and when Yale College was founded in 1700, he was one of the principal ministers chosen to be founders by the general consent of the Connecticut clergy. He is the head of the Windsor branch of the Mather family.

Rev. Samuel Mather graduated at H.C. in 1671, and prepared himself for the ministry. He then preached in Deerfield, Mass., until the destruction of that town by the Indians, in 1675; from there he went to Hatfield, and later to Milford and Branford, Conn., and from the latter place he was called to settle in Windsor, Conn., in 1682, where he remained until his death. It was said of him, "that in every respect e was a fit successor to the venerable John Warham." Descended from a highly respectable and gifted ancestry, he was one, and by no means the least, of a circle of noble men, whose varied talents and pious lives have rendered the name of Mather distinguished among the families of New England, even to the present day. His father, Timothy Mather of Dorchester, was a son of Rev. Richard, third minister of that town, and his mother a daughter of the excellent Maj. Gen. Humphrey Atherton. Thus highly connected, his earlier years were spent in the enjoyment of all the advantages which the best society of tat day could afford. The powers of his mind, the amiability of his character, and his piety, speedily won the esteem and love of his people, and composed the difficulties which existed among them. he was then in the prime of his life, grave and dignified in person, faithful and consistent in his daily life, and benignant and winning in manner. His connection b marriage with the daughter of the Hon. Robert treat, afterwards governor of the Colony of Connecticut, was in itself happy, and served to increase the influence which his gifts of mind and heart had already secured for him in the public estimation. Thus, happy in his public and domestic relations, his life was quietly passed in the faithful discharge of his pastoral duties to his now happy flock. And it is pleasant to record that during the whole period of his ministry, not one shadow of complaint seems to have darkened his or their pathway. On the contrary there is abundant evidence that he was the constant recipient of many marks of public and private respect and care....

Family/Spouse: Hannah TREAT. Hannah (daughter of Gov. Robert TREAT and Jane TAPP) was born on 1 Jan 1660/1 in Milford, New Haven Co., Connecticut; died on 3 Mar 1707/8 in Windsor, Hartford Co., Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Richard Mather, named after his grandfather Richard Mather, was a farmer, and settled at first in Dorchester, but a few years after his marriage he removed to Lyme, Conn. In the year 1687 he bought a tact of land in Lyme of Hezekiah Usher of Boston. As Mr. Mather died the next year, he could not have done much in his new enterprise. He died on the fifty-third anniversary of the landing of his grandfather in America, which was on the 17th of August 1635.

Although Mr. Mather died at the age of thirty-five yers, his descendants far outnumber either of the other branches, the Windsor, or Suffield, and many of them have attained eminence in the professions and in business, some of whom will be noticed farther along in the history.

Richard married Catharine WISE on 1 Jul 1680. Catharine was born on 26 Apr 1657. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: 2 Sep 1658

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: 25 May 1661

Joseph married Sarah CLAPP on 20 Jun 1689. Sarah (daughter of Nicholas CLAPP and Abigail ?) was born in Dec 1670. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
He settled in Windsor when a young man, and in 1712 removed to Suffield. He was prominent and public spirited, and represented the town four years in the General Court. he was the head of the Suffield branch of the Mather family. Among his descendants are Gov. John Cotton Smith of Connecticut and Hon. Elias Leavenworth of Syracuse, New York.

Atherton married Rebecca STOUGHTON in 1694. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Atherton married Mary LAMB on 24 Oct 1705. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Was captured by the Indians

Notes:

Name:
In the attack on Deerfield by the French and Indians in 1704, she, with all her family except her eldest son, Eleazer, who was absent, were taken prisoners; two of her youngest children were killed, and the rest of the family was carried captive by the Indians into Canada. Her strength failing on the rout, she bade good buy to her husband and quietly submitted to her fate. Her body was found not long after and buried. Mr. Williams was well treated by the French, and after two years of captivity was ransomed and returned to Massachusetts. Hence his being so often spoken of as the "Redeemed Captive". His daughter, Eunice, never returned, but married an Indian and by him had a son, Eleazer Williams, who was ordained as a deacon, and was for many years a missionary to the Indians in the northern part of New York and in Canada, and subsequently at Green Bay.

Eunice Mather, the wife of Rev. John Williams, was taken captive by the Indians with her husband and others in Feb. 29, 1703/4, at Deerfield, Mass. Their house was broken into and two young children and a domestic were inhumanly murdered. Mrs. Williams, who had just recovered from a bed of confinement, and five children were taken prisoners. Mr. Williams and the rest of the prisoners were made to wade over a small river in which the water was over knee deep, and very swift. After that he had to travel up a small mountain, and his strength was nearly exhausted before he came to the top of it. He was permitted to sit down, and to have his pack taken from his back. While he sat there pitying those who were behind, he entreated his master to let him go and help his wife. He inhumanly refused him, and would not let him move foot from him. He inquired of the prisoners, as they passed, concerning her, and they informed him that in passing the river she was overpowered by the stream and plunged headlong into the water. She was not able to travel far after this. At the foot of the mountain which Mr. Williams had just ascended, the inhuman and bloodthirsty Indian, who had the care of her, slew her with his tomahawk at a blow. this was truly heartrending to him, and yet the savages reproached him for a want of manhood in shedding tears on account of her cruel murder. Her body was found by men from Deerfield, and taken for burial. On her tombstone is the following inscription:

"Here lyeth the body of Mrs. Eunice Williams the virtuous and desirable consort of the Rev. John Williams, and daughter of Rev. Eleazar and Mrs Ether Mather of Northampton. She was born Aug. 2, 1664, and fell by the rage of the barbarous enemy, March 1, 1703/4.

Her children rise up and call her Blessed."

Eunice married Rev. John WILLIAMS on 21 Jul 1687. John (son of Deacon Samuel WILLIAMS and Theoda PARKE) was born on 10 Dec 1664; died on 12 Jun 1729. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Elizabeth DAVENPORT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Rev. Cotton Mather was undoubtedly the ablest of the Mather dynasty, and the most learned and famous clergyman of his day in New England. His industry and capacity for work were phenomenal. He was an omnivorous reader and able almost at a glance to take in and retain the contents of a book. He was a most voluminous writer, his publications being not less than 383 in number. Abroad he had almost a greater reputation than at home. In 1713 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society, being the first American who received this distinction. Professor Tyler, in his "History of American Literature", has a very comprehensive and condensed sketch of Mather's life and writings, to which we refer the reader.

Cotton married Abigail PHILLIPS on 04 May 1686 in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Abigail was born on 19 Jun 1670 in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; died on 01 Dec 1702. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Cotton married Elizabeth CLARKE on 18 Aug 1703. Elizabeth died on 18 Nov 1713. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Cotton married Lydia LEE on 05 Jul 1715 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Lydia died on 22 Jan 1733/4 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Richard Mather's first cousin, Rev. Samuel Mather, son of his uncle Increase, was born in Boston in 1674, graduated at Harvard in 1690, and became a "faithful and useful minister of the gospel" at Witney, Oxfordshire, England, where he died.

Samuel married Abigail GRANT on 13 Apr 1704. Abigail (daughter of Samuel GRANT and Mary PORTER) was born about 1679; died on 1 Sep 1722. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Samuel married Hannah BUCKLAND on 15 May 1723. Hannah (daughter of Nicholas BUCKLAND and Elizabeth DRAKE) was born about 1694; died on 23 Mar 1758. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Rev. Nathaniel Mather graduated at Yale college 1715, was settled over the first church in Lower Aquebogue in Suffolk County, Long Island, and remained there until his death. The present foundation of the Congregational Church of Lower Aquebogue is the same as the church edifice stood upon when Rev. Nathaniel Mather was pastor 150 years since, it is stated.

Nathaniel married Ruth ? on 21 Jan 1724. Ruth was born about 1684; died on 9 May 1743. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Sarah NOYES. Sarah (daughter of Rev Moses NOYES and Ruth PICKETT) was born in 1683 in Lyme, New London Co., Connecticut; died on 16 Aug 1756. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Zachariah SILL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Samuel Mather, the second son of Richard who removed from Dorchester to Lyme, was born Jan. 3, 1684, and was but little over four years old when his father died. He was a namesake of his uncle, the Rev. Samuel Mather of Windsor, Conn. His father had bought a farm the year preceding his death, and Samuel as he grew up assisted in its cultivation. As he was not married until he was forty-one, we may assume that he was either very bashful or not very successful in his business or his love-making. He finally on New Year's day, 1712, found a Saybrook bride in the person of Deborah Champion, daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Brockway) Champion, the first settler of the name in Saybrook. They were blessed with four daughters and one son, our lineal ancestor, who was called Richard after his grandfather, the first of the family in Lyme. He married Deborah Ely. Samuel Mather died in Lyme, July 17, 1725, having been married but thirteen years.

Samuel married Deborah CHAMPION on 1 Jan 1712. Deborah was born on 26 Apr 1697. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Phoebe DE WOLF. Phoebe (daughter of Simon DE WOLF and Sarah LAY) was born on 20 Jan 1691 in Lyme, New London Co., Connecticut; died in 1736; was buried in Duck River Cemetery, Old Lyme, New London Co., Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Warham married Abigail LEONARD on 23 May 1728 in Norton, Massachusetts. Abigail (daughter of George LEONARD and Anna W. TISDALE) was born on 20 Oct 1703 in Norton, Massachusetts; died on 18 Sep 1789 in Waltham, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
He was a minister at the North Bennett Street Church.

Samuel married Hannah HUTCHINSON on 23 Aug 1733 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. Hannah (daughter of Thomas HUTCHINSON, Esq. and Sarah FOSTER) was born on 1 Nov 1714 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; died on 3 Sep 1781 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]