Rev Dr. Increase MATHER

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:
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.