family trees of the
Mather Rex Sibal Schaffner Henke Davis
and allied families
Rev. Dr. Increase Mather
1639 - 1723 (84 years)-
Name Increase Mather Prefix Rev. Dr. Birth 21 Jun 1639 Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA Gender Male Color 1 Death 23 Aug 1723 Boston, Suffolk Co., MA Notes - Increase was admitted to Harvard College at the age of 12 and graduated in 1656. He became the preacher at the North Church of Boston on May 27, 1664, remaining the pastor of this church until his death. His son, Cotton, was a colleague for 39 years with him. In 1684 Mr. Mather was offered the Presidency of Harvard College. He accepted under the condition that he also be allowed to continue preaching at North Church. He, therefore, preached every Sunday in Boston but remained in Cambridge during the week, until 1701.
INCREASE MATHER (1639-1723): Mather, an influential Boston minister and father of Cotton Mather, is credited with being a force for moderation throughout the Salem witchcraft trials and helping bring them to an end with the circulation of his Cases of Conscience on October 3, 1692. Increase Mather has drawn fire from some historians of the period for his hesitancy to take a firm stand against the trials and executions early in the summer of 1692. However, Mather's unique role as leading minister, President of Harvard College, and confidant of Governor William Phips placed him in the precarious position of contesting the witchcraft trials while supporting the judges. While his actions in 1692 were often self-contradictory, he was, according to Kenneth Murdock regarded as "an ally and leader of those whom we see as the most liberal of his time."
A codicil to his will reads:
"I do hereby signify to my Executor, That it is my Mind & Will that my Negro Servant called Spaniard Shall not be sold after my Decease; but I do then give Him his Liberty: Let him then be esteemed a Free Negro. June 4. 1719"
Increase, Cotton & Samuel Mather are buried in the Mather Tomb at Copps Hill in Boston.
Also had child:
Katharine Mather b. 14 Sep 1682, d. 11 Jun 1683 Boston, Suffolk, MA
Person ID I228 Everyone Last Modified 1 May 2016
Father Rev. Richard Mather, b. 1596, Lowton, Winwick Parish, Lancashire, England d. 22 Apr 1669, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 73 years) Mother Katharine Hoult, b. 1598, Bury, Lancaster, England d. Mar 1655, Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 57 years) Marriage 29 Sep 1624 Bury, Lancaster, England - Free UK Genealogy, “Register of unspecified type, St Mary the Virgin Church, Bury, Lancashire” database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5817f3c9e93790eb7fe6ff8c)
Family ID F28 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Maria Cotton, b. 16 Feb 1641, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 4 Apr 1714, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 73 years) Marriage 6 Jan 1660 Boston, Suffolk Co., MA Children + 1. Rev. Dr. Cotton Mather, b. 12 Feb 1663, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 13 Feb 1728, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 65 years) 2. Maria Mather, b. 16 Mar 1664, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 24 Nov 1746, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 82 years) + 3. Elizabeth Mather, b. 6 Jan 1666, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 19 Aug 1745, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 79 years) 4. Rev. Nathaniel Mather, b. 6 Jul 1669, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 17 Oct 1688, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 19 years) 5. Sarah Mather, b. 9 Nov 1671, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 24 Nov 1746, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 75 years) 6. Rev. Samuel Mather, b. 28 Aug 1674, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. Witney, Oxfordshire, England 7. Abigail Mather, b. 16 Apr 1677, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 10 Dec 1748, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 71 years) 8. Hannah Mather, b. 30 May 1680, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 2 Dec 1706, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 26 years) 9. Jerusha Mather, b. 16 Apr 1684, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 20 Dec 1710, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (Age 26 years) Family ID F87 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 29 Dec 2023
Family 2 Anne Lake, b. 12 Oct 1663, Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA d. 28 Mar 1737, Brookline, Norfolk Co., MA (Age 73 years) Marriage 26 May 1715 Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA Family ID F88 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 29 Dec 2023
- Increase was admitted to Harvard College at the age of 12 and graduated in 1656. He became the preacher at the North Church of Boston on May 27, 1664, remaining the pastor of this church until his death. His son, Cotton, was a colleague for 39 years with him. In 1684 Mr. Mather was offered the Presidency of Harvard College. He accepted under the condition that he also be allowed to continue preaching at North Church. He, therefore, preached every Sunday in Boston but remained in Cambridge during the week, until 1701.
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Event Map Birth - 21 Jun 1639 - Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA Marriage - 6 Jan 1660 - Boston, Suffolk Co., MA Marriage - 26 May 1715 - Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA Death - 23 Aug 1723 - Boston, Suffolk Co., MA = Link to Google Earth