author
Increase Mather
1639–1723
A leading Puritan minister in colonial New England, he shaped religious and political life in Massachusetts and later served as president of Harvard College. He is also remembered for his role in the era of the Salem witch trials, where he urged caution about some of the court’s evidence.
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About the author
Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1639, Increase Mather grew up in one of New England’s most prominent ministerial families. He studied at Harvard and later at Trinity College in Dublin, then returned to Massachusetts to become a powerful Congregational minister in Boston.
For decades, he was an important public voice in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Along with preaching and writing, he took part in colonial politics and helped represent Massachusetts in England during a difficult period for the colony. From 1685 to 1701, he served as president of Harvard College, guiding the school through years of change and uncertainty.
Mather remains a complicated historical figure. He was deeply influential in Puritan New England and wrote widely on religion, public events, and society. He is also closely connected with the Salem witch trials: although he did not reject the trials outright, he argued against relying too heavily on “spectral” evidence, a stance often seen as part of the push toward greater restraint.