Biography

Cotton Mather was born in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1663. He lived his entire life in the city of Boston. At the age of 12, he attended Harvard and went on to become a renowned New England Puritan leader. He was a mystic, minister, author, and proponent of the smallpox vaccine. The vaccine nearly killed his son, and many people were violently against the inoculation. Mather authored over 400 written works, including Christian Philosopher, Curiosa Americana, and Essays to Do Good. This later work summed up his philosophy of life, and that was to do good. Perhaps his greatest book was Magnalia Christi Americana, which chronicled the history of the church in America. Mather died the day after his 65th birthday in 1728.

Wailand Groenendyk
CCEL Staff Writer