COLLECTION GUIDES

1659-1721

Guide to the Microfilm Edition


Collection Summary

Creator: Mather, Increase, 1639-1723
Title: Increase Mather papers
Dates: 1659-1721
Physical Description: 4 microfilm reels
Microfilm Call Number: P-207 (part II)
Call Number: Ms. N-528
Repository:
Massachusetts Historical Society
1154 Boylston StreetBoston, MA 02215library@masshist.org

Abstract

This collection is Part II of the Mather Family Microfilm, a joint publication of the Massachusetts Historical Society and the American Antiquarian Society. The collection consists of the papers of Congregational clergyman Increase Mather (1639-1723), including diaries, correspondence, and religious writings.

Biographical Sketch

Increase Mather, the youngest son of the Reverend Richard Mather (1596-1669) of Dorchester, and the father of Cotton Mather (1663-1728), has been described as the "foremost American Puritan" of his generation. Teacher of the Second Church of Boston for more than fifty years, president of Harvard College from 1685 to 1701, agent for the Massachusetts Bay Colony in England to request the return of the charter, and the author of approximately 175 books, pamphlets, prefaces, and printed sermons, Mather was intimately involved in political and religious affairs in Boston during the last four decades of the 17th century.

1639
Born in Dorchester on June 21.
1651
Entered Harvard College.
1656
Graduated from Harvard with A.B. degree.
1657
Preached first sermon; embarked for Ireland where he entered Trinity College, Dublin.
1658
Received M.A. at Trinity; preached in the place of John Howe (1630-1705) at Great Torrington, Devonshire.
1659-1660
Chaplain of the English garrison at Guernsey.
1661
Returned to New England; preached for the first time at the Second Church in Boston.
1662
Married Maria Cotton (1642-1714), his stepsister; argued against the Half-Way Covenant.
1663
Birth of Cotton Mather, the eldest of his ten children.
1664
Ordained the teacher of the Second Church on May 27.
1667
The Mystery of Israel's Salvation published.
1669
Death of his father and brother Eleazar (1637-1669); serious illness.
1670
The Life and Death of that Reverend Man of God, Mr. Richard Mather published.
1674
Appointed one of the licensers of the press.
1675
Fellow of Harvard College.
1676
Publication of A Brief History of the War with the Indians in New-England.
1680
Moderated the second session of the "Reforming Synod" in Boston; A Confession of Faith agreed upon; preface written by Mather.
1681
Declined offer of the presidency of Harvard College.
1683
Massachusetts Bay Colony called upon to surrender its charter; Boston Philosophical Society founded.
1684
Publication of An Essay for the Recording of Illustrious Providences.
1685
Appointed acting president of Harvard College; continued in the pulpit of the Second Church.
1686-1688
Controversy over the surrendered charter and the "forged letter"; Mather arrested.
1688-1692
Traveled to England with petitions from the Congregational churches; from 1690 an official agent of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
1692
Returned to Boston with Governor William Phips (1651-1695), arrived on May 14; outbreak of suspected witchcraft at Salem.
1693
Publication of Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men and The Great Blessing, of Primitive Counsellours.
1699
Mather's political views presented in The Surest Way to the Greatest Honour.
1701
Resigned the presidency of Harvard College rather than leave the pulpit of the Second Church.
1702-1723
Devoted the remainder of his life to his religious duties and writing.
1710
A Discourse Concerning the Grace of Courage delivered before the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company.
1714
Maria (Cotton) Mather died.
1715
Married Ann (Lake) Cotton, the widow of his nephew John Cotton (1658-1710); declined invitation to attend the accession of George I because of his advanced age.
1723
Died in Boston on August 23.
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Collection Description

This collection consists of the diaries, correspondence, documents, writings, and sermons of Increase Mather and represents the largest single extant collection of Increase Mather manuscripts. The collection is divided into six series: I. Diaries, II. Diary transcripts, III. Correspondence, IV. Writings, V. Miscellany, and VI. Sermons and sermon notes.

While Mather's diary entries are concerned, in large part, with devotional matters, the manuscripts of his writings and correspondence indicate the breadth of his wide-ranging interests, including education, history, politics, and science. Many of Mather's published writings deal with theological matters, but he also wrote important historical and scientific works, including A Brief History of the War with the Indians in New-England, a contemporary account of King Philip's War, and An Essay for the Recording of Illustrious Providences, one of the first scientific writings in America.

This microfilm is Part II of the Mather Family Microfilm, a joint publication of the Massachusetts Historical Society and the American Antiquarian Society. It contains manuscripts held by both institutions. The holder of the original manuscript has been noted in this guide with "(AAS)" for the American Antiquarian Society and "(MHS)" for the Massachusetts Historical Society. Most of the diary volumes and all of the manuscript sermons and sermon notes described herein are found in the Mather family papers at the American Antiquarian Society. For a complete description of the American Antiquarian Society's original manuscript holdings, see the guide to the Mather family papers, 1613-1819, at the American Antiquarian Society.

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Acquisition Information

The bulk of the Mather family papers at the American Antiquarian Society, of which the Increase Mather papers form one of five major subdivisions, were purchased from Hannah Mather Crocker (1752-1829), the great-granddaughter of Increase Mather, by Isaiah Thomas and donated to the American Antiquarian Society by Thomas in 1814.

Other items in the Mather family papers at the American Antiquarian Society, including items in the Increase Mather papers, were the gifts of Thomas Walcut, 1834; Charles Chauncy Clark, 1835; the estate of Thaddeus Mason Harris, 1937; George Mather Randle, 1934; and Michael G. Hall, 1978.

The Increase Mather papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society consist of gifts of individual items, including those from Elizabeth Belknap, 1858, Sarah Louisa Byles, 1881, and Matt B. Jones, 1937, and purchases by the MHS.

For the present edition, Increase Mather materials from other collections at the Massachusetts Historical Society have been inserted chronologically, by type, to form a complete file of all Increase Mather manuscripts held by the MHS. Collections from which Increase Mather manuscripts have been drawn include: the papers of Jeremy Belknap, Mellen Chamberlain, Benjamin Colman, and John Davis; the miscellaneous bound manuscripts collection; the papers of James Otis, Sr., and Thomas Prince; the Saltonstall family papers; and the Alexander C. Washburn autograph collection.

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Restrictions on Use

Requests for permission to publish should be directed to the institution in possession of the original manuscript.

Detailed Description of the Collection

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Preferred Citation

Microfilm edition of the Increase Mather papers, a joint publication of the Massachusetts Historical Society and the American Antiquarian Society.

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Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Persons:

Andros, Edmund, Sir, 1637-1714.

Organizations:

First Church (Boston, Mass.).
Third Church (Boston, Mass.).

Subjects:

Clergy--Diaries.
Congregational churches--Clergy.
Diaries--1675.
Diaries--1676.
Indians of North America--New England.
Indians of North America--Virginia.
Jews--Conversion to Christianity.
Medicine--Formulae, receipts, prescriptions.
Religious thought--New England.
Smallpox.

Prepared by Peter Drummey, July 1981.

Encoded by Susan Martin, May 2006

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