Cotton Mather

Cotton Mather was an influential Puritan minister, prolific author, and controversial figure in New England. He was born in Boston in 1663, the son of Increase Mather. A Harvard graduate at 15, he was ordained a minister in 1685 and served at Boston's Old North Church. He wrote over 400 works, including "Magnalia Christi Americana" (1702), an ecclesiastical history of New England. He is known for his role in the Salem witch trials, although his writings also showed some caution. He was a pioneer in advocating for smallpox inoculation. He died in 1728.

Books from Cotton Mather:

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