Increase Mather

Increase Mather
Portrait, 1680
6th President of Harvard College
In office
June 27, 1692 – September 6, 1701
Rector: July 23, 1686 – June 27, 1692
Acting: June 11, 1685 – July 23, 1686
Preceded byJohn Rogers
Succeeded bySamuel Willard (acting)
Personal details
BornJune 21, 1639
DiedAugust 23, 1723 (aged 84)
Spouse(s)
Maria Cotton
(m. 1662; died 1714)

Ann Cotton
(m. 1715)
Children10, including Cotton
EducationHarvard College (AB)
Trinity College Dublin (MA)
Occupation
Signature

Increase Mather (/ˈmæðər/; June 21 (O.S.), 1639 – August 23 (O.S.), 1723) was a New England Puritan clergyman who served as the sixth president of Harvard College from 1685 to 1701. During his tenure, which coincided with the notorious Salem witch trials, he was influential in the administration of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.