Mather Family Genealogy & History

Cotton Mather was a prominent Puritan clergyman in colonial New England, renowned for his extensive writings on theology, history, and science. Educated at Harvard College, he joined his father, Increase Mather, as a minister at the Old North Meeting House in Boston. Known as the "first American Evangelical," Mather played a key role in the 1689 revolt against Governor Edmund Andros and was controversially involved in the Salem witch trials. His works, including "Wonders of the Invisible World" and "Magnalia Christi Americana," are significant historical records. Mather's advocacy for smallpox inoculation fueled heated debates, and his book "Bonifacius" influenced Benjamin Franklin.

Born in 1663, Cotton Mather hailed from a distinguished family of Puritan ministers. His father, Increase Mather, was a Harvard and Trinity College Dublin graduate, while his grandfathers, Richard Mather and John Cotton, were instrumental in the Massachusetts colony's establishment. Cotton entered Harvard at age 11, continuing his family's legacy in the Puritan clergy.

Increase Mather was a prominent New England Puritan clergyman and influential figure in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, notably serving as President of Harvard College from 1681 to 1701. Known for his role during the Salem witch trials, Mather published significant works like "A Brief History of the War with the Indians in New-England." His leadership extended to the North Church in Boston, which he served until his death. Mather's academic achievements include receiving the first honorary degree in the New World, Doctor of Sacred Theology, from Harvard in 1692.

Born on June 21, 1639, Increase Mather was the youngest son of Rev. Richard Mather and Kathrine Holt Mather, who emigrated from Winwick, Lancashire, England, during the Great Migration. He was one of six brothers, three of whom also became ministers.

Keir Alexander Mather is a British Labour politician and Member of Parliament for Selby, elected in 2023. At age 25, he was the youngest serving MP, succeeding Nadia Whittome. Mather's election marked the largest swing for a Labour by-election candidate since 1994. Serving as an Assistant Government Whip since July 2024, he has focused on issues like the cost of living crisis and NHS services. Mather has been a member of the Treasury Select Committee and was appointed to the opposition frontbench by Keir Starmer. His political journey includes roles as a parliamentary researcher and public affairs adviser.

Keir Mather was born in Kingston upon Hull in 1998 to Jill Tambaros, a supply teacher, and Mick Mather, a support worker and Labour Party activist. Raised in Brough, Mather's interest in politics was evident from a young age, influenced by his father's activism. His educational path included state schools and the University of Oxford, where he graduated with a degree in History and Politics.

Stephen Tyng Mather was a pivotal figure in American conservation, serving as the first director of the National Park Service (NPS) from 1917 to 1929. A successful industrialist, he co-founded the Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company, becoming a millionaire by 1914. His wealth allowed him to champion conservation causes, leading a campaign with journalist Robert Sterling Yard to establish the NPS in 1916. Mather's tenure saw the creation of a professional civil service, expansion of parks and monuments, and the development of criteria for new park additions, solidifying his legacy in conservation.

Born on July 4, 1867, in San Francisco, Stephen was named after Episcopal minister Stephen Tyng, admired by his parents, Joseph W. Mather and Bertha Jemima Walker. The Mather family later moved to New York, where Stephen worked as a reporter before marrying Jane Thacker Floy in 1893. They had a daughter, Bertha Floy Mather. The family cherished their Darien, Connecticut homestead, built by Stephen's great-grandfather around 1778, which is now a historic site.