Cotton Mather was a Puritan minister and author in colonial New England. He was a prominent figure in the Salem Witch Trials and is remembered for his strong religious convictions and his prolific writings. His father, Increase Mather, was also a Puritan minister and president of Harvard College. COTTON Mather was known as a preacher and was an influential figure in the early American colonies. He wrote many books on religion and morality, including Magnalia Christi Americana, which was published in 1702.