WILLIAM WILLIAMS MATHER. 

 1804-1859. 



AMERICA will never cease to benefit from the influence of 

 its Puritan stock. Although the former preponderance in na- 

 tional affairs of New England as a section has disappeared 

 with the widening of our territory, the vigour, the intellect, 

 and the conscience of the settlers at Plymouth and at Bos- 

 ton have been diffused by their restless descendants through 

 every State in the Union. They are seen in the capacity 

 of the people of the United States for accomplishing great 

 undertakings, for bearing heavy burdens, and more than all in 

 their power of self-government and self-control. 



William Williams Mather came from one of the most cele- 

 brated of the Puritan families in America. He was descended 

 from Rev. Richard Mather, who fled to Massachusetts in 1635 

 to escape persecution for nonconformity. Richard Mather 

 brought four sons to America, from the second of whom, 

 Timothy, was descended the subject of this article. Two 

 other sons, Eleazer and Increase, were born to Richard in this 

 country, and the latter of these was the president of Harvard 

 College from 1688-1701. Cotton Mather, the eminent divine 

 and author, whose misguided zeal was such a strong support 

 to the "witchcraft delusion," was a son of Increase. The 

 paternal grandfather of William, Eleazer Mather, and his 

 grand-uncle, Elisha, were officers of the Connecticut troops in 

 the Revolutionary War. The eldest son of this Eleazer, who 

 bore the same name, was the father of William. He learned 

 the hatter's trade in Norwich and set up a business for himself 

 at Brooklyn, in Windham County, Conn., which he carried on 

 successfully for a number of years. He then travelled for a 

 time in Canada, and returning to Brooklyn married Miss 

 Fanny Williams, daughter of Nathan Williams, who was also 

 a soldier of the Revolution. After his marriage he ceased to 



