Thomas Brattle

Thomas Brattle (June 20, 1658 – May 18, 1713) was a well-educated and prosperous Boston merchant who served as treasurer of Harvard College, and was a member of the intellectually elite Royal Society.

Thomas Brattle was born on June 20, 1658 in Boston, Massachusetts to Elizabeth Brattle née Tyng and Captain Thomas Brattle. He was the couple's second child and the first son to survive past infancy. He had eight siblings, including William Brattle and Catherine Winthrop. Brattle's date of birth is often confused with the first-born son of the Brattle family (also named Thomas Brattle) – who was born on, and died on, September 5, 1657.

As a child, Thomas Brattle was exposed to radical forms of the Puritan faith, primarily through his father’s participation in the controversial founding of the Third (South) Church, which advocated for ecclesiastical reforms. The church’s membership included many notable members such as Samuel Sewall, Samuel Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. At one point in time, Thomas’ father, Captain Brattle, was named the wealthiest man in the colony. After the death of his father, Thomas was appointed administrator of the estate on April 12, 1683, leaving him with a large sum of money and a healthy plot of land.

Before attending Harvard University in 1676, he attended the Boston Latin School. This school was open to all boys regardless of class, and served to educate and prepare the young men for university. The Boston Latin School is where Brattle met influential Puritan leader Cotton Mather. Although the two men agreed on many social and political ideologies later in life, they did not see eye to eye during their time at the Boston Latin School. It is documented that Thomas Brattle and other schoolmates enjoyed picking on Cotton Mather (to the point where he wrote to his father, Increase Mather, and requested to come home early). After his time at the Boston Latin School, Brattle attended Harvard University and received an AB in mathematics and science.

In 1676, Brattle graduated from Harvard College with an A.B., equivalent to our modern B.A. At Harvard, Brattle developed marked skill in mathematics and science. Though he is most well known for The Witchcraft Delusion, which was written to argue against the Salem Witch Trials, Brattle was interested in many areas including mathematics, architecture, and astronomy.

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