Cotton Mather's First Finish Line
Cotton Mather Assigned the World's End to 1697. Then 1716. Then 1736. Quiet Years All
UVA's millennial exhibit: the dates he assigned passed quietly. New England kept its sermons; the trumpets stayed theoretical.
What was said
“the various years Mather assigned to the end of the world, dates that passed quietly in 1697, 1716, and again in 1736”
— Cotton Mather (Puritan minister, Boston; Magnalia Christi Americana) · said 1690 · due 1697
1697 did not end the world. Mather moved the line to 1716 and then 1736 — both also quiet — and was gone by 1728 still writing Revelation.
The Story
Cotton Mather wrote as if John of Patmos had carbon-copied him. Revelation saturated his sermons, diaries, and Magnalia.
The University of Virginia's millennial exhibit notes the various years he assigned to the end of the world — dates that passed quietly in 1697, then 1716, then 1736.
1697 is the first miss on that list. Boston kept trading and arguing. Mather kept revising the calendar until the edits stopped with him in 1728.
Receipts
One claim: the 1697 end date (first of the three UVA lists). Later 1716/1736 revisions mentioned only in verdict/body as sequel, not separate entries. UVA exhibit wording used for quote.
As of Oct 25, 2026
since it didn't happen
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