Thomas Danforth
Thomas Danforth (* around 1623 in Framlingham , Suffolk ; † November 5, 1699 in Cambridge , Massachusetts) was an English politician and magistrate in Massachusetts in the 17th century .
Life
Thomas Danforth was a native of Suffolk, England . In 1635 he moved to New England with his family . From 1650 he was active as treasurer at Harvard College . From 1657 to 1658 he represented Cambridge, Massachusetts in the colonial assembly. Then he sat 1659-1679 in the Council of the Governor of Massachusetts and was deputy governor from 1679 to 1685 and again from 1689. During his tenure, Danforth went for a traditional interpretation of Puritanism and made as a declared opponent of the Roman Catholic Church of himself talk. He also refused to make too large concessions from the colonies to the government in England. In 1692 he played an important role as magistrate in the early cases of witch hunts in Massachusetts. However, he later appeared as a critic of the development and tried not to be further involved in the witch hunt.
family
Thomas Danforth was married to Mary Withington (1623-1697) since 1643/44. The marriage had 12 children.
reception
Thomas Danforth is a protagonist in Arthur Miller's drama The Crucible , which deals with the witch hunt in Massachusetts in 1692.
Individual evidence
- ^ Francis J. Bremer / Tom Webster (eds.): Puritans and Puritanism in Europe and America: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara 2006, p. 71.
- ^ Clarence Almon Torrey: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore 1985, p. 203.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Danforth, Thomas |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English politician and magistrate in Massachusetts |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1623 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Framlingham , Suffolk |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 5, 1699 |
| Place of death | Cambridge , Massachusetts |