Cotton Mather (February 12, 1663 - February 13, 1728) was a socially and politically influential New England Puritan minister, prolific author and pamphleteer. He wrote more than 450 books and pamphlets that made him one of the most influential religious leaders in America. Mather set the moral tone in the colonies and encouraged Puritans to return to the theological roots of Puritanism. Mather also influenced early American science. In 1716, because of observations of corn varieties, he conducted one of the first recorded experiments with plant hybridization. In 1721, after much research with Reverend Cotton Mather, the first inoculation in American history was completed by Doctor Zabdiel Boylston. They believed that faith and clinical empiricism together could save many lives from smallpox. Their decision caused great dissent, and drew much criticism upon themselves. He is often remembered for his role in the Salem witch trials 0f 1693-93. He died in 1728 at the age of 65.