Chemistry in 17th-Century New England

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-viii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 1-7

3. The Puritan Mind in the Seventeenth Century

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 9-13

4. The Errand into the Wilderness

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 15-21

5. John Winthrop, Jr.: The Making of an Adept

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 23-32

6. Ipswich: Founding a Town in New England

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 33-42

7. Return to England (1641) and the New England Ironworks

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 43-50

8. New London and the Alchemical Plantation

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 51-60

9. Obtaining the Charter for Connecticut and Election to the Royal Society of London

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 61-69

10. The Winthrop Circle in New England

    • Gary Patterson

    Pages 71-82

11. Harvard College and Seventeenth Century Chemistry

    • Gary Patterson

    Pages 83-89

12. Conclusions and Reflections

    • Gary Patterson

    Pages 91-94

This book explores the lively chemistry culture that arose during the 17th century in Colonial New England. This was chiefly due to the efforts of John Winthrop, Jr. who brought both chemical knowledge and the largest library of chemical books in the New World to Boston. He founded towns, such as Ipswich and New London, and industrial enterprises, such as salt works and ironworks, while also serving as the primary source of Paracelsian medicines, which led him to become the most famous physician in Colonial New England. Moreover, the book covers topics such as the founding of Harvard College, and the life and works of Cotton Mather, especially Magnalia Christi Americana, one of the most important vanity volumes in the history of scholarly publication.

• John Winthrop, Jr.
• Alchemy
• Iatrochemistry
• Harvard College
• Colonial New England
• Ironworks
• Saltworks
• Magnalia Christi Americana

“Historians who are just beginning their exploration of New England alchemy will find that the book provides a good … overview, with references to most of the more important scholarship on alchemy from the last century. … As a brisk run through the history of New England alchemy, Patterson’s book is admirable and should be a welcome reference work for chemists with an interest in history and historians new to the study of the region.” (George D. Elliott, Ambix, September 6, 2021)

• Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA

  Gary Patterson

Gary Patterson is Professor of Chemistry Emeritus at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the Chair of its Heritage Council. He was educated at Harvey Mudd College (B.S. Chemistry, 1968) and Stanford University (Ph.D. Physical Chemistry 1972). He was a Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories from 1972-1984. He was Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University from 1984-2018. He was the Charles Price Fellow at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in 2004-2005. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Physical Society. Professor Patterson is the Historian of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society. 

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