▁served ▁as ▁tre as urer ▁of ▁Harvard ▁College ▁and ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Society . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁S alem ▁W itch ▁Tri als ▁and ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Br attle ▁Street ▁Church . ▁ ▁Br attle ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁math ematic ian , ▁astronom er , ▁and ▁an ▁experienced ▁travel er . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Thomas ▁Br attle ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 6 5 8 ▁in ▁Boston , ▁Massachusetts ▁to ▁Elizabeth ▁Br attle ▁n ée ▁Ty ng ▁and ▁Captain ▁Thomas ▁Br attle . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁couple ' s ▁second ▁child ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁son ▁to ▁surv ive ▁past ▁inf ancy . ▁He ▁had ▁eight ▁sib lings , ▁including ▁William ▁Br attle ▁and ▁Catherine ▁Win th rop . ▁Br attle ' s ▁date ▁of ▁birth ▁is ▁often ▁confused ▁with ▁the ▁first - born ▁son ▁of ▁the ▁Br attle ▁family ▁( also ▁named ▁Thomas ▁Br attle ) ▁– ▁who ▁was ▁born ▁on , ▁and ▁died ▁on , ▁September ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 6 5 7 . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁child , ▁Thomas ▁Br attle ▁was ▁exposed ▁to ▁radical ▁forms ▁of ▁the ▁Pur itan ▁faith , ▁primarily ▁through ▁his ▁father ' s ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁found ing ▁of ▁the ▁Third ▁( S outh ) ▁Church , ▁which ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁ecc les iast ical ▁re forms . ▁The ▁church ' s ▁membership ▁included ▁many ▁notable ▁members ▁such ▁as ▁Samuel ▁S ew all , ▁Samuel ▁Adams , ▁and