"Well-ordered families naturally produce a good order in... societies," said Cotton Mather, one of the most famous Puritan ministers. Puritans were convinced that stable families were the cornerstone of stable societies. They valued the family so highly that they insisted that every settler be part of one. Barred by law from living alone, unmarried men and women were expected to live with relatives. If they had no kin in town, they were assigned to reside with local families as part of their households.

Weakness within the family was seen as a threat to the entire community. Consequently, Puritans carefully monitored what went on within every household in their towns. If problems developed within a family, town officials intervened. Parents who neglected their children's religious or moral training were warned to change their ways. If they failed to comply, officials had the right to place their children...