Harrison Gray Otis (politician)
Harrison Gray Otis | |
|---|---|
Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts | |
| In office January 5, 1829[1] – January 2, 1832[2] | |
| Preceded by | Josiah Quincy III |
| Succeeded by | Charles Wells |
| Delegate from Massachusetts to the Hartford Convention | |
| In office 1814–1815 | |
| President of the Massachusetts Senate | |
| In office 1805 – 1806 1808–1811 | |
| United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | |
| In office 1796–1796 | |
| Preceded by | Christopher Gore |
| Succeeded by | John Davis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 8, 1765 Federalist |
| Spouse | Sally Foster Otis |
| Children | 11 |
| Relatives | Otis family |
| Education | Boston Latin School |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Profession | Law |
Harrison Gray Otis (October 8, 1765 – October 28, 1848), was a businessman, lawyer, and politician, becoming one of the most important leaders of the United States' first political party, the
One of the wealthiest men of Boston, Otis was reportedly worth at least US$800,000 in 1846, equivalent to $24,300,000 in 2023.
Early life
Otis was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 8, 1765, to Elizabeth (
Otis himself graduated from Boston Latin School in 1773 and Harvard University in 1783, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1786 when he commenced practice in Boston.
Career
In 1794 he was elected to the
Judicial career
In 1814, in the midst of his political career, he was also named a judge of the court of common pleas (1814–1818), and played a leading role as delegate to the controversial Hartford Convention in which New England's secession from the United States was discussed. Overall, it led to the demise of the Federalists, and Otis's political ambitions suffered. Otis subsequently defended the convention in his Letters Developing the Character and Views of the Hartford Convention (1820) and his Letters in Defence of the Hartford Convention (1824).
Otis was involved in a major financial scandal during the site selection for the
Otis was an overseer of Harvard University from 1810 to 1823, and a fellow of the university from 1823 to 1825, as well as one of the original incorporators of the Boston Bank. In 1812, Otis also became a founding member of the American Antiquarian Society.[4]
Personal life
On May 31, 1790, Otis married Sally Foster, the daughter of prominent merchant William Foster. During the course of his lifetime, he built not one, but three, grand houses in quick succession (see Harrison Gray Otis House), all designed by noted architect Charles Bulfinch. Together, Harrison and Sally were the parents of eleven children, including:[5]
- Elizabeth Gray Otis (1791–1824), who married George Williams Lyman (1786–1880), a director of the Boston and Lowell Railroad.[5]
- Harrison Gray Otis, Jr. (1792–1827), who married Eliza Henderson Boardman (1796–1873).[5]
- Sally Ann Otis (1793–1819), who married Israel Thorndike, Jr. (1785–1867), son of merchant Israel Thorndike.[5]
- Sophia Harrison Otis (1799–1874), who married Andrew Ritchie Jr. (1782–1862).[5]
- James William Otis (1800–1869), who married Martha C. Church (1807–1888) in 1825.[5]
- William Foster Otis (1801–1858), who married Emily Marshall (1807–1836).[5]
He died in Boston on October 28, 1848, and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.[5]
Descendants
Through his son William, he was the grandfather of Emily Marshall Otis (1832–1906), who married historian and educator Samuel Eliot.[6] Through his son James, he was the grandfather of James Otis, a New York State Senator and society leader.[7]
A descendant was J. Wadsworth Ritchie (1861–1924), son of Montgomery Harrison Ritchie, who died in the American Civil War, and the first husband of Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie Adair.[8]
Gallery
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2nd Harrison Gray Otis House,Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts. -
Harrison Gray Otis' grave at Mount Auburn Cemetery
See also
- Harrison Gray Otis House
- Timeline of Boston, 1790s-1830s
- Otis, Iowa
- 1822 Boston mayoral election
- 1828 Boston mayoral election
- 1829 Boston mayoral election
- 1830 Boston mayoral election
References
- ^ A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822–1908, Roxbury, 1846–1867, Charlestown 1847–1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634–1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, p. 219
- ^ A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822–1908, Roxbury, 1846–1867, Charlestown 1847–1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634–1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, p. 222
- ^ "Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter O" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
- ^ "American Antiquarian Society Members Directory". americanantiquarian.org. American Antiquarian Society. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Morison, Samuel Eliot (1913). The Life and Letters of Harrison Gray Otis, Federalist, 1765-1848. Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 238. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ^ Testimonials to Dr. Samuel Eliot : who died at Beverly Farms, Mass., on Wednesday, September 14, 1898. Boston, MA. 1898. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)[permanent dead link] - ^ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. S.G. Drake. 1850. p. 143. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
- ^ "PLANS FOR THE RITCHIE-TOOKER WEDDING It Will Take Place in Newport the Last Week in August" (PDF). The New York Times. June 29, 1895. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
External links
- United States Congress. "Harrison Gray Otis (id: O000127)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
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