Harrison Gray Otis (politician)

American politician and attorney (1765–1848)

Harrison Gray Otis

United States Senator
from Massachusetts
In office
March 4, 1817 – May 30, 1822
Preceded by| Joseph Bradley Varnum
Succeeded by| James Lloyd
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 8th district
In office
March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1801
Preceded by| Fisher Ames
Succeeded by| William Eustis
3rd 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| (1765-10-08)October 8, 1765
Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British America
Died| October 28, 1848(1848-10-28) (aged 83)
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Political party| 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 Federalists. He was a member of the Otis family.

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

[edit]

Otis was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 8, 1765, to Elizabeth (née Gray) and Samuel Allyne Otis. His uncle was American colonial leader and activist James Otis, and his father was active in early American politics as a member of Massachusetts state house of representatives, delegate to Massachusetts state constitutional convention, and Continental Congress delegate from Massachusetts. His aunt was Mercy Otis Warren, a well-known poet.

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

[edit]

Coat of Arms of Harrison Gray Otis

In 1794 he was elected to the Massachusetts legislature, and in 1796 was appointed by President George Washington to be U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts. In 1797, he was elected U.S. Representative from Massachusetts as a Federalist and a strong advocate for centralized government, in which office he served until 1801. He was appointed United States U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts by President John Adams (1801–1802), and again served in the state legislature from 1802 to 1817, serving several terms as President of the state senate (1805–1806, 1808–1811). He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1804.[3] In subsequent years, Otis was elected U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (1817–1822), and then Mayor of Boston (1829–1831).

### Judicial career

[edit]

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 Massachusetts State House. Boston was determined to remain the state capitol, and appointed Otis to a town committee to purchase land and donate it to the state. He did so, and also quietly arranged his own private purchase of 18.5 acres (75,000 m2) adjoining from the agent of John Singleton Copley, then living in England. After a decade of legal arguments, the sale was upheld, and Otis and the Mount Vernon Proprietors developed a large part of Beacon Hill.

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

[edit]

Harrison Gray Otis, 1809 by Gilbert Stuart

Harrison Gray Otis, 1809 by Gilbert Stuart

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

* 1st Harrison Gray Otis House on Cambridge Street]]

* 2nd Harrison Gray Otis House, Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts.

* 3rd Harrison Gray Otis House on Beacon Street]]

* Harrison Gray Otis' grave at Mount Auburn Cemetery

## See also

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

1. ^ 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
2. ^ 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
3. ^ "Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter O" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
4. ^ "American Antiquarian Society Members Directory". americanantiquarian.org. American Antiquarian Society. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
5. ^ 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.
6. ^ 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]
7. ^ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. S.G. Drake. 1850. p. 143. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
8. ^ "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

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Harrison Gray Otis.

* United States Congress. "Harrison Gray Otis (id: O000127)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Party political offices

Preceded by

John Brooks

|  Federalist nominee for Governor of Massachusetts
1823 | Succeeded by

Samuel Lathrop

Political offices
Preceded by

Josiah Quincy III

|  Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts
January 5, 1829 – January 2, 1832  | Succeeded by

Charles Wells

U.S. Senate
Preceded by

Joseph B. Varnum

|  U.S. senator (Class 2) from Massachusetts
1817–1822
Served alongside: Eli P. Ashmun, Prentiss Mellen, Elijah H. Mills | Succeeded by

James Lloyd

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by

Fisher Ames

|  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 8th congressional district
March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1801  | Succeeded by

William Eustis

* v
* t
* e

United States senators from Massachusetts

Class 1|

* Dalton
* Cabot
* Goodhue
* Mason
* Adams
* Lloyd
* Gore
* Ashmun
* Mellen
* Mills
* Webster
* Choate
* Webster
* Winthrop
* Rantoul
* Sumner
* Washburn
* Dawes
* Lodge Sr.
* Butler
* Walsh
* Lodge Jr.
* J. Kennedy
* Smith
* E. Kennedy
* Kirk
* Brown
* Warren

Class 2|

* Strong
* Sedgwick
* Dexter
* Foster
* Pickering
* Varnum
* Otis
* Lloyd
* Silsbee
* Davis
* Bates
* Davis
* Everett
* Rockwell
* Wilson
* Boutwell
* Hoar
* Crane
* J. Weeks
* Walsh
* Gillett
* Coolidge
* Lodge Jr.
* S. Weeks
* Saltonstall
* Brooke
* Tsongas
* Kerry
* Cowan
* Markey

* v
* t
* e

Presidents of the Massachusetts Senate

* Cushing
* Powell
* Adams
* S. Phillips
* Adams
* Cobb
* Otis
* J. Bacon
* S. Dana
* Otis
* S. Dana
* J. Phillips
* Silsbee
* Mills
* S. Leland
* Lathrop
* Fowler
* Saltonstall
* Thorndike
* Pickman
* Bliss
* Mann
* M. Lawrence
* King
* Quincy
* P. Leland
* Robinson
* Quincy
* Lincoln
* Calhoun
* Scudder
* Bell
* Wilder
* Wilson
* Warren
* Cook
* Benchley
* Baker
* Upham
* Phelps
* Claflin
* Clifford
* Field
* Pond
* Brastow
* Pitman
* Brastow
* H. Coolidge
* Loring
* Cogswell
* Bishop
* Crocker
* Bruce
* Pillsbury
* Boardman
* Hartwell
* Sprague
* Pinkerton
* Butler
* G. Lawrence
* Smith
* Soule
* Jones
* W. Dana
* Chapple
* Treadway
* Greenwood
* C. Coolidge
* H. Wells
* McKnight
* Allen
* W. Wells
* G. Bacon
* Fish
* Moran
* Wragg
* Cotton
* Goodwin
* Hunt
* A. Coolidge
* Nicholson
* Richardson
* Dolan
* Richardson
* Furbush
* Holmes
* Powers
* Donahue
* Harrington
* Bulger
* Birmingham
* Travaglini
* Murray
* Rosenberg
* Chandler
* Spilka

* v
* t
* e

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts

1st district|

* F. Ames
* Dexter
* Goodhue
* Holten
* Sedgwick
* Skinner
* Sedgwick
* J. Bacon
* Eustis
* Quincy
* Ward Jr.
* Mason
* Gorham
* Webster
* Gorham
* N. Appleton
* Gorham
* A. Lawrence
* Fletcher
* A. Lawrence
* Winthrop
* N. Appleton
* Winthrop
* S. Eliot
* W. Appleton
* Scudder
* T. D. Eliot
* Hall
* T. D. Eliot
* Buffington
* Crapo
* R. Davis
* Randall
* Wright
* G. Lawrence
* Treadway
* Heselton
* Conte
* Olver
* Neal

2nd district|

* Goodhue
* Foster
* W. Lyman
* Sedgwick
* Ward Sr.
* W. Lyman
* Shepard
* J. Crowninshield
* Story
* Pickman
* W. Reed
* Pickering
* Silsbee
* Barstow
* B. Crowninshield
* Choate
* Phillips
* Saltonstall
* D. King
* Rantoul
* Fay
* Crocker
* Buffington
* O. Ames
* Harris
* Long
* E. Morse
* Gillett
* Churchill
* Bowles
* Kaynor
* Granfield
* Clason
* Furcolo
* Boland
* Neal
* McGovern

3rd district|

* Gerry
* Bourne
* Coffin
* S. Lyman
* Mattoon
* Cutler
* Nelson
* Livermore
* White
* Pickering
* Nelson
* Varnum
* Nelson
* Osgood
* Cushing
* A. Abbott
* Duncan
* Edmands
* Damrell
* C. Adams
* Thomas
* A. Rice
* Twichell
* Whiting I
* Pierce
* Field
* B. Dean
* Field
* Ranney
* L. Morse
* J. Andrew
* Walker
* J. R. Thayer
* R. Hoar
* C. Washburn
* J. A. Thayer
* Wilder
* Paige
* F. Foss
* Casey
* Philbin
* Drinan
* Donohue
* Early
* Blute
* McGovern
* N. Tsongas
* Trahan

4th district|

* Sedgwick
* Dearborn
* G. Thatcher
* Wadsworth
* Foster
* L. Lincoln Sr.
* Hastings
* Varnum
* W. Richardson
* Dana
* Stearns
* Fuller
* E. Everett
* Sa. Hoar
* Parmenter
* Thompson
* Palfrey
* Thompson
* Sabine
* Walley
* Comins
* A. Rice
* Hooper
* Frost
* J. Abbott
* L. Morse
* Collins
* O'Neil
* Apsley
* Weymouth
* Tirrell
* Mitchell
* Wilder
* Winslow
* Stobbs
* P. Holmes
* Donohue
* Drinan
* Frank
* Kennedy III
* Auchincloss

5th district|

* Partridge
* Bourne
* Freeman
* L. Williams
* T. Dwight
* Ely
* Mills
* Lathrop
* Sibley
* J. Davis
* L. Lincoln Jr.
* Hudson
* C. Allen
* W. Appleton
* Burlingame
* W. Appleton
* Hooper
* Alley
* Butler
* Gooch
* Banks
* Bowman
* L. Morse
* Hayden
* Banks
* Sh. Hoar
* Stevens
* Knox
* B. Ames
* J. Rogers
* E. Rogers
* B. Morse
* Cronin
* P. Tsongas
* Shannon
* Atkins
* Meehan
* N. Tsongas
* Markey
* Clark

6th district|

* G. Thatcher
* Leonard
* J. Reed Sr.
* J. Smith
* Taggart
* S. Allen
* Locke
* Kendall
* Grennell
* Alvord
* Baker
* Ashmun
* G. Davis
* Upham
* T. Davis
* Alley
* Gooch
* Banks
* Butler
* Thompson
* Loring
* Stone
* Lovering
* Lodge
* Cogswell
* Moody
* Gardner
* Lufkin
* A.P. Andrew
* G. Bates
* W. Bates
* Harrington
* Mavroules
* Torkildsen
* Tierney
* Moulton

7th district|

* Leonard
* Ward Sr.
* Leonard
* Bullock
* Bishop
* Mitchell
* Barker
* Baylies
* Turner
* Baylies
* Hulbert
* Shaw
* H. Dwight
* S. Allen
* Grennell
* Briggs
* J. Rockwell
* Goodrich
* Banks
* Gooch
* Boutwell
* Brooks
* Esty
* E. Hoar
* Tarbox
* Butler
* W. Russell
* Stone
* Cogswell
* W. Everett
* Barrett
* Roberts
* Phelan
* Maloney
* W. Connery
* L. Connery
* Lane
* Macdonald
* Markey
* Capuano
* Pressley

8th district|

* Grout
* G. Thatcher
* F. Ames
* Otis
* Eustis
* L. Williams
* Green
* Gardner
* Green
* J. Reed Jr.
* Baylies
* Sampson
* Hobart
* Lathrop
* Bates
* Calhoun
* J. Adams
* Mann
* Wentworth
* Knapp
* Train
* Baldwin
* G. Hoar
* J. M. S. Williams
* Warren
* Claflin
* Candler
* W Russell
* C. H. Allen
* Greenhalge
* Stevens
* McCall
* Deitrick
* Dallinger
* H. Thayer
* Dallinger
* Healey
* Goodwin
* Macdonald
* O'Neill
* Kennedy II
* Capuano
* Lynch

9th district|

* Varnum
* Bishop
* J. Dean
* Wheaton
* J. Reed Jr.
* Folger
* J. Reed Jr.
* H. Dwight
* Briggs
* Jackson
* Hastings
* H. Williams
* Hale
* Fowler
* Little
* De Witt
* E. Thayer
* Bailey
* A. Walker
* W. Washburn
* Crocker
* G. Hoar
* W. Rice
* T. Lyman
* Ely
* Burnett
* Candler
* G. Williams
* O'Neil
* Fitzgerald
* Conry
* Keliher
* Murray
* Roberts
* Fuller
* Underhill
* Luce
* R. Russell
* Luce
* T. H. Eliot
* Gifford
* Nicholson
* Keith
* McCormack
* Hicks
* Moakley
* Lynch
* Keating

10th district|

* Goodhue
* Sewall
* Read
* Hastings
* Upham
* J. Allen
* Brigham
* Wheaton
* Morton
* F Baylies
* Bailey
* H. A. S. Dearborn
* W. Baylies
* Borden
* H. Williams
* Borden
* Burnell
* Grinnell
* Scudder
* Dickinson
* Chaffee
* Delano
* Dawes
* Crocker
* Stevens
* Seelye
* Norcross
* W. Rice
* J. E. Russell
* J. Walker
* McEttrick
* Atwood
* Barrows
* Naphen
* McNary
* O'Connell
* Curley
* Murray
* Tague
* Fitzgerald
* Tague
* Douglass
* Tinkham
* Herter
* Curtis
* Martin
* Heckler
* Studds
* Delahunt
* Keating

11th district|

* Bradbury
* Bartlett
* Cutler
* Stedman
* A. Bigelow
* Brigham
* B. Adams
* J. Russell
* Hobart
* J. Richardson
* J. Adams
* J. Reed Jr.
* Burnell
* Goodrich
* Trafton
* Dawes
* Chapin
* Robinson
* Whiting II
* Wallace
* Coolidge
* Draper
* Sprague
* Powers
* Sullivan
* Peters
* Tinkham
* Douglass
* Higgins
* Flaherty
* Curley
* Kennedy
* O'Neill
* Burke
* Donnelly

12th district|

* H. Dearborn
* I. Parker
* Lee
* S. Thatcher
* Skinner
* Larned
* Bidwell
* Bacon
* Dewey
* Hulbert
* Strong
* Kendall
* L. Bigelow
* Baylies
* Hodges
* J. Adams
* Robinson
* F. Rockwell
* Crosby
* E. Morse
* Lovering
* Powers
* Weeks
* Curley
* Gallivan
* McCormack
* Keith
* Studds

13th district|

* Wadsworth
* Seaver
* Ruggles
* Dowse
* Eustis
* J. Reed Jr.
* Randall
* Simpkins
* Greene
* Weeks
* Mitchell
* Carter
* Luce
* Wigglesworth
* Burke

14th district|

* G. Thatcher
* Cutts
* C. King
* J. Holmes
* Lovering
* E. Foss
* Harris
* Gilmore
* Olney
* Frothingham
* Wigglesworth
* Martin

15th district|

* Wadsworth
* Ilsley
* Whitman
* Widgery
* Bradbury
* Whitman
* Greene
* Leach
* Martin
* Gifford

16th district|

* S. Thatcher
* Cook
* Tallman
* S. Davis
* Brown
* Orr
* Hill
* Thacher
* Walsh
* Gifford

17th district|

* Bruce
* Chandler
* Gannett
* F. Carr
* Wood
* J. Carr
* Wilson

* Kinsley

18th district|

* Wilson
* T. Rice
* J. Parker

19th district|

* J. Parker
* Conner
* Gage
* Cushman

20th district|

* Hubbard
* Parris
* E. Lincoln

At-large|

* Cobb

* v
* t
* e

Mayors of Boston, Massachusetts

* Phillips
* Quincy III
* Otis
* Wells
* Lyman
* Armstrong
* Eliot
* Chapman
* Brimmer
* Davis
* Quincy Jr.
* Bigelow
* Seaver
* Smith
* Rice
* Lincoln
* Wightman
* Lincoln
* Norcross
* Shurtleff
* Gaston
* Pierce
* Cutter*
* Cobb
* Prince
* Pierce
* Prince
* Green
* Palmer
* Martin
* O'Brien
* Hart
* Matthews
* Curtis
* Quincy
* Hart
* Collins
* Whelton*
* Fitzgerald
* Hibbard
* Fitzgerald
* Curley
* Peters
* Curley
* Nichols
* Curley
* Mansfield
* Tobin
* Kerrigan*
* Curley
* Hynes*
* Curley
* Hynes
* Collins
* White
* Flynn
* Menino
* tenure
* Walsh
* tenure
* Janey*
* Wu
* tenure

* denotes acting

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Netherlands
* Israel

People|

* US Congress

Other|

* SNAC

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template