Personal Life:
Family &
Foundations
James Otis, Jr. was born into an elite Massachusetts family in 1725. His family emigrated from England and settled in the British Massachusetts Bay colony nearly a century before. In the small town of Barnstable, the family found success as farmers, merchants, and lawyers. The Otis family name carried weight: both James Otis, Jr.’s father and grandfather had been well-known judges and politicians in the colonial capital of Boston.
As a young man, James Otis, Jr. was a diligent–even obsessive–student, devouring texts in Latin and Greek and teaching himself modern languages. Sometimes, he forgot to eat or sleep. When he came home from college on vacation, he holed himself up in the house studying. Once, his neighbors didn’t know he returned until he had already been back for two weeks.
In 1750, Otis established a legal practice in Boston. Over the next decade, he lived up to the high expectations of his family name, representing clients from prominent Boston families. Otis was recognized throughout the colonies for his eloquence, energy, and integrity, leading to his appointment as Advocate General, a lawyer for the British government.
Throughout his life, Otis kept close contact with family and friends who were concerned with his well-being.
Otis Coat of Arms
In 1635, John Otis II, James Jr.’s great-grandfather, emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The family settled on a patch of land now known as Otis Hill in Hingham. Their family coat of arms features a hand holding a branch of laurel, a classical symbol of victory.
Who Tells Your Story?
Little of what James Otis wrote about his own life survives; he burned his personal papers near the end of his life. Most of what historians know comes from his family and friends, who wrote both to Otis and each other. Publicly, Otis’ contemporaries wrote him into history as a key founder of the nation. Privately, they expressed their worries to each other and chronicled his mental decline.
If someone were to tell your story, what parts would you want them to focus on, and why?
Otisߴ Closest Confidants
Scroll through the following portraits to learn more about Otis’ closest confidants.
John Adams
John Adams (1735-1826) thought of James Otis as his mentor both in law and revolutionary thought. Adams was present for Otis’ famous argument against the Writs of Assistance in 1761, recalling years later that “then and there the child independence was born.” Adams left behind a collection of his diaries and personal letters, allowing us to see Otis through Adams’ eyes. While his public writings showed respect and admiration for his friend, his private writings expressed pity, frustration, sympathy, and bewilderment with Otis’ actions.
