Author: James Edward Mitchell
James Jr. (aka Jemmy) was the first son born on 5 Feb 1725 at Barnstable, MA. His parents were James Otis, Sr. (1702-1778) and Mary Allyn(e) (1702-1774). Jemmy’s siblings included four brothers and six sisters. Among those that survived to rise to prominence were brothers Joseph (1726-1810) and Samuel Allyne (1740-1814) and his sister, Mercy Otis Warren (1728-1814). She is characterized as an extraordinary ‘Founding Mother’ in the book entitled: The Muse of the Revolution: The Secret Pen of Mercy Otis Warren and the Founding of a Nation copyright 2008 by Nancy Rubin Stuart publ. by Beacon Press, Boston.

Their father was a prominent attorney-at-law in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. He provided his family a strong ethical and moral education at home and at the parsonage where James Sr.’s bro.-in-law, Rev. John Russell, tutored. James Jr’s father was called “Colonel James” because he held that (MA) militia rank and was appointed Attorney Gen’l. of the province in 1748. He chose Rev. Russell not only because of kinship, but he was also a graduate of Yale College and the pastor of the West Barnstable Church. James Jr was sent to Harvard College at age 16 and graduated in 1743. Later, Joseph was sent to Cambridge College. At home their parents raised them with Calvinistic principles.

He initially practiced law in Plymouth, MA. By 1750, James Jr. had re-located his practice to Boston. He married at least twice, 1st to Ruth Cunningham a merchant’s daughter despite their striking, opposite political leanings. He complained with wit that she was a ‘High Tory,’ but a good Wife…. The marriage produced three children – James, Elizabeth and Mary. James Jr’s 2nd marriage is recorded on 22 Feb 1770, age 45 to Maria Walter (1743-1826).

During 1760, Colonial MA Gov. Bernard appointed Thos. Hutchinson as Chief Justice for the MA Court. James Otis, Jr. began to attack the newly appointed Chief Justice in the newspapers, beginning his general opposition to the crown.
A year later, Otis was chosen as a representative in the MA general assembly, where he became an ardent citizen’s advocate against wasteful spending proposed by the governor!

James was witty and at times eloquent before an audience in the State House in his (1761) oratory opposing “writs of assistance”, a general search warrant that British customs agents utilized in broad ships, sweep homes and businesses seeking to discover smuggled, i.e. untaxed trade goods.

During 1761-64, James increasingly alienated the crown office that called upon him in his role as an Advocate Gen’l. of Massachusetts and he resigned with a very good salary. John Adams, the patriot lawyer promoted James Otis, Jr.’s patriotic reputation and would later advertise Otis as a major player in the Revolutionary movement. At Court James began to openly raise issues of constitutional relationships between the colonies and the crown, questioning if Americans were bound to obedience to laws, they had no shared interest! During 1765, Otis attacked The Stamp Act in a fiery dialog – let Great Britain rescind her measures, or the colonies are lost forever.

By 1769, while in a Boston shop, he was seriously assaulted by a British customs agent. This assault with a sword pommel cracked his skull, and soon neutralized his mental acumen. In Court, Otis brought and won a legal suit against his assailant, then refused to accept the fine for damages?!

Otis became increasingly dependent upon his sister, Mercy Otis Warren of Plymouth, MA for his care. In mid-summer 1775, Mercy traveled to West Barnstable to visit her “venerable father” James Otis, Sr. After returning home to Plymouth on Aug 8, she learned about the Quartering Act and penned a letter to Abigail Adams for her husband John, that it would mean the [(enslavement) “thralldom of America.”] Mercy’ s husband, James Warren, and her older brother, James Jr. (Jemmy) at age 50 had joined their (Plymouth) county, (MA) Militia regt., (June 13) prior to the issuance of orders to march to Cambridge and to defend Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. A very fine portrait of James Warren, Mercy Otis Warren’s husband, is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Returning home after the militia march and battle, James Jr., was compelled to move to Andover, MA, where at age 58 (May 23, 1783) he was struck by lightning at a friend’s home during a severe thunderstorm, dying instantly! He was buried in Granary Burying Ground, 83-115 Tremont Street, Boston, and Latitude: 42.356722 and Longitude: -71.061742. A bronze sculpture of James Otis, Jr. stands in front of the Barnstable County Courthouse and flagpole.