Leaders of the Revolution: James Otis

James Otis was one of the most influential men in colonial Boston on the eve of the American Revolutionary War; however, many Americans have never heard of him. Journey along as I explore the life and contributions of James Otis!

Early Life

James Otis Jr. was born on February 5, 1725, in modern-day West Barnstable, Massachusetts Colony. He was one of 13 children born to James Otis Sr. and Mary Allyne. His father was an established lawyer in the colony, served as an officer in the local militia, and was elected to the Massachusetts legislature in 1745. Naturally, Otis felt the call to follow in his father’s footsteps and practice law (as did many young men of means at the time). He began his studies as a young man and attended Harvard, where he graduated in 1743.

At 30-years-old, Otis married a woman named Ruth Cunningham, whose family was involved with the mercantile business in the bustling port city of Boston. James and Ruth had three children together: James, Elizabeth, and Mary. Interestingly, Ruth and James disagreed on many political issues, as she leaned more to the Loyalist side and James the Whig side (Ruth remained a Loyalist until her death in 1789). As mentioned, Otis pursued a professional career as a lawyer, which enabled him to make one of the biggest impacts in the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War. His brilliance as an attorney led to his appointment as Advocate General of the Boston Vice-Admiralty Court in 1756.

Contributions to the American Revolution

Though many folks today do not know who James Otis was, those who knew him in his lifetime certainly remember his contributions to the founding of our nation. One of John Adams’ most famous quotes in regards to the American Revolution was:

But what do We mean by the American Revolution? Do We mean the American War? The Revolution was effected before the War commenced. The Revolution was in the Minds and Hearts of the People…This radical Change in the Principles, Opinions, Sentiments and Affection of the People, was the real American Revolution.”

John Adams (1818)

When Adams wrote this quote, he certainly has his old friend in mind: James Otis. Adams viewed Otis as “a flame of fire” and felt that the Revolution essentially began on February 24, 1761, when Otis made an impassioned five-hour argument against the “Writs of Assistance.” In fact, Adams later mentioned that “American Independence was then and there born…Then and there was the first…opposition to the arbitrary claims of Great Britain.”

The Writs of Assistance were official documents that allowed British customs officials to search private property, primarily for smuggled goods, without prior permission. The Writs of Assistance quickly became a controversial issue amongst colonists and served as a key contributor to eventual rebellion. On that cold February day, a young John Adams witnessed Otis’ lengthy rebuttal to the Writs of Assistance in the State House, which was a meaningful rebuke against the Crown and to this day, one of the earliest and most powerful stances against English rule.

Ultimately, Otis’ argument did not win the case, but his “On the Writs of Assistance,” garnered public support for eventual revolution. Shortly after this oration, Otis was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he continued to argue against British laws and taxes (Governor Thomas Hutchinson dubbed him the “Grand Incendiary”). Then in 1765, he represented his colony in the Stamp Act Congress alongside Samuel Adams, Oliver Partridge, and Timothy Ruggles. Otis, along with leading men such as Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren, maintained a steady and vocal fight against the British Parliament and king, and often gave fiery speeches in Faneuil Hall.

James Otis was truly a fascinating man- he played the violin, studied law and philosophy voraciously, and was known for his temperamental nature (some historians today believe that his quick temper and outbursts were early signs of mental illness). During a coffee house brawl in 1769, Otis was hit over the head with a cudgel by British official John Robinson, which ultimately ended Otis’ professional career.

Although his role in the lead-up to the war became greatly limited, Otis did play a small role in the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. At the time, he was staying at his sister’s house in Watertown. Otis managed to sneak off, borrow a musket, and even participated in the battle!

A Family Business: Mercy Otis Warren

James wasn’t the only Otis child who became involved in the American Revolution. His younger sister, Mercy Otis, was one of the most famous American women of the age, alongside the likes of Abigail Adams. Mercy married James Warren in 1754, who was a classmate of her brother James at Harvard. Mercy and her husband often hosted like-minded people at their home, to include John Adams and other patriots.

Mercy Otis Warren was an outspoken opponent to many British policies and she openly criticized Massachusetts Governor, Thomas Hutchinson. She wrote and published numerous works, to include The Adulator (1772), and the plays Defeat (1773) and The Group (1775), which vilified British colonial officials and policies. She also wrote numerous poems and even wrote a well-known history of the war, which she published in 1805 under the title History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution (how she portrayed the role John Adams in the war offended him, which caused a rift in their friendship). To this day, Mercy Otis Warren remains one of the most famous women of the American Revolutionary War era and as an author and poet, stands alongside amazing women such as Phillis Wheatley.

The Downfall of James Otis

Sadly, Otis experienced a rapid decline in mental health throughout the 1770s, which was noticed by his peers. In February 1771, even John Adams wrote that James Otis was “raving mad.” Probable mental illness, combined with the massive blow he received to the head in 1769, contributed to his downfall. Ultimately, his role in the pivotal years from 1770-1775 was limited; however, his earlier contributions and passionate arguments remained relevant and vital in the lead up to the war. I truly believe had he remained in good health, James Otis would’ve served alongside John and Samuel Adams in the First and Second Continental Congresses.

James Otis once wrote to his sister, “I hope when God shall take me out of time into eternity, that it will be by a flash of lightening.” Remarkably, he died on May 23, 1783, after he was struck by a bolt of lightning while watching a thunderstorm from the doorway of a friend’s house in Andover, Massachusetts. James Otis and his wife, Ruth, are laid to rest in Boston’s Granary Burying Ground. Inexplicably, Otis burned many of his personal papers and letters prior to his untimely death.

References:

• John Adams by David McCullough
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/transformative-patriot-who-didnt-become-founding-father-180963166/
• https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mercy-otis-warren