James Otis

James Otis (August 11, 1826 – October 30, 1875) was an American politician. He was active in San Francisco, where he served as mayor from 1873 to 1875.

Biography

James Otis was born in Boston, Massachusetts to the Otis family, which is counted among the Boston Brahmin families. He was the grandson of James Otis Jr. of the American Revolutionary War.

He moved to San Francisco, California for the 1849 California Gold Rush. In 1858, Otis married Lucy Hamilton Macondray, together they had two daughters and five sons. Otis was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery; and his remains were later moved to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California. He was the only mayor to die in office until George Moscone's assassination in 1978.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County has a redwood grove named the James Otis Grove (as of 1947). San Francisco has an Otis Street, named after him.