Description

Theodore Wells Otis (b. 1835 - d. 1916) was born September 6, 1835 in Bath, New York. He was the second child of James Austin and Hannah Tilton Otis. As a child he lived in Kanona, New York. He began his studies at Oberlin in 1858, entering the College Courses in 1859 or 1860 and graduating in 1865. He married Pamela Libbey Otis on October 12, 1869 and their daughter, Mary Kate (or Katie) (Mrs. Edward M. Blake), was born September 12, 1870 (she died May 2, 1959).

He arrived in Prescott in 1874 with his family traveling for a month from Los Angeles in a covered wagon loaded with groceries and drawn by a six-mule team. He received his appointment as postmaster of Prescott in Ohio, under President Ulysses S. Grant’s administration in recognition of his military service during the Civil War. He was sponsored by Mr. L. Bashford who held his bond. He assumed the role of postmaster in 1875 and continued to serve until April 5, 1884. In 1880, Theodore helped form a Congregational Church and remained active teaching Sunday School. In a memoir, Theodore states that he was known as the Psalm Singing Postmaster of Prescott.

Upon arrival, he established the T. W. Otis Grocery Store. In 1888, the store, located at the corner of Sheldon and Union Streets, and all its contents burned. With help from local merchants, he rebuilt and restocked his store, continuing in business until 1907 when he got out of the business before the panic of 1907. He then managed his local real estate.

In 1914 Theodore moved to a farm he owned in Tempe, Arizona. He died September 25, 1916.

Sources: Sharlot Hall Museum Otis and Blake surname files.