Rev. Edward Hackett Otis

DAR Ancestor #: A084802

Served 11 months in the Revolutionary War. Died at the age of eighty six at Bigelow Mills in LaPorte IN, when on one of his trips his horse fell and so injured him that he died as a result.

He spent his last years with his sons MERRILL and HENRY JR. in Henry Co., IL . His grandson FINLEY RICE HARDING wrote in 1908, "I am the only living relative that knows where he is buried, and I have a permit to remove the remains and shall do so in the spring, as he is buried in a neglected graveyard. I shall remove him to the family (HARDING) plot in Buchanan (Michigan". [ Note by GEORGE A. OTIS: He did indeed move him as I have visited the HARDING family plot in Oak Ridge Cem., Buchanan, MI and took photographs of the brass plauque which marks his grave.]

According to family tradition, like the other brothers, he is said to have vowed a vengence against the English, and made an oath to kill as many as he could (see his fathers notes), with this end in view, he tried to enter the Revolutionary War, but being only twelve years old, was not allowed to do so, and only got in as a driver of a baggage team, (probably for his grandfather ROBERT OTIS who was a Wagonmaster,seizing however, occasions as he could to use a gun against the foe. At sixteen he regularly enlisted, and at the conclusion, mustered out, According to the records of the U.S. Pension Office, on March 25, 1833, while living at Salt Creek, OH, He made application for pension, which was granted, for Eleven months' active service as a Private in the Connecticut Troops. It appears that he enlisted from Lyme, and served under Capt. lord and Col. Stare. (1783-1784). At one time was wounded and carried of the field, but after recovery re-enlisted and served until the war closed.

He then went to live with his grandfather in Lyme CT, but eventually moved to Vermont, where he settled at the Onion, River. In the spring of 1809, he left Vermont and went to Ohio, where he already had numerous relatives, settled near Sandyville, Tuscarawas County and continued preaching, he was a missionary and Baptist preacher (Circuit Rider), going from place to place preaching to a scattered faithful, being the first minister of that description in Ohio. He was said to have been an effective speaker. In 1823 he moved to Holmes County, OH then to Henry County, IL in 1837 and to LaPorte County, IN in 1851. When he was seventy-five years old he rode horseback twelve hundred miles from Illinois thru Ohio to his old home in Vermont and retuned.

In 1810 Tuscarawas Twp. was formed, the third census of the United States showed of the 145 inhabitants nearly every man was the head of a family. Names of note, James Eldedge, Thomas Eldredge and EDWARD OTIS.

Combination atlas map of Stark Co. OH 1875, shows him as a Minister in 1811.

History of Stark County: Rev. EDWARD OTIS was one of the pioneer Baptist preachers of the County. He also preached once a month at Micheal Engle's cabin. He organized a church at Pidgeon River, called Pidgeon Run Baptist Church,Stark Co., OH. Sandy Township, the town of Sandyville was laid out in 1815. The first house in Sandyville was built by an old Baptist Minister Rev. EDWARD OTIS who remained there only a short time. He applied for pension on March 25,1833 while living in Salt Creek, OH.

From: "To the Pioneers of The Ohio Country 1788-1938" Pvt. in Capt. Lord's Conn Line; 11 mo. b Lyme Conn. 1766; A pensr in Holmes Co. July 6 1833 resident of Salt Creek Twp.. Lived in NY last pens from March 4 to sept 4 1851 made to Erastus Wright for pensr in Ill. On 9-4-1851 he certified he had lived for fourteen years in Henry Co. Ill. and had previously resided in Holmes Co. Ohio. Ref S 32425. (Letter from Mrs. Maddox Waseon Oh states "he moved to Stark Co. OH; then to Putman Co.; Myoming Ill (now Henry Co. IL) where he lived with his son Edward Jr.or Merrill). Cop at d c by Jane Daailey.

From Mrs. Delia Warner Huinington, D.A.R. #18412; (1766-1852) Enlisted from Lyme, CT as a privated. He was placed on the Pension Roll of Holmes County, OH at the age of sixty-seven, for eleven months active service in the Connecticut Continental Line, he died in Bgelow Mills, IN.

Son of Stephen H. 1738-1776 & Lois Hackett Edgerton Otis

Spouse: Mary Merrill 1771-1822, dau. of John & Mary Gilman Merrill reported to have died in Tucarwas or Holmes Co. in 1822.

Children: Lois, Ezekiel, Jesse, Phoebe, Mary, Merrill, Edward Jr. & Marrilla Otis & Mary 1797-1863, who was the 1st spouse of William Tripp Harding and both are buried in this Cemetery.

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