Woman of the Century/Eliza A. Otis

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
2280833Woman of the Century — Eliza A. Otis

OTIS, Mrs. Eliza A., poet and journalist, was born in Walpole, N. H. Her maiden name ELIZA A. OTIS. was Wetherby. She is a graduate of Castleton Seminary, Vermont She early developed a strong love for poetry, and her first productions were written when she was about ten years old. Her first published poem appeared in the "Congregationalist" when she was sixteen, and it was commented upon by that paper as a most remarkable production for one of her years. From time to time many poems from her pen appeared in the different journals of her State. After her graduation she visited Ohio, where she met and became the wife of Harrison Gray Otis. When the Civil War broke out. he entered the Union army as a private, served honorably throughout the contest, participating in many engagements, was twice wounded in battle, received seven promotions, and was twice breveted for gallant and meritorious conduct. After the war Mrs. Otis and her husband lived for some years in Washington, D. C. In 1876 they removed to California, where Colonel Otis assumed the conduct of the Santa Barbara "Press," which he continued for several years. In 1879 he accepted the position of United States Treasury Agent in charge of the Seal Islands of Alaska, which position he resigned in 1882. One year Mrs. Otis spent with her husband in St. Paul's Island, and then they returned to Santa Barbara. Having disposed of his interest in the "Press," Colonel Otis purchased a share in the Los Angeles "Times," of which he now owns the controlling interest; holds the position of president and general manager of the "Times-Mirror" company, and is editor-in-chief of the "Times." Mrs. Otis is connected with the paper as a member of its staff, and also has her special departments, among the most popular of which are "Woman and Home" and "Our Boys and Girls." As a prose-writer she is fluent and graceful. Her choice is in the domain of poetry. She has published one volume. "Echoes from Elf-Land" (Los Angeles. 1890). Her home is in Los Angeles.