The Least Known Founding Father

""I have been young and now I am old, and I solemnly say I have never known a man whose love of country was more ardent or sincere, never one who suffered so much, never one whose service for any 10 years of his life were so important and essential to the cause of his country..."
-John Adams

Who was Adams talking about? The end of the quote: "...as those of Mr. Otis from 1760 to 1770." I present to you, dear reader, the least known founding father, James Otis.

Otis was a young lawyer around the time the colonies started thinking about breaking away from Great Britain. He considered himself a loyal subject, although in 1761, he delivered a speech that some consider to be the beginning of the American Revolution (not the war; the revolt). Otis represented American merchants against the Writs of Assistance. His performance was capped by a 5 hour speech. Afterward, Otis was called the "Oak that drew the lightning stroke of British wrath." Those words are very ironic later on.

As the 1760's progressed, James Otis' mental state deteriorated. It is not known what illness he suffered from. Some historians suspect schizophrenia. The crippling blow to Otis' effectiveness can in 1769 when he got in a fight with a few British officers and was struck with a sword. He was never quite right again. Otis was to be taken care of by his younger brother, Samuel, from then on out. On December 17, 1775, however, Otis slipped his caretakers, stole a gun, and headed for the fighting at Bunker Hill. In part because of this incident, Otis was sent to live with a friend outside of the city.

It has been said that Otis once told his sister, ""My dear sister, I hope, when God Almighty in his righteous providence shall take me out of time into eternity that it will be by a flash of lightning" (remember the lightning reference earlier?). In May 1783, Otis got that wish. He stepped outside and "the oak that drew the lightning stroke of British wrath" was struck by lightning and killed.