The Otis Family: Part 1

For many of us, the name James Otis brings up images of a Revolutionary patriot arguing against writs of assistance and decrying taxation without representation. What I, at least, didn't know was that  this Otis (James Otis, Jr.) was just the most famous in a long line of practicing Otis attorneys in Barnstable and Plymouth Counties.

We have several books in our collection with an Otis provenance--more on that later--and recently had to good fortune to acquire some documents that were actually produced in the course of the everyday legal practice of James Otis, Sr. (father of the famous patriot).

First up is this docket of cases heard in Plymouth in December 1736. The list is in Otis Sr.'s hand, and includes some 92 different matters. A couple involve Otis himself as plaintiff in default actions. Some others presumably were cases in which he was representing one of the parties, but it's hard to know how many in which he was directly involved.

In addition to notes about the type of case (usually 'default,' though sometimes 'appeal'), some matters have an "X" notation; others have a "B" or "P". What might these notes mean?

Next time? A writ of execution against Noah Wepquish, a member of the Mashpee tribe, for unpaid legal fees that Otis Sr. earned when representing the Wepquish's son in a capital case.

Update--Otis Family: Part 2