On 27 Nov 1806 when Abigail was 31, she married
Dr. Cushing Otis (54993) , son of
Dr. James Otis (45741) (3 Sep 1734-24 May 1807) &
Lucy Cushing (39114) (27 Dec 1735-24 Jun 1816), in the Second Church of Scituate.
52 Born on 7 Mar 1769 in Scituate, MA.52 Cushing died in Scituate, MA, on 16 Oct 1837; he was 68.52 suddenly. Buried in South Parish Cemetery, Norwell. Occupation: Physician. Education: Harvard 1789; MD 1792. Marriage intention published on 18 Oct 1806 at Scituate, MA.
52
Dr. Cushing Otis “commenced his practice at Scituate. He was a Fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society and represented Scituate in the Legislature. In 1823 he was elected to the States Senate. The church found in Mr. Otis a warm friend and supporter. ‘A handsome clock was placed in the front gallery Jan. 15, 1831, by the generosity of the Hon. Mr. Otis.’”2
Gov. Samuel Adams appointed Dr. Cushing Otis Surgeon of 2d Regiment, 1st Brigade, 5th Division of Militia of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 6 Nov 1793. He resigned 21 Apr 1823.42
Dr. Otis was a shrewd businessman, and was called upon to act as trustee for various people and as guardian for others. He was a strong supporter of the Second Church of Scituate, acting for a time as treasurer, and when the present building was erected in 1830, he gave a handsome clock which is still [1936] keeping time in place on the front of the gallery.42
From Briggs’ History of Shipbuilding on the North River.580 Briggs starts the paragraph with the signature of Cushing Otis:
[Cushing Otis], who was interested in so many of the vessels built on the North River, was a prominent man of his day. He was son of Dr. James Otis of Scituate, a distinguished physician, and nephew of Dr. Isaac Otis, Jr., a distinguished physician of Bridgewater. He was a descendant of Dr. Isaac Otis, Sr., in the following line: Isaac Otis, M.D., married Deborah —. He died Nov. 11, 1777, aged 78 ; she died March 17, 1783, aged 84. They had six children: Isaac, M.D., Deborah, William, Stephen, Hannah, James, M.D. Dr. James Otis married Lucy —. He died May 24, 1807, aged 73; she died June 24, 1810, aged 80. They had seven children: Lucy, James, Hannah, Cushing, M.D. [the subject of the paragraph], Elizabeth, Abigail, and Thomas.
Cushing Otis graduated from Harvard College in 1789, and studied his profession under Dr. Hitchcock. In 1792 he returned to his native town, and practiced in connection with his father. He soon became distinguished for his skill in the healing art, and was repeatedly elected one of the
counsellors of the Massachusetts Medical Society, of which he was a member to the time of his death. His forensic powers were of a high order, his enunciation clear, and his diction elegant. His oration in commemoration of American Independence, pronounced at Scituate, July 4, 1800, at the request of the inhabitants, though the production of his youth, gave evidence of a highly cultivated mind and rhetorical powers. In 1801 he was elected a member of the Massachusetts Humane Society, John Warren, President. He was elected from his district to the House of Kepresentatives in 1809 and 1812, and to the Senate in 1822-23. On Nov. 11, 1830, he was chosen President of the Franklin Association for Mutual Improvement, South Scituate, John Foster, Jr., Secretary. He was also a member of the Bunker Hill Monument Association. On July 15, 1831, he presented the Second or South Society with a handsome clock, which was placed in front of the gallery of the church.
He married Abigail, daughter of Judge Nathan Gushing. He died Oct. 16, 1837, aged 68 ; she d. June 9, 1852, aged 77. Their only child, Abigail T. Otis, did much for this Society during her life, and at her death left goodly sums to the church and town. She died in South Scituate, Oct. 15, 1884, aged 73.
In religious sentiment Dr. Otis was decidedly liberal. He was a distinguished member of Rev. Samuei J. May's church. While he stood aloof from those who would “call down fire from Heaven,” he was far from being a latitudinarian. He was content with the privilege of believing his faith to be right, without exhibiting any disposition to represent others as lieing in the wrong. Whatever might have been his particular form of faith, he was a firm believer in the great essential truths of natural and revealed religion. He adopted Christianity as a Divine system on the ground of its great external evidence, its perfect adaptation to human nature, and the truth and divine philanthropy which gives life and vigor to all its precepts. In social converse he was affable, communicative, and instructive. His refined taste, unaffected and habitual courtesy, vivacity of spirit, and discriminating mind rendered his society at all times endearing, and his death created a void in the community not easily filled.