Jonathan Ingersoll Lord
Essex Co., Mass Probate Record, Book 95, Page 25Guardianship of Jonathan Ingersoll Lord, a minor aged 19 years, son of jacob Lord, Esq, late of Ipswich, deceased, was granted to Chales Kimball, Esq., who gave bonds with Paschal Richardson, cordwainer, and Jacob S. Lord, baker, all of Ipswich.
3 May 1836
Otis was the son of Nathaniel Lord, former Register of Probate for Essex County,and his wife Eunice (Kimball) Lord, and a brother of Nathaniel James Lord, who died in 1869. He descended from Robert Lord, who came from Ipswich, England.
Otis P. Lord was fitted for college at Dummer Academy, entered Amherst and graduated in 1832. He graduated in 1836 from the Dane Law School at Cambridge. He was admitted to the bar in Salem in Dec. 1835, and began practice in his profession in his native town. In 1844 he removed to Salem, where he resided until his death in 1884.
He was a member of the House of Representatives in 1847, '48, '52, '53, '54, in which the last year he was Speaker. In 1849 he was a member of the Senate, and in 1853 a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Upon the organization of the Superior Court, in 1859, he was appointed by Governor Banks an associate justice, and held this position until he was appointed by Governor Gaston, Dec. 21, 1875, an associate justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. The latter position he resigned Dec.r 8, 1882, and he died in Salem on the 13th of March, 1884.
He married in Ipswich to Elizabeth W. Farley on Oct. 9, 1843. They had no children. Otis was also notable as a friend of Emily Dickinson and her father, Edward, whom shared his conservative views. Otis and his wife visited the Dickinsons often. His romantic relationship developed with Emily Dickinson after the death of his wife in 1877. Fifteen manuscripts survive from their correspondence [They can be viewed online at Amherst College flickr site]. Some passages seem to suggest that they contemplated marrying before he died. He had a great, if sometimes racy, sense of humor, powerful oratory skills, a sharp wit.
History of Essex County, Massachusetts
by Duane Hamilton Hurd
Published 1888, pages xliv-xlv.]