[5][6] In 1858, Otis married Lucy Hamilton Macondray, together they had two daughters and five sons.

[2] Otis became a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1859 and served until 1862.

Otis was then elected Mayor of San Francisco in 1873 and was sworn in on December 1, 1873.

[4] He died of diphtheria in San Francisco on October 30, 1875, while still serving his term as mayor.

[7][8] Otis was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery; and his remains were later moved to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California.