Otto Tremont Bannard (April 28, 1854 – January 15, 1929) was an American attorney, banker, businessman and philanthropist who donated to Yale University, his alma mater.

[2] He became a successful New York wholesaler of "narrow fabrics" (i.e., lace, ribbon, and embroidery), but suffered severe financial hardship as a result of the Panic of 1857.

He relocated with his family to Quincy, Illinois, on the Mississippi River, which at that time is a significant market town and transportation hub.

[4] Otto's mother began writing poems, essays, and short stories under the pen name "Lizzie" to supplement the family's income.

[3] Otto studied in the preparatory department of Beloit College before attending Yale University, where he was a member of the senior society Skull and Bones, and from which he was graduated with a B.A.

[4] Bannard, who never married, died on January 15, 1929, at sea on the SS President Cleveland en route from Seattle to Manila in the Philippines, a journey he was making for the sake of his health.