Born Francis "Frank" Ignatius Otis, the son of Army Colonel Elmer Ignatius Otis and Agnes Reid Boone, in Camp Warner, Warner County, Oregon. While working on the Mescalero Indian Reservation in Otero County, New Mexico, he met Margaret McCandless Anderson, marrying her on 9 January 1895. They would have seven children: Elmer Lawrence Otis, John Tilford Otis, Francis Bernard Otis, Joseph Harvey Otis, Paul Otis, America Anderson "Margaret" Otis, and Allison Boone Otis.
In 1899, Frank Otis enlisted in the US Army, and within twelve months, was promoted to Corporal, then to Sergeant, and then to 2nd Lieutenant, all while serving in the 35th US Infantry, while Margaret and the children stayed with her family in Kansas. He was sent to the Philippine Islands, where he contracted Malaria, and was hospitalized several times over the next four years. In 1904, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, 4th Cavalry. In January 1905, he was sent to the US Army Hospital at Fort Jay, in New York City, where he was judged insane from the malaria, after experiencing "severe confusion." He apparently left the hospital without permission in October 1905, and disappeared, never to be seen again. His last couple of letters to his wife indicate that he felt unknown people were trying to rob and murder him and that the Army may court-martial him because they didn't believe him. The US Army officially dropped him from the rolls as a deserter on 31 January 1906.
After waiting several years for Frank's return, Margaret moved with the family to Oregon, and then to Seattle, Washington, where she raised the children. She never remarried. In August 1930, she applied for Frank's pension, which she received. She died in July 1963, in Seattle, Washington.
In 1899, Frank Otis enlisted in the US Army, and within twelve months, was promoted to Corporal, then to Sergeant, and then to 2nd Lieutenant, all while serving in the 35th US Infantry, while Margaret and the children stayed with her family in Kansas. He was sent to the Philippine Islands, where he contracted Malaria, and was hospitalized several times over the next four years. In 1904, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, 4th Cavalry. In January 1905, he was sent to the US Army Hospital at Fort Jay, in New York City, where he was judged insane from the malaria, after experiencing "severe confusion." He apparently left the hospital without permission in October 1905, and disappeared, never to be seen again. His last couple of letters to his wife indicate that he felt unknown people were trying to rob and murder him and that the Army may court-martial him because they didn't believe him. The US Army officially dropped him from the rolls as a deserter on 31 January 1906.
After waiting several years for Frank's return, Margaret moved with the family to Oregon, and then to Seattle, Washington, where she raised the children. She never remarried. In August 1930, she applied for Frank's pension, which she received. She died in July 1963, in Seattle, Washington.
Born Francis "Frank" Ignatius Otis, the son of Army Colonel Elmer Ignatius Otis and Agnes Reid Boone, in Camp Warner, Warner County, Oregon. While working on the Mescalero Indian Reservation in Otero County, New Mexico, he met Margaret McCandless Anderson, marrying her on 9 January 1895. They would have seven children: Elmer Lawrence Otis, John Tilford Otis, Francis Bernard Otis, Joseph Harvey Otis, Paul Otis, America Anderson "Margaret" Otis, and Allison Boone Otis.
In 1899, Frank Otis enlisted in the US Army, and within twelve months, was promoted to Corporal, then to Sergeant, and then to 2nd Lieutenant, all while serving in the 35th US Infantry, while Margaret and the children stayed with her family in Kansas. He was sent to the Philippine Islands, where he contracted Malaria, and was hospitalized several times over the next four years. In 1904, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, 4th Cavalry. In January 1905, he was sent to the US Army Hospital at Fort Jay, in New York City, where he was judged insane from the malaria, after experiencing "severe confusion." He apparently left the hospital without permission in October 1905, and disappeared, never to be seen again. His last couple of letters to his wife indicate that he felt unknown people were trying to rob and murder him and that the Army may court-martial him because they didn't believe him. The US Army officially dropped him from the rolls as a deserter on 31 January 1906.
After waiting several years for Frank's return, Margaret moved with the family to Oregon, and then to Seattle, Washington, where she raised the children. She never remarried. In August 1930, she applied for Frank's pension, which she received. She died in July 1963, in Seattle, Washington.
In 1899, Frank Otis enlisted in the US Army, and within twelve months, was promoted to Corporal, then to Sergeant, and then to 2nd Lieutenant, all while serving in the 35th US Infantry, while Margaret and the children stayed with her family in Kansas. He was sent to the Philippine Islands, where he contracted Malaria, and was hospitalized several times over the next four years. In 1904, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, 4th Cavalry. In January 1905, he was sent to the US Army Hospital at Fort Jay, in New York City, where he was judged insane from the malaria, after experiencing "severe confusion." He apparently left the hospital without permission in October 1905, and disappeared, never to be seen again. His last couple of letters to his wife indicate that he felt unknown people were trying to rob and murder him and that the Army may court-martial him because they didn't believe him. The US Army officially dropped him from the rolls as a deserter on 31 January 1906.
After waiting several years for Frank's return, Margaret moved with the family to Oregon, and then to Seattle, Washington, where she raised the children. She never remarried. In August 1930, she applied for Frank's pension, which she received. She died in July 1963, in Seattle, Washington.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
