Judge Phillips Otis Lord:
Born in 1812, eighteen years before Emily Dickinson, Judge Otis Phillips Lord was an American governor and politician; whom in his later years developed a romantic relationship with Emily Dickinson through his relationship with her father Edward Dickinson, who knew Lord through a mutual association with Amherst college (some even refer to him as Edwards best friend).
An Original letter to Otis Lord from Emily Dickinson
July 11, 1812
Judge Otis Phillips Lord Is Born in Ipswich Massachusetts, right at the beginning of the War of 1812; where Federalists collided with Jeffersonian Republicans.Pictured: Document from the War of 1812The Judge was a Cancer, the fourth sign in the zodiac. Cancer is a water sign and ruled by the moon.December 10, 1830
On December 10, 1830, Emily Dickinson was born, creating an 18-year age difference between her and Otis Lord. At the time of her birth, her father, Edward Dickinson, was studying at Amherst College alongside Otis Lord, establishing a friendship that would last their lifetimes. This connection meant that Otis Lord was familiar with Emily from her earliest days. Lord graduated from Amherst Law School just two years after Emily was born, in 1832, and continued his education at Harvard Law School, graduating in 1835—the same year he was admitted to the bar and the same year Edward Dickinson took up his role as the treasurer of Amherst College.Amherst College 1832Harvard Law School in 1835October 9, 1843
On October 9, 1843, Otis Lord married Elizabeth W. Farley. The couple had no children, likely a result of Elizabeth's poor health. They resided in Salem, Massachusetts located on 14, North Street; a property which was previously occupied by the original North Church meeting grounds and is no longer standing. According to documents, much of the old church timber remained in the home. The couple visited the Dickinson home in Amherst frequently, despite Elizabeth's depleting health.Salem, Massachussetts, 1800's1849-1859:
Lord served as a member of the House of Representatives for several periods of time throughout the 1840's and 50's. He served in the Massachusetts Senate in 1849, was a member of the constitutional convention in 1853 and was even a speaker of the Massachusetts house in 1854. By 1859, Lord had been appointed by Governor Nathaniel P. Banks as a superior court justice. PIctured: Nathaniel P. Banks portrait during the Civil War1868:
In 1868, Lord Was The Democratic Candidate For The U.S. House Of Representatives From Essex County. However, he did not make a single speech and withdrew from the campaign a week before the election would take place. Lord lost to Republican Benjamin Butler, yet received more votes than the independent candidate Richard Henry Dana Jr. By 1869, Amherst college granted Lord an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree, despite his loss in the preceding political elections.Benjamin ButlerRichard Henry Dana Jr.1875-1882:
In 1875, Governor William J. Gaston appointed Lord to the Supreme bench, where he would serve for seven years until his resignation in 1882 due to poor health; succeeded by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.Oliver Wendell Holmes JrGoverner William J. GastonJune 16, 1874:
On the morning of June 16, 1874, Edward Dickinson passed away following his collapse giving a speech at the Massachusetts state legislature; consequently Lord began frequenting the Dickinson homestead more often.Edward's signature in a book given to Emily, 1859December 10, 1877
On Emily Dickinson's 47th birthday, Lord's Wife Elizabeth passes away. The death of Elizabeth served as a catalyst in the romantic relationship that was thus forged between Lord and Dickinson. Of the only few surviving letters between the two, it can be surmised that their relationship was built upon shared literary interests, specifically Shakespeare, as it is quoted in many of their surviving correspondences.In 1880, Lord even gifted Dickinson his copy of Cowden Clake's Complete Concordance to Shakespeare1882-1884
In 1882, Emily's mother died and Lord resigned due to health concerns. Although he only died two years after his formal resignation, it can be interpreted that his resignation correlated to Emily's mother's death and his desire to marry Emily following this event. Judge Phillips Otis Lord eventually passed away in 1884; Emily referred to this event as "Our latest lost" in a letter to a family member. Emily Died shortly after, on May 16, 1886.