Otis M. Whitney

Otis Minot Whitney (March 25, 1909 – July 5, 1982) was an American politician, jurist, and military officer who served as Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Safety and was a commander of the Massachusetts National Guard's Yankee Division.

Otis M. Whitney
Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner
In office 1959–1962
Preceded by	Joseph A. Humphreys
Succeeded by	C. Eugene Farnam
Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Safety
In office 1953–1959
Preceded by	Daniel I. Murphy
Succeeded by	J. Henry Goguen
Member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council for the 3rd District
In office 1946–1953
Preceded by	Carl A. Sheridan
Succeeded by	David B. Williams
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 13th Middlesex District
In office 1937–1943
Preceded by	George G. Tarbell
Succeeded by	Harold Tompkins
Personal details
Born	March 25, 1909 Concord, Massachusetts
Died	July 5, 1982 (aged 73) South Pasadena, Florida
Resting place	Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Concord, Massachusetts
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Harvard College Harvard Law School
Awards	Silver Star
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	Massachusetts National Guard
Years of service	1933–1962
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	Battle of Guadalcanal

Early life

Whitney was born on March 25, 1909 in Concord, Massachusetts. He graduated from Browne & Nichols School and enrolled in Harvard College. While there he joined the National Guard. He graduated cum laude in 1930 and went on to graduated from Harvard Law School in 1933. While in law school he president of the Concord Republican Town Committee and helped found the Young Republicans. After law school he joined the law office of Parkman, Robbins, Coughlin and Hannan.[1]

Political career

From 1937 to 1943, Whitney represented the 13th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.[1]

Following Whitney's discharge from the Army, the Massachusetts General Court appointed Whitney to a vacant seat on the Massachusetts Governor's Council.[1]

In 1953, Whitney was appointed Commissioner of Public Safety. In 1955, Whitney combined his roles as Commissioner of Public Safety and assistant commander of the Yankee Division during a riot at the Charlestown State Prison. He ordered that a National Guard tank be brought to break down the prison doors as a show of strength. The tank, however, got stuck on the Prison Point Bridge. The riot ended after 85 hours.[1]

In 1959, Democratic Governor Foster Furcolo replaced Whitney was Public Safety Commissioner. Furcolo however appointed Whitney to the position of state insurance commissioner. Whitney's appointment was opposed on political grounds by Lieutenant Governor Robert F. Murphy, who state that "with 850,000 registered Democrats in Massachusetts, it is unthinkable that there isn't a qualified Democrat to hold down any office". Whitney's was confirmed by the Massachusetts Governor's Council on a 6 to 3 vote.[2]

A labor dispute between the Metropolitan Transit Authority and Carmen's Union led the Massachusetts General Court to approve Governor John A. Volpe's request for emergency control of the M.T.A. Volpe chose Whitney to manage the M.T.A. for the 45-day emergency period that began on April 1, 1962.[3][4]

Later that year, Volpe appointed Whitney presiding justice of the Concord District Court. He was sworn in on September 14, 1962.[5]

Military career

During World War II, Whitney led a unit of the United States Army's Americal Division during the Guadalcanal Campaign. He was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action.[1] In 1944, Whitney was stricken with malaria and sent back to the United States, where he promoted to the rank of colonel and given command of the general staff school at Fort Leavenworth. He was discharged from the Army in 1946.[3]

In 1951, Whitney was promoted to brigadier general and appointed assistant commander of the Yankee Division.[1] On November 13, 1957 he became a major general and was put in command of the division.[6] He retired from the National Guard on November 14, 1962.[7]

Later life

On February 29, 1968, Whitney retired from the Concord District Court for "purely personal reasons".[8] He then moved to St. Petersburg, Florida and after passing the Florida bar resumed the practice law. He served as chairman of the Planning and Zoning Board of St. Petersburg Beach, was a member of the Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee, and was a delegate to the 1976 Republican National Convention.[1]

Whitney died on July 5, 1982 at the Palms of Pasadena Hospital in South Pasadena, Florida.[1]

References

1. "Otis Whitney, 73, Was Mass. Judge, Public Safety Chief and YD General". The Boston Globe. July 8, 1982.
2. "Goguen Confirmation Deferred". The Boston Daily Globe. April 17, 1959.
3. "Handling Emergencies Old Hat to Gen. Whitney". The Boston Globe. April 1, 1962.
4. Linscott, Seymour R. (April 1, 1962). "Volpe Seizes MTA, Names Whitney Czar; Acts Under Drastic Power Authorized by Legislature in Extraordinary Late Session". The Boston Globe.
5. "Volpe Gives Oath To Gen Whitney As Concord Judge". The Boston Globe. September 15, 1962.
6. "Goguen Confirmation Deferred". The Boston Daily Globe. November 14, 1957.
7. "Gen Whitney Cheered by 700 On Eve of Departing from YD". The Boston Globe. November 5, 1962.
8. "Whitney Retiring". The Boston Globe. February 8, 1962.