James Otis Kaler (1848 - 1912)

Born 19 Mar 1848 in Winterport, Waldo, Maine, United States

Died 11 Dec 1912 at age 64 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States

Biography

James Otis Kaler was born on 19 March 1848 in Winterport, Waldo, Maine.^[1][2] He was the son of Otis Kaler and Maria Thompson.^[3] At age 3, he was in his parent's home in Frankfort, Waldo, Maine.^[4]

In 1861, at the age of 13, James Otis Kaler went to Boston and eventually obtained a job as reporter with the Boston Journal. At age 16, it is probable that he went off to cover the Civil War for the Boston Journal. This adventurous young life probably inspired him when he later wrote his many stories of boys facing the world. After some education and more newspaper work, Mr. Kaler worked for the Boston Globe. During this time, he wrote plays, prose, and serial stories published in the Globe.^[5]

He was the first superintendent of schools in the newly formed town of South Portland, Maine. In addition to his professional educational duties, Kaler continued to write.^[5]

At age 49, He married Amy Luella Scamman (1869-1961) on March 1, 1898 in Maine. They had 2 children.

1. Stephen Scamman Kaler (1901-1990)^[6]
2. Otis Thompson Kaler (1903-1991)^[7]

They lived in South Portland, Cumberland, Maine where in 1900, were He was an Author.^[8]

They lived on Ocean Street, South Portland, in 1910, where he was an Author for Borys Books.^[9] Stephen was 8 and Otis was 6 by then.

James Otis kaler authored more than 160 Books during his 65 years. In 1880, Kaler, under the pen name of James Otis, published his most famous work, Toby Tyler: or Ten Weeks with a Circus as a Serial that ran in installments in Harper's Young People magazine: and later in 1881 Harper & Brothers Published. it in Book form. ^[5]

James died at the age of 64 on December 11, 1912 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine^[3][2] and was buried in the Bay view Cemetery in South Portland.^[1]

Research Notes

Notes from external profile

son of Otis & Maria (Thompson) Kaler.

He was an author of many stories. (See Maine Biographies, Vol. 1, Page 373)

Marriage:

Date: 1 MAR 1898

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find a Grave, database and images, memorial page for James Otis Kaler (19 Mar 1848–1912), Find A Grave: Memorial #16417590, citing Bay View Cemetery, South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, USA; Maintained by JMO (contributor 46880677).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Death: Family Tree Maker CD523. Title: Maine Biographies, Vol. I, Records. Publication: Maine & New Hampshire Settlers, 1600's-1900's (CD523). Abbreviation: Maine Biographies, Vol. I, Records. Note: NS192493. Source Media Type: Civil Registry. Master Listing Source: Y. Citing: Page: 373 (accessed before 11 September 2010)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24N-42MT : Tue Oct 31 10:57:56 UTC 2023), Entry for James Otis Kaler and Otis Kaler, 11 Dec 1912.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1850", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6VW-GGW : Wed Oct 04 18:54:18 UTC 2023), Entry for Otis Kaler and Maria Kaler, 1850.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} City of South Portland,Public Library; https://southportlandlibrary.com/the-james-otis-kaler-collection/
6. ↑ "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZQK-P3X : Tue Oct 31 07:05:37 UTC 2023), Entry for Stephen Scamman Kaler and James Otis Kaler, 04 Jun 1901.
7. ↑ "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages 1980-2014"80, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV54-ZHRB : Wed Oct 18 11:44:29 UTC 2023), Entry for Otis T Kaler and Catherine Ladd Kaler, 23 Sep 1991.0
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1900", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMLF-VNF : Wed Oct 04 06:12:48 UTC 2023), Entry for James Otis Kaler and Amy L Kaler, 1900.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MR3S-5BT : accessed 31 October 2015), James Otis Kaler, 1910

Acknowledgements

This person was created through the import of dyermaeettaaug2010.ged on 11 September 2010.