On the other hand, this Wikipedia entry on the Otis clan makes no mention of James W.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_family
James Otis (18261875), Mayor of San Francisco, California 18731875. Second cousin twice removed of Samuel Allyne Otis.[11]
This guy, maybe? He would be 30-31 at the “present” time, with plenty of years ahead of him to move out to San Francisco.