From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 

Typed by Laurie Birks Dean

pp. 413-414

William T. OTTO, who has been engaged in his present line of business 
since entering upon a business career, is superintendent of the North 
Wheeling Glass Company.  He was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 
1850, and is a son of F. W. and Mary (Hamm) Otto, natives of Germany.
	F. W. Otto came to Wheeling as a boy and was an iron worker by 
trade.  He was a strong Democrat in political attachments.  His 
brother, George Otto, has for many years occupied a responsible 
position in the engineering department of the Top Mill.  Mr. Otto 
died about 1891 and his widow is still living at the age of seventy-
seven years.  Mrs. Otto's father, Thomas Hamm, came to Balitmore 
about 1830, and three years later removed with his family to 
Wheeling, West Virginia.   His sons, William, Thomas and Jacob, all 
of whom are deceased, started to work as boys in a glass plant and 
followed the trade during their lives.  A sister of Mrs. Otto, Mrs. 
Catherine Sweitzer, died a short time ago at the advanced age of of 
eighty-two years.  The subject of this sketch had one brother, who is 
now deceased, but he still has sisters residing in this city.
	William T. Otto was reared and schooled in Wheeling, and before 
he had reached the age of twelve years he began to learn the trade of 
glass blowing, which he has followed throughout his entire life.  He 
assisted in the organization of the North Wheeling Glass Company in 
1878, and has since served in the capacity of its superintendent.  He 
is possessed of excellent business qualifications, and has been very 
successful in his position.
	Mr. Otto was united in marriage with Margaret Donovan, who was 
born and reared in Wheeling and is a daughter of Timothy and 
Catherine Donovan.  Six sons have blessed their union, as follows:  
Harry, deceased; George W.; F. W.; Richard D.; Jacob H.; and Archie 
T.  George W., who is a dentist of Wheeling, attended Western Reserve 
College, of Cleveland, and was graduated from Western University, of 
Pennsylvania, in 1898; he married Daisy Flanagan, and has one 
daughter, Margaret Helen.  F. W., who is living at home, is a glass 
blower in the employ of the North Wheeling Glass Company. Richard D. 
is in the office of the North Wheeling Glass Company.  Jacob H. is 
attending Washington and Jefferson College.  Archie T. is attending 
Linsly Institute, of which his four brothers are graduates.  Mr. Otto 
is a Republican, in politics, and in the early "eighties" served as a 
member of the board of public works of Wheeling.  He has been a 
member of the city council from the first ward since 1890, with the 
exception of the years 1898 and 1899.  Fraternally, he is a member of 
the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.  He 
was reared in the German Evangelical Lutheran church and adheres to 
that faith.