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Ott was born in the unincorporated community of Mount Hermon in Washington Parish in southeastern Louisiana, one of the Florida Parishes. He was the sixth of ten children (one died on the day of birth), born to Elbert Weston Ott (1855-1924) of Mount Hermon, Louisiana, who was of [[Germany|German]] and [[France|French]] descent, and the former Martha Estelle Leggett (1860-1955, a native of [[Mississippi]]. His father was engaged in the mercantile and planting businesses and instituted the [[United States Postal Service|post office]] in Mount Hermon. Young Ott worked in his father's store and office and became self-educating in the field of accounting. The senior Ott was known for his strong support for [[prohibition]] of [[alcohol|alcoholic beverages]].<ref name=book>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-YxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1058&lpg=PA1058&dq=Lionel+Gordon+Ott+of+New+Orleans&source=bl&ots=R68X-S6TWg&sig=zyauwNgHvPCUPfdPfwGyi7AJfZM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1JXzVKipKcKsyATQmYCoDQ&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Lionel%20Gordon%20Ott%20of%20New%20Orleans&f=false|title=History of New Orleans, Vol. 3|author=John Smith Kendall|publisher=Lewis Publishing Company|location=[[Chicago]] and [[New York City]]|date=1922|pages=1058–1059|accessdate=March 1, 2015}}</ref>

Ott was born in the unincorporated community of Mount Hermon in Washington Parish in southeastern Louisiana, one of the Florida Parishes. He was the sixth of ten children (one died on the day of birth), born to Elbert Weston Ott (1855-1924) of Mount Hermon, Louisiana, who was of [[Germany|German]] and [[France|French]] descent, and the former Martha Estelle Leggett (1860-1955, a native of [[Mississippi]]. His father was engaged in the mercantile and planting businesses and instituted the [[United States Postal Service|post office]] in Mount Hermon. Young Ott worked in his father's store and office and became self-educating in the field of accounting. The senior Ott was known for his strong support for [[prohibition]] of [[alcohol|alcoholic beverages]].<ref name=book>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-YxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1058&lpg=PA1058&dq=Lionel+Gordon+Ott+of+New+Orleans&source=bl&ots=R68X-S6TWg&sig=zyauwNgHvPCUPfdPfwGyi7AJfZM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1JXzVKipKcKsyATQmYCoDQ&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Lionel%20Gordon%20Ott%20of%20New%20Orleans&f=false|title=History of New Orleans, Vol. 3|author=John Smith Kendall|publisher=Lewis Publishing Company|location=[[Chicago]] and [[New York City]]|date=1922|pages=1058–1059|accessdate=March 1, 2015}}</ref>

In 1918, Ott moved to New Orleans to enter the accounting firm of Smith and Skinner. In 1921, he formed his own company, Ott and Prados.<ref name=lgott/> He was active in the [[Masonic lodge]] and the Young Men's Business Club.<ref name=book/>

In 1918, Ott moved to New Orleans to enter the accounting firm of Smith and Skinner. In 1921, he formed his own company, Ott and Prados.<ref name=lgott/> He was active in the Masonic lodge and the Young Men's Business Club.<ref name=book/>

In 1940, Ott was elected to one of the eight state Senate slots from [[Orleans Parish, Louisiana|Orleans Parish]]. He served during the administrations of [[governor of Louisiana|Governors]] [[Sam H. Jones]] and [[Jimmie Davis]]. He resigned in 1945 early in his second term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana State Senate since 1880|publisher=senate.la.gov|accessdate=March 1, 2015}}</ref> The next year, he was elected commissioner of finance on the New Orleans City Council under the [[city commission government]]. He was reelected as finance commissioner in 1950.<ref name=lgott>{{cite web|url=http://nutrias.org/inv/council/ott.htm|title=Commissioner Lionel G. Ott|publisher=nutrias.org|accessdate=March 1, 2015}}</ref> The [[Mayor of New Orleans|mayor]] at the time of Ott's two council terms was [[deLesseps Story Morrison]], a subsequent three-time candidate for governor.

In 1940, Ott was elected to one of the eight state Senate slots from Orleans Parish. He served during the administrations of [[governor of Louisiana|Governors]] [[Sam H. Jones]] and [[Jimmie Davis]]. He resigned in 1945 early in his second term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana State Senate since 1880|publisher=senate.la.gov|accessdate=March 1, 2015}}</ref> The next year, he was elected commissioner of finance on the New Orleans City Council under the [[city commission government]]. He was reelected as finance commissioner in 1950.<ref name=lgott>{{cite web|url=http://nutrias.org/inv/council/ott.htm|title=Commissioner Lionel G. Ott|publisher=nutrias.org|accessdate=March 1, 2015}}</ref> The mayor at the time of Ott's two council terms was [[Chep Morrison]], a subsequent three-time candidate for governor.

In 1952, Ott joined the ticket of gubernatorial candidate [[James M. McLemore]]  a [[cattle]]man from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] in Central Louisiana, in an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor. Much of the campaigning was conducted in the last few months of 1951.<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 3, 1952, p. 1.</ref><ref>The New Orleans Public Library (nutrias.org) erroneously states that Lionel Ott was the running-mate of [[Robert F. Kennon]] in 1952, instead of James McLemore. Elmer David Conner (1905-1965) of Jennings in Jefferson Davis Parish]] in southwestern Louisiana, was Kennon's running-mate and later his director of the Louisiana Department of Commerce and Industry.</ref> While  Kennon won the governorship, [[C. E. "Cap" Barham]], a more liberal candidate from [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], the choice of gubernatorial candidate [[Hale Boggs]], then the  [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]] for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district,<ref>"Boggs '52 ticket listed," ''Minden Herald,'' October 19, 1951, p. 1.</ref> was placed into a runoff election with the later Governor John McKeithen for the second position. Barham prevailed and served one term until his own defeat in 1956 by the educator [[Lether Frazar]].

In 1952, Ott joined the ticket of gubernatorial candidate [[James M. McLemore]]  a [[cattle]]man from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] in Central Louisiana, in an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor. Much of the campaigning was conducted in the last few months of 1951.<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 3, 1952, p. 1.</ref><ref>The New Orleans Public Library (nutrias.org) erroneously states that Lionel Ott was the running-mate of [[Robert F. Kennon]] in 1952, instead of James McLemore. Elmer David Conner (1905-1965) of Jennings in Jefferson Davis Parish]] in southwestern Louisiana, was Kennon's running-mate and later his director of the Louisiana Department of Commerce and Industry.</ref> While  Kennon won the governorship, [[C. E. "Cap" Barham]], a more liberal candidate from [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], the choice of gubernatorial candidate [[Hale Boggs]], then the  [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]] for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district,<ref>"Boggs '52 ticket listed," ''Minden Herald,'' October 19, 1951, p. 1.</ref> was placed into a runoff election with the later Governor John McKeithen for the second position. Barham prevailed and served one term until his own defeat in 1956 by the educator [[Lether Frazar]].