The Early Years
On November 30, 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri. He was the sixth child of John and Jane Clemens. When he was 4, Sam and his family moved to the small town of Hannibal, Missouri located on the banks of the Mississippi River. Steamboats arrived three times a day, and violence was commonplace. At 9, Sam witnessed a local man murder a cattle rancher. By the age of 10, he watched a white overseer strike and kill a slave with a piece of iron.
In 1847, Sam’s father died unexpectedly of pneumonia. Samuel then left school after completing fifth grade to work as a printer’s apprentice at the local newspaper, the Hannibal Courier. He arranged the type for each of the stories which allowed him to read the news while completing his work.
Twain’s Young Adult Life
In 1851, he got a job as a printer and occasional writer at the Hannibal Western Union, a small newspaper owned by his brother, Orion. At 18, Sam worked as a writer on several different newspapers in New York City and Philadelphia.
Then, in 1857, a 21-year-old Samuel Clemens began learning the art of piloting a steamboat on the Mississippi. In 1859, he became a licensed pilot and found regular employment. But the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 halted civilian traffic on the river and subsequently, Sam’s new career. The people of Missouri split support for the Union and the Confederacy, and Sam joined a volunteer Confederate Unit named the Marion Ranger. He served for two weeks before the unit disbanded.
In search of a new career, Sam moved to Nevada in July of 1861, where his brother, Orion, had been appointed Secretary of the Nevada Territory. After attempting and failing to make it as a silver prospector, Sam once again picked up his pen and began writing for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise where he first used his pen name, Mark Twain—steamboat slang for 12 feet of water. By 1864, Sam moved to San Francisco and continued writing for local newspapers.
Sam’s “big break” came in 1865 when one of his short stories, “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog,” was published in newspapers and magazines across the country. In 1867, Sam took a five month cruise in the Mediterranean, the experiences of which inspired in 1869 bestseller The Innocents Abroad. At the age of 34, Samuel “Mark Twain” Clemens had become one of the most famous writers in America.
Marriage to Olivia Langdon
In was on this cruise through the Mediterranean that Sam first met his future brother-in-law, Charles Langdon. Reportedly, Sam fell in love at first sight when Langdon showed him a picture of his 24 year old sister, Olivia. In 1870, Sam Clemens and Olivia Langdon were married. They lived in Buffalo, New York where Sam was a partner, editor, and writer for the Buffalo Express Newspaper. While living in Buffalo, their first child, Langdon Clemens, was born.
Sam moved his family to Hartford, Connecticut in 1871. In 1872, Olivia gave birth to their first daughter, Susy, but their son, Langdon, died from diphtheria at the age of two. Two years later, their second daughter, Clara was born with a third daughter, Jean, following in 1880.
Path to Success
During his time in Hartford, Sam published many of his most famous pieces. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was released in 1876, and he began working on a sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. However, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn took years to conceptualize and write, and Sam often put it aside. In the meantime, he published The Prince and the Pauper (1881) and Life on the Mississippi (1883). Huck Finn was finally finished in 1884 as the first book published by Sam’s own publishing company, The Charles L. Webster Company. A year later, the publishing company issued the bestselling memoirs of former President Ulysses S. Grant. Sam was certain that his efforts would be rewarded by enormous wealth. However, his publishing house eventually went bankrupt in 1894. In an effort to pay back his debts, Sam moved his family to Europe and set out on a worldwide lecture tour to earn money. Despite the financial struggles, Clemens was an extremely popular writer and was rewarded several public honors, including degrees from Oxford and Yale.
His Later Years
Then, in 1896, misfortune struck again when Susy Clemens (24) died from spinal meningitis while on a visit to Hartford. Although the Clemens family returned to the United States in 1900, they never returned to their home in Hartford due to the tragedy of Susy’s passing and their inability to face the place of her death.
In 1901, Clemens began serving as the vice president of the Anti-Imperialist League and held that position until his death. During this time, Sam’s writing turned darker. Influenced by the events he witnessed on the world-wide tour, his writing began to focus on human greed and cruelty as he challenged the humanity of the world powers. Several of Sam’s works were never published during his lifetime because the magazines and newspapers were worried about the public backlash. Insensitivity to friends and loved ones grew, and Sam became increasingly bitter. His memory began to falter, his temper released in rages, and he was often overtaken by fits of paranoia and depressed indolence.
When Olivia became ill in 1903, and the Clemens family returned to Italy. She died in June of 1904. Sam returned to New York after her death, and eventually moved to Redding, Connecticut. His youngest daughter, Jean, was diagnosed with severe epilepsy, and in 1909, she died of a heart attack brought on by an epileptic seizure at the age of 29. Four months later, on April 21st, 1910, Sam Clemens died at the age of 74. He was buried in Elmira, New York.
On November 30, 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri. He was the sixth child of John and Jane Clemens. When he was 4, Sam and his family moved to the small town of Hannibal, Missouri located on the banks of the Mississippi River. Steamboats arrived three times a day, and violence was commonplace. At 9, Sam witnessed a local man murder a cattle rancher. By the age of 10, he watched a white overseer strike and kill a slave with a piece of iron.
In 1847, Sam’s father died unexpectedly of pneumonia. Samuel then left school after completing fifth grade to work as a printer’s apprentice at the local newspaper, the Hannibal Courier. He arranged the type for each of the stories which allowed him to read the news while completing his work.
Twain’s Young Adult Life
In 1851, he got a job as a printer and occasional writer at the Hannibal Western Union, a small newspaper owned by his brother, Orion. At 18, Sam worked as a writer on several different newspapers in New York City and Philadelphia.
Then, in 1857, a 21-year-old Samuel Clemens began learning the art of piloting a steamboat on the Mississippi. In 1859, he became a licensed pilot and found regular employment. But the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 halted civilian traffic on the river and subsequently, Sam’s new career. The people of Missouri split support for the Union and the Confederacy, and Sam joined a volunteer Confederate Unit named the Marion Ranger. He served for two weeks before the unit disbanded.
In search of a new career, Sam moved to Nevada in July of 1861, where his brother, Orion, had been appointed Secretary of the Nevada Territory. After attempting and failing to make it as a silver prospector, Sam once again picked up his pen and began writing for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise where he first used his pen name, Mark Twain—steamboat slang for 12 feet of water. By 1864, Sam moved to San Francisco and continued writing for local newspapers.
Sam’s “big break” came in 1865 when one of his short stories, “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog,” was published in newspapers and magazines across the country. In 1867, Sam took a five month cruise in the Mediterranean, the experiences of which inspired in 1869 bestseller The Innocents Abroad. At the age of 34, Samuel “Mark Twain” Clemens had become one of the most famous writers in America.
Marriage to Olivia Langdon
In was on this cruise through the Mediterranean that Sam first met his future brother-in-law, Charles Langdon. Reportedly, Sam fell in love at first sight when Langdon showed him a picture of his 24 year old sister, Olivia. In 1870, Sam Clemens and Olivia Langdon were married. They lived in Buffalo, New York where Sam was a partner, editor, and writer for the Buffalo Express Newspaper. While living in Buffalo, their first child, Langdon Clemens, was born.
Sam moved his family to Hartford, Connecticut in 1871. In 1872, Olivia gave birth to their first daughter, Susy, but their son, Langdon, died from diphtheria at the age of two. Two years later, their second daughter, Clara was born with a third daughter, Jean, following in 1880.
Path to Success
During his time in Hartford, Sam published many of his most famous pieces. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was released in 1876, and he began working on a sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. However, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn took years to conceptualize and write, and Sam often put it aside. In the meantime, he published The Prince and the Pauper (1881) and Life on the Mississippi (1883). Huck Finn was finally finished in 1884 as the first book published by Sam’s own publishing company, The Charles L. Webster Company. A year later, the publishing company issued the bestselling memoirs of former President Ulysses S. Grant. Sam was certain that his efforts would be rewarded by enormous wealth. However, his publishing house eventually went bankrupt in 1894. In an effort to pay back his debts, Sam moved his family to Europe and set out on a worldwide lecture tour to earn money. Despite the financial struggles, Clemens was an extremely popular writer and was rewarded several public honors, including degrees from Oxford and Yale.
His Later Years
Then, in 1896, misfortune struck again when Susy Clemens (24) died from spinal meningitis while on a visit to Hartford. Although the Clemens family returned to the United States in 1900, they never returned to their home in Hartford due to the tragedy of Susy’s passing and their inability to face the place of her death.
In 1901, Clemens began serving as the vice president of the Anti-Imperialist League and held that position until his death. During this time, Sam’s writing turned darker. Influenced by the events he witnessed on the world-wide tour, his writing began to focus on human greed and cruelty as he challenged the humanity of the world powers. Several of Sam’s works were never published during his lifetime because the magazines and newspapers were worried about the public backlash. Insensitivity to friends and loved ones grew, and Sam became increasingly bitter. His memory began to falter, his temper released in rages, and he was often overtaken by fits of paranoia and depressed indolence.
When Olivia became ill in 1903, and the Clemens family returned to Italy. She died in June of 1904. Sam returned to New York after her death, and eventually moved to Redding, Connecticut. His youngest daughter, Jean, was diagnosed with severe epilepsy, and in 1909, she died of a heart attack brought on by an epileptic seizure at the age of 29. Four months later, on April 21st, 1910, Sam Clemens died at the age of 74. He was buried in Elmira, New York.