Rising Star Adventures and Beyond

Essay About Mark Twain

Jane Lampton’s maternal grandfather, William Casey, is also one of my grandfathers in my maternal genealogy. Jane Lampton had a famous son, Samuel Langhorne Clemons, who lived from November 30, 1835, to April 21, 1910. His father was a judge. As well-known as Samuel was, there are many less common facts known about him. Samuel was more famously known by his pen name, Mark Twain, although he had also used two other pen names, Josh and Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass.

Samuel Clemons was born in Missouri and died in Connecticut. He was born and died about 75 years apart. Haley's Comet was visible both the year he was born and the year he died. Perhaps that was why his life could leave such a bright legacy.

After two years of courtship, Samuel married Olivia Langdon in February of 1870. Out of this union, four children were born, three daughters, Susy, Clara, and Jean, and a son named Langdon. Langdon only lived 19 months before he died from Diphtheria. Samuel blamed himself for his son's death. Langdon caught Diphtheria after a carriage ride with his parents in which his blanket fell away from him.

Samuel Clemons had several different jobs during his career including humorist, journalist, novelist, typesetter, river pilot, prospector, inventor, newspaper reporter, lecturer, author, publisher, and businessman. It is common knowledge Mark Twain was a famous writer and author. His most famous works were The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

He was a Riverboat pilot until the Civil War broke out. During Which time, he suffered another personal tragedy. He had gotten his younger brother, Henry, a job on a riverboat. While his brother worked on the riverboat, the boiler exploded causing Henry to die from his injuries.

Here are a few more interesting facts. When Samuel was only eleven, it is believed he witnessed his father's autopsy through a keyhole in a door. In 1873, Mr. Clemons received a patent for his invention of a self-pasting scrapbook. In 1888, he received a Master of Arts Degree from Yale University. He faced bankruptcy in 1894 but had his debts paid in full by 1898 by traveling around the world giving lectures. In 1900, he traveled to England to argue copyright law before the House of Lords. In 1901, he received an honorary doctorates degree from Yale University. He received another honorary doctorate degree from Oxford University in England in 1907.

Before his death in 1910, Samuel Clemons became a popular public figure and one of America’s best and most beloved writers. As a result of his many travels, he became a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty.

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Jesus is my permanent anchor!