Early Life
Mark Twain, born in November 30, 1835, hailed from the small town of Florida in Monroe County, Missouri. His real name – Samuel Clemens – did not become known until later on in life when he started writing for newspapers. At the age of four, his family moved to the nearby town of Hannibal, located on the banks of Mississippi River.
His childhood was spent among the Mississippi River with steamboats, thick forests and primitive villages. It was the world Twain made famous with the help of his writings and stories. His iconic novel “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” was partly derived from the childhood experiences he had in Hannibal. Twain also attended school in Hannibal and worked as an apprentice of a local printer, who also taught him how to use a type-set machine.
Live in New York City
In 1853, Twain started working as a printer and journalist for the Hannibal Courier. He later left Hannibal and worked as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. During his professional journey, Twain moved to New York City to pursue his career as a writer. He was already a popular figure in the East Coast with his humorous stories and articles, both published in national magazines.
In the Big Apple, Twain managed to land a job as a newspaper editor with two New York newspapers, Terra Haute Express and the New York Sunday Mercury. His works at the Mercury were well received by its readers, who loved Twain’s charm and wit. As a journalist, Twain used various pseudonyms to cover news about the social and cultural issues of the city. His works for the Mercury were written in the typical Mark Twain style, one of dry satire and wit.
Live in Virginia
Later in his life, Twain moved away from New York City and settled in the small town of Vienna in Fairfax County, Virginia. He chose Virginia as his official place of residence after the outbreak of the Civil War. This move brought Twain closer to civilization and allowed him to access notable writers and artists living in the East Coast. During this time, Twain wrote some of his most famous works, including “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “The Innocents Abroad”.
Besides writing, Twain also frequented the University of Virginia in Charlotteville, the famous Stonewall Jackson House in Lexington, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown. His adopted home in Vienna is preserved by the Smithsonian Institution, allowing visitors to experience Twain’s residence. The city of Vienna also includes a historic marker at the intersection of Vienna and Chain Bridge Roads, which is dedicated to Mark Twain and stands near the site where he once lived.
Live in Connecticut
In 1871, Twain moved his family to Hartford, Connecticut, where he wrote some of his most successful and best-known works, such as “The Gilded Age”, “The Prince and the Pauper” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” By the mid-1880s, Hartford had become Twain’s official place of residence and his family moved into a large mansion close to the city’s main street, Farmington Avenue. During his time in Hartford, Twain was also a member of the American Authors Club, a literary society and publishing club. He was also a passionate advocate of smallpox immunization.
Twain’s time in Hartford was also marked by his frequent travels around the world. He visited Europe and the Mediterranean Sea many times and also wrote about his travels in his non-fiction works and newspaper articles. Twain spent most of his time in Hartford and by 1900 he had sold over 6 million copies of his works. Today, many of Twain’s manuscripts, letters, photos and books are kept at the Mark Twain House in Hartford, open to the public.
Live in California
Towards the end of his life, Twain moved to California. His adopted home in California was closer to his brother, Orion, and his wife, who lived in Pasadena. Twain first lived in the downtown area of Los Angeles before moving to the now famous Nook Farm in Hartford. In 1909, Twain also moved to New York City with his family and then moved back to California in 1910. During this time, he wrote about his travels and dangers of the Panama Canal for the Daily Press.
Over the course of his life, Twain had moved from Missouri to New York, to Virginia, to Connecticut, and finally to California. He wrote about each one of these places, capturing the essence of Missouri in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the vibrant energy of New York in The Innocents Abroad, and the mysticism of California in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
Posthumous Residencies
Twain died on April 21, 1910, in Redding, Connecticut. According to his wishes, his family scattered his ashes in various parts of the world in the years that followed. Twain is buried in three places: The Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira, New York; his family’s home in Hartford, Connecticut; and in the Lee family cemetery in Charlottesville, Virginia. Additionally, his ashes were also scattered in the waters of the Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis, near the Mississippi River in Hannibal, Missouri, and at the summit of Mount Vesuvius near Naples, Italy.
As a testament to his everlasting legacy, the Mark Twain House & Museum was established in 1975 in Hartford. It is currently a nationwide attraction, providing visitors with an insight into Twain’s life and writings. Additionally, the Mark Twain House is a National Historic Landmark and a statue of the author is placed in downtown Hartford.
Family and Archive
Twain left behind a vast family of descendants branching from his four children: Susy, Langdon, Clara, and Jean. His oldest daughter, Suzannah, carried his literary legacy by editing his works and writing biographies on the author. Twain’s papers were also saved by his daughter Clara and were placed in two different libraries: the Beinecke Library Yale University, and the Berg Collection in the New York Public Library. His papers contained letters, manuscripts, scrapbooks and diaries written both by him and his family.
Under the leadership of Suzannah, Twain’s home in Redding was turned into the Mark Twain Library, which is open to the public. The collection includes Twain’s original manuscripts and copies of his writings, along with other memorabilia. In addition, a portion of Twain’s home was turned into a museum and focus on the author’s legacy and writings, making it a must-see for any Twain fan.
Legacy
In the years that followed his death, Twain became a figure of literature and one of the most celebrated authors in the United States. He is often credited for bringing the American vernacular to writing and for creating the cultural icons of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer and Emmeline Grangerford. His work is often quoted by people around the world and his legacy is celebrated through the annual Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn Day in his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri.
Twain still influences literature and his works have been translated into more than 20 languages. His name is used to market many products by companies looking to capture Twain’s spirit and wit. His works continue to be read and explored by generations of people, who can still find relevance in his words today.
