Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri, on November 30, 1835. He was the sixth of seven children of John Marshall Clemens and
Jane Lampton.
Jane Lampton Clemens
(June 18, 1803 – October 27, 1890).
[SHS 018743]
In 1839, when Sam was four, he and his
family
1850 Census, Marion County.
Samuel Clemens’s siblings were Orion (July 17, 1825–December 11, 1897), Pamela Ann (September 13, 1827–August 31, 1904), Pleasant Hannibal (b.1828 or 1829, died at age 3 months), Margaret Lampton (May 31, 1830–August 17, 1839), Benjamin Lampton (June 8, 1832–May 12, 1842), and Henry (July 13, 1838–1858).
[Seventh Census of the United States, Population Schedule, “Marion County, Missouri”]
1850 Census, Marion County in more detail.
Samuel Clemens’s siblings were Orion (July 17, 1825–December 11, 1897), Pamela Ann (September 13, 1827–August 31, 1904), Pleasant Hannibal (b.1828 or 1829, died at age 3 months), Margaret Lampton (May 31, 1830–August 17, 1839), Benjamin Lampton (June 8, 1832–May 12, 1842), and Henry (July 13, 1838–1858).
[Seventh Census of the United States, Population Schedule, “Marion County, Missouri”]
moved to nearby Hannibal. His father thought Hannibal would be a more prosperous place for his business. Sam spent his childhood in this port village nestled on the banks of the
Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River runs south from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico and is considered the chief river in North America's largest drainage system. Bordering Missouri on the east, the river flows for 2,530 miles. Along with the Missouri River and several other tributaries such as the Ohio River, the Mississippi became part of the nation's first major transportation system in the early 1800s after the invention of the steamboat. Missouri has historically engaged in international trade by shipping and receiving goods along the Mississippi through the port of New Orleans, which lies at the river's mouth.
. His memories of growing up swimming, fishing, playing pirates, and pulling pranks there made this small Missouri town world famous.
Sam’s family never had much money. They struggled financially, and when his father died of
pneumoniaPneumonia is an illness that affects an individual's lungs. It is caused by bacterial or viral infections that inflame the air sacs in the lungs and make it difficult to breathe. An individual suffering from pneumonia may have a cough, fever, breathing difficulties, and chest pain. Pneumonia can affect people of all ages and can lead to death if it is left untreated.
in 1847, life got even tougher. Sam was only twelve and took a number of odd jobs in Hannibal to help his family. He also continued his schooling. From the very beginning, Sam worked in the field of writing called journalism. First he was a
printer's devil
A printer’s devil was an apprentice or young assistant to a printer. Typically, a printer’s devil’s chores included cleaning up the shop, running errands, wrapping and delivering the newspapers, and doing any other chores the printer or boss suggested.
for the
Missouri Courier.
The banner of the Missouri Courier, 1850.
[SHS Newspaper Collection]
In 1851 he became a typesetter and editorial assistant at the
Western Union,
The banner of the Western Union, 1851.
[SHS Newspaper Collection]
a local paper owned by his older brother, Orion. Sam published his first known sketch, “A Gallant Fireman,” in this paper. In 1853 Sam left Hannibal to work at a series of typesetting jobs in various cities including St. Louis, New York City, and Philadelphia. Then he returned to the Midwest in 1854, working in St. Louis again, Keokuk, and Cincinnati. In Keokuk, Iowa, he worked with Orion at his new paper, the
Keokuk Journal.