August 6, 1870 Saturday

August 6 Saturday – Jervis Langdon died of stomach cancer at about 5 PM. His last words were, “Beecher, I’m going home” [MTNJ 1: 287]. Sam telegraphed his sister, Pamela Moffett. “Father died this afternoon” [MTL 4: 181]. Sam’s surrogate father had been an influence for good on Sam. He’d liked and championed Samuel Clemens when even testimonials from the West had pronounced him a “humbug.” Jervis was generous and upright; he provided Sam with strong male affection that he’d never received from his own father. Sam’s loss may not have been as great as Livy’s, but it was considerable.