Elmira, Hartford and England: Day By Day

August 23 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to his sister, Pamela Moffett. Pamela was hoping Sam might help her obtain a nomination for her son, Samuel Moffett, to the U.S. Naval Academy. Sam advised her not to try for an appointment from St. Louis where she had formerly lived, but from a Congressman of her present district, Walter Loomis Sessions.

August 24 Thursday – Sam telegraphed from Hartford to Sutro at the Gilsey House in New York. Sam wanted to know when Sutro would sail and where he was headed.

August 24 Sunday – Livy wrote to Susan Crane that they were leaving Edinburgh the next day. “we do so regret leaving Dr. Brown and his sister, thinking that we shall probably never see them again” [MTL 5: 431-2]. From Livy’s diary of Aug. 31:

August 25 Friday – Sam again telegraphed Sutro, having had a response on his dispatch of the day before. “All right will see you in New York before you sail.” Sutro telegraphed an answer—he’d be in New York until Aug. 30 then sail to Liverpool [MTL 4: 449].

August 25 Monday – The Clemenses went to Glasgow, Scotland, where they stayed two days [MTL 5: 432].

August 26 to 28 Monday – Sam went to New York, where he met Livy, Ida Langdon and another Langdon cousin. He probably met with Sutro before he sailed for England, to gather mining information for RI. Sam returned to Hartford by Aug. 29 [MTL 4: 449n1].

August 26 Wednesday – Gilbert B. Densmore wrote to Clemens. In part:

August 28 Thursday – Sam and party left Glasgow for Belfast, Ireland, experiencing a rough ferry boat ride where everyone except Sam got seasick. The family reached Belfast about 8 PM and took dinner with Francis Dalzell Finlay (1832?-1917), son-in-law to Alexander Russel [MTL 5: 432]. Finlay was the owner of The Northern Whig until 1875. According to his son, in a letter printed in the Oct.

August 28 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to William W. Belknap (1829-1890), who had been secretary of war since 1869, in behalf of his nephew, Samuel Moffett, in gaining entrance to the Naval Academy.

August 29 Tuesday – Sam telegraphed from Hartford to Adolph H. Sutro, asking how long the tunnel into the Comstock Lode would be (planned to be 4 miles long). He also asked Sutro to send his London address. Sam wanted the tunnel information for Roughing It [MTL 4: 450]. Note: Since Sam and Sutro were in New York during the same time (Sutro from Aug. 22, Sam Aug.

August 29 Thursday – Sam wrote from the SS Scotia, en route to Liverpool, England, to Livy. Sam missed her already [MTL 5: 151].

August 29 Saturday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Emma Parish, acknowledged by Sam to be a cousin, although she is not listed in family genealogies. He offered that his mother was 71, an “enthusiast on genealogy” and living in Fredonia, & “pretty strong yet,” Sam said. “I would not know where to rake up a relative for breakfast if I were starving.” Emma was a student and native of Salem, Virginia. He suggested an exchange of family photographs.

August 3 to 5 Saturday – Sam spent two days in New York City and stayed at the St. Nicholas Hotel. He shopped for clothes for his upcoming lectures [MTL 4: 441n1].

August 3 Monday – From Charles E. Perkins’ cash book, Sam’s account: “By cash brot over Aug 3 By dft on NY  5000.00” [Berg collection, NYPL].

August 30 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Ella Trabue Smith, a second cousin on his mother’s side, telling her of his family’s trip and how well his mother looked, but for his son “life is almost despaired of.” Sam had gone after a doctor and wrote the one page letter while waiting [MTL 4: 451].

August 30 Friday – The Scotia reached Queenstown, Ireland at 8 AM. Sam sent a telegraph to Livy [MTL 5: 152n3].

Livy paid Flower & Hills, grocers $7.05 [MTP].

August 30 Saturday – In Belfast, Frank Finlay inscribed Prize Essays on “Billiards as an Amusement for all Classes,” James Galt & Co. (1873) to Sam [Gribben 561]. Finlay also inscribed editor Charles Rogers’ The Centenary Garland [etc.,] to Livy [585]. Thus the Clemens family must have spent the nights of Aug. 28, 29 and 30 in Belfast.

August 31 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Orion.

We have scarcely any hope of the baby’s recovery.

Livy takes neither sleep nor rest.

We have 3 old experienced nurses.

Three months of overfeeding & surreptitious poisoning with laudanum & other sleeping potions is what the child is dying of [MTL 4: 452]. Sam’s only son would live until June 2, 1872.

August 31 Saturday – The Scotia reached Liverpool [MTL 5: 152n3].

In Hartford, Hatch & Tyler delivered coal to the Clemens home [MTP].

August 31 Monday – The opening night of the stage play of The Gilded Age; or, Colonel Sellers took place at the Opera House in Rochester, New York. Sam was expected to attend. Although no outbreak has since been documented, Sam telegraphed from Elmira to John T.

August 4 Monday – Sam wrote from Edinburgh to Edmund H. Yates of the New York Herald objecting to an offensive insertion made into Sam’s Shah letter published July 1. Yates had been at Ostend; was in London on Aug. 2, and then went to Vienna [MTL 5: 430].

August 4 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Gilbert Densmore about the stage play Colonel Sellers that Densmore had put on without authorization. Sam eventually purchased the play for $200 and sent another $200 when Sam’s revision became successful. This letter is lost, but referred to by a letter from Densmore [MTL 6: 205].

Anna E. Dickinson wrote to Sam:

August 5 or 6 Sunday – Sam arrived in Hartford bringing his fifth submission section of Roughing It [MTL 4: 441n1].

August 5 Monday – Sam telegraphed from Saybrook Point, Conn. to Mollie Clemens for her to send a carriage to the Hartford depot “about 10 this morning.” The reason for Sam’s trip back to Hartford is unknown [MTL 5: 137-8]. Sam probably returned to New Saybrook (Saybrook) the same day.

August 5 Tuesday – Reginald Cholmondeley wrote to Sam: “I shall be happy to see you & Mrs Clemens at the end of August or beginning of September with your little girl & I will ask Tom Hughes & his wife to meet you” [MTP]. Note: This labeled Aug. 6 but date is written over; could be either.