Celebrating Twain’s Life & Legacy
Redding & The Mark Twain Library
June 18, 1908
April 21, 1910
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
1. The Mark Twain Library
To the best of my knowledge- The Mark
Twain Library is the only library in
the World that Mark Twain
personally founded, funded and
filled with books.
The Chapel that was used as the first Mark Twain Library
Angelfish attend
Mark Twain Library
dedication in style
525 Guests at MTL Benefit Concert
“On September 21, 1909- Detachments and squads
and groups came from everywhere; some in motor car,
some in buggies and carriages, and a swarm of farmeryoung-folk on foot from miles around.
The artists were received with great welcome and it
woke them up, and I tell you they performed to the
Queen’s taste! The program was an hour and threequarters long and the encores added a half-hour to it.
The enthusiasm in the house was hair-lifting.”
-Twain’s recap of the event
Stormfield
A personal favorite as it shows Stormfield and the Library
Early view of the Jean L. Clemens Memorial Building’s interior.
Hannibal Public Library
Twain’s father was one of
the founders of this library
and that may have
played in a role in Twain’s
wishes to found a public
library for Redding.
Note the fireplace framed
by the windows with the
portrait in the center.
Robert Hirst of the Mark Twain Papers
Twain’s legacy is alive and well here in Redding,
where we do our best to promote his final years
and the only library he founded, funded and
filled with books.
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
2. Clara’s Wedding & Nina’s Birth
Clara was the only of Twain’s daughters
to wed and give birth. Both of these
events took place at Stormfield in
Redding.
October 6, 1909 Clara & Ossip
exchange vows at Stormfield
Joe Twichell officiated, Jean was the bridesmaid and Jervis
Langdon was the groomsman.
Sam
Bride and groom leave in style
Nina Clemens Gabrilowitsch
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
3. Albert Bigelow Paine and
Twain’s Biography
Paine brought Twain to Redding, wrote
his biography and from 1910 until
his own passing in 1937, was (along
w/Clara) the literary executor of
Twain’s pages & manuscripts.
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
4. Twain put Redding on the Map
Many of Twain’s closest friends visited
his Redding estate and the press
Worldwide reported on him just
about every day. William D. Howells,
Rev. Joe Twichell, Laura Hawkins
Frazer, Billy Burke and Helen Keller
to name a few visitors.
Clemens Redding house was reported on (almost daily) by
newspapers and magazines Worldwide.
October 13-15, 1908
“Becky Thatcher” visits
Stormfield.
In his Guestbook he
wrote:
“My first sweetheart
(65 years ago, when
She was 5 and I was
7 years old.)”
Helen Keller Visits in January 1909
The most important room in the house
Dan Beard
Beard had illustrated a
Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur’s Court for Twain and
lived just down the hill from
Twain on Great Pasture Rd.
There were unwelcome
“Guests” as well…
Danbury Evening News, Friday, September 18th, 1908:
"Crooks carry off Humorist's Silverware. Caught while
fleeing by train. One jumps from car while other uses revolver."
12 midnight Burglary, 7:30am Captured, 9:00am Arraigned, 12 noon Off-to-Jail
That’s swift justice…moral of the story? Don’t mess with Twain!
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
5. The Open Space Preserved
From 1906 to 1909, Twain purchased
roughly 320 acres in Redding which
eventually whittled down to 268.21
acres. Of those 268+ acres, 160
acres were preserved as Open
Space and hiking trails.
The Lobster Pot- Twain’s initial Redding property 1906
160+/- Acres
of Open Space
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
6. Jean’s Return
Jean L. Clemens had suffered with
Epilepsy since she was 15 years of
age. Following her mother’s death in
1904, her condition worsened and in
1906 she left the family for remote
treatment. In April of 1909 she
returned to live in Redding.
Jean Comes Home
On April 26th Jean wrote
her name in the Stormfield
guestbook. Her Doctor had
finally agreed, full of
apprehension, to allow
Jean to make a one-week
trial visit to Redding.
She would never leave
again.
An adjoining 125 acre farm
became hers complete
with barns and livestock.
After her passing- the farm would be sold to fund this building
and later (via the Hermes) benefit the library’s endowment.
Jean Dies at Christmas
Clemens wrote in “The Death of Jean”:
“Possibly I know now what the soldier feels when a
bullet crashes through his heart.”
“… How poor I am, who was once so rich! Seven
months ago Mr. Roger died--one of the best friends I
ever had.. Jean lies yonder… She lies there, and I sit
here--writing, busying myself, to keep my heart from
breaking. How dazzlingly the sunshine is flooding the
hills around! It is like a mockery.”
Portrait of Jean
-Susan B. Durkee
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
7. The Lyon-Ashcroft Scandal
One of the most intriguing mysteries
from Twain’s time in Redding
involves Isabel Lyon and Ralph
Ashcroft. Were they plotting to steal
Twain’s fortune or did Clara have a
grudge against them? This
continues to be debated.
Twain and his “entertainers”
February- Isabel falls ill, Ashcroft
is in England, Paine is in the
Mediterranean,
Clara arrives &
applies some
pressure on
Sam to review
the finances.
R.A.
I.L.
Hubris…the root of all downfalls
Ralph Ashcroft made three mistakes.
1.
He challenged Clara. Before he left for England,
Clara suggested to him that an objective person
review her father’s books. He replied: “Are you
sure you want to, since it will reveal your
expenditures?”
2.
He bragged about his power of attorney.
“I can sell his house, over his head, for a thousand
dollars, whenever I want to!”
3.
He lied to Sam. In a move to make Clara look
unreliable he lies about the butler being fired.
The Ashcroft-Lyon Scandal
Ashcroft agreed to turn over the ledgers in April, 1909.
Sam turned to Henry Rogers hoping he might find
something less damning than Clara’s suspicions, a
discovery that would relieve Sam of having to hate two
people he had loved only six weeks before.
In mid-May, Sam went to NYC to meet with Rogers and
discuss his ledgers. At Grand Central Clara met him
with horrible news: Roger was dead.
“The expression of grief in Father’s face was pitiful to
behold” Clara wrote.
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
8. Twain’s passing at Stormfield
Because Twain’s funeral was held in
New York City and Twain had lived
in New York City prior to moving to
Redding, many presumed he had
lived in NYC the entire time.
On April 21, 1910, Samuel L. Clemens
died in Redding, Connecticut at the age
Of 74.
The New York Times, April 22, 1910
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, "Mark Twain,"
died at 22 minutes after 6 tonight.
Too weak to speak clearly, "Give me my glasses,"
he had written on a piece of paper. He had received
them, put them down, and sunk into unconsciousness
from which he glided almost imperceptibly into death.
Mark Twain born, Nov. 30, 1835. Last perihelion of Halley's comet,
Nov. 10, 1835. Mark Twain died, April 21, 1910. Perihelion of Halley's
comet, April 20, 1910.
Bouton & Son Funeral Home
West Church Street, Georgetown, CT
April 23, 1910
Mahogany Casket $450.00
Mahogany Box $100.00
Professional Services $50.00
Embalming $50.00
Hearse at Redding $8.00
Hearse at New York
GCD to 37th Street $6.00
Hearse from 37th Street to
D,L,W $7.00
Transferring Box to Hoboken $3.50
Four Porters at $3.50 each $14.00
Coach from 37th Street to
22nd Street $4.00
Conveyor for Flowers $3.50
Corpse Ticket Redding to
New York City $1.20
Corpse Ticket New York City
to Elmira, NY $6.10
Total: $703.30
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
9. Little Known Tie-ins to Redding
Did you know Mark Twain’s Estate was
annually settled here in Redding
until 1964? Or that his last will &
testament states… “I, Samuel L.
Clemens, of Redding, Connecticut…”
I didn’t think so…
The New York Times, February 22, 1964
Humorist's $867,565 Is Put Into New Trust Fund 54
Years After His Death
REDDING, Conn., Feb. 21 - The 54-year-old estate of
Mark Twain received its final accounting today before a
probate judge who was a small boy here when the
famous author was the town's leading citizen.
Judge Hjalmar Anderson approved the termination of a
trust fund created by Twain before his death here in
1910.
The estate of Samuel L. Clemens, as it is termed
legally, was closed out as the result of he death on
Nov. 19, 1962, of Twain's daughter, Mrs. Clara Clemens
Samossoud of San Diego, Calif. The new trust was
established by Mrs. Samossoud's will.
My Top Ten Reasons Twain’s time in
Redding is of Importance…
10. Redding was Twain’s Final
Residence and he loved it here.
“Give me a breath of Redding air once
more and this will pass.”
-Twain on his final trip home to Redding
No further explanation needed.
Platform where he arrived
West Redding Station & General Store circa 1920
(I used this photo because it included a view of the platform)
Park across the street from the station, likely where
people lined up to view the arrival of Clemens.
How Sam would have seen the house upon his arrival
Horse Carriage
Twain & Lounsbury
Isabel Lyon during Construction
Stormfield Under Construction
“It is a perfect house—perfect, so far as I
can see, in every detail. It might have
been here always.”
Dining Room entrance
Dining Room
Front Hallway
Living Room/Library
Twain’s Bedroom
Bed oddly positioned
so he could look out
the window from
bed.
“I was never in this beautiful region until yesterday
evening.
It is charmingly quiet here. The house stands alone,
with nothing in sight but woodsy hills and rolling
country.”
Samuel L. Clemens letter to Dorothy Quick
dated June 19, 1908
Two 1,000 Gallon Copper Water Tanks in Attic
Clara’s Cage
Views of Redding Center from the back terrace
Sold in late 1922, Stormfield burned to the ground July 25, 1923
The “New” Stormfield was rebuilt upon the original
Stormfield foundation in 1925.
This presentation is over for now, I
thank you all for watching!!
Someone please have a whiskey at
The Roadhouse for me.