Mark Twain's experience in Buffalo described as brief but memorable
by Steve Dlugosz
Although renowned writer and author Mark Twain lived in Buffalo for just over a year and a half in the late 1860s, his impact upon the area was felt significantly, and conversely he made several lifelong friends from Buffalo who he was first drawn to by his wife-to-be. That message was delivered at the May 18 Polish Arts Club of Buffalo presentation by Buffalo State College English professor emeritus Thomas Reigstad, PhD. Dr. Reigstad also described a few Polish twists that occurred in Twain's life.
During his 17 months in Buffalo, Twain, whose given name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was a prominent writer for the Buffalo Morning Express, the predecessor publication of the Courier Express. Described as the "zany innovator" of his time, Twain wrote multi-part columns and stories for the Express from his third-story office at 14 East Swan St. His often-times satirical work dominated the front page as well as the advertising.
With the assistance of his wealthy father-in-law, Twain moved into a lavish house in the upscale section of Delaware Avenue at Virginia Street, fathering a child here. But the infant quickly developed a sickness and with his wife also ill, the three had moved from Buffalo to Hartford, CT. The child died just a short time later.
Twain, however, had a fondness for Buffalo, making lifelong friends with Buffalo residents Charles Underhill, a manager of a shipping site on the waterfront owned by Twain's father-in-law, Jervis Langdon; George H. Selkirk, a business manager for the Express and a Civil War veteran; and John Harrison Mills, a copy editor for the Express as well as a poet and illustrator. He even befriended David Gray, a writer for the competing Courier newspaper, and came to know Grover Cleveland, the former U.S. president who also served as Erie County Sheriff, Mayor of Buffalo and New York State Governor. Reigstad added that Twain and Cleveland became acquaintances in the numerous beer gardens in Buffalo.
A humorous Polish connection was forged through Twain and Underhill playing the card game "66," when Underhill would often defeat Twain and Twain referring to Underhill in lamenting tone as "Dabrowski," in reference to the famous Polish war General Jan Henryk Dabrowski. Twain even penned a letter to his friend, Underhill, in 1893 with the beginning greeting of "Dear Dabrowski."
Another Polish connection to Twain, according to Reigstad, came from later in Twain's life, when the author, then battling bankruptcy following several failed investments, met Polish inventor Jan Szczepanik in Vienna. Twain was said to have been enamored with Szczepanik's innovative thinking in the area of electrophotography. Szczepanik's concepts helped the future evolution of TV broadcasting, such as the telectroscope (an apparatus for distant reproduction of images and sound using electricity) or the wireless telegraph, which greatly affected the development of telecommunications.
Twain (Clemens) was born in Missouri in 1835, and despite having just a fourth-grade education, managed to work his way into a position for a newspaper in Virginia City, and later, San Francisco. He was traveling on a work-funded European excursion when he met 18-year-old Charles Langdon of Elmira on the trip, and the two became fast friends. According to Reigstad, Langdon was rumored to have shown Twain a locket depicting family members, one of whom was his sister Olivia, whom Twain developed a liking for. Twain eventually accompanied Charles to the Langdon household in Elmira, met and romanced Olivia, and developed a friendship with her father, Jervis Langdon.
In 1869, Olivia Langdon accepted Twain's marriage proposal, and with the blessing and guidance of Jervis Langdon, Twain took a writing position at the Buffalo Morning Express, in proximity to the family's Elmira residence as well as Jervis' shipping port on the waterfront. At the time, Buffalo was growing industrially and had a population of 117,000.
"Buffalo was the right spot for him," Reigstad said of Twain's arrival. "It was 'Boomtown.' He had the means to write (more renowned novels) by the time he left."
Residing at a nearby boarding house on Swan Street, Twain developed his writing at the Express, in between earning additional money through lectures he conducted. When he and Olivia were married, Jervis gave the couple the generous gift of the luxurious home at 472 Delaware, with the deed ironically being issued in the same real estate home notice as Grover Cleveland's.
In addition to Olivia's editing of his articles and other works, the couple was described by Reigstad as enjoying board games and poetry, while also hosting popular neighborhood get-togethers. They attended church at Lafayette Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian in Buffalo.
However, happiness turned to sadness when Jervis Langdon was diagnosed with cancer, became sickly and died in 1870, causing the couple much grief. Olivia gave birth to their baby boy, who suffered from sickness and, just like that, the couple sold their home and moved from Buffalo in March 1871, relocating to Hartford before the death of their infant. Twain had enlisted a Buffalo artist to sculpt a bust of the baby boy who had untimely perished.
It was stated that pollution produced from a pipe manufacturing site near the Clemens' home may have contributed to various illnesses incurred by the family. The house was sold and in the 1960s suffered fire damage and was demolished, with the Cloister Restaurant being built on site and featuring a menu that commemorated various Mark Twain writings and memories. The restaurant operated until the mid-1980s.
Reigstad has taught English and literature at Buffalo State College for 26 years, also serving as a copy editor for the Buffalo Courier Express, the publication that had been previously known as the Morning Express, for which Twain wrote. Reigstad is a self-proclaimed Twain historian and took a graduate seminar on Twain.
Among Twain's most well-known writings are his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Innocence Abroad, the latter of which is described as being primarily written in Elmira. Twain died in 1910.
Although renowned writer and author Mark Twain lived in Buffalo for just over a year and a half in the late 1860s, his impact upon the area was felt significantly, and conversely he made several lifelong friends from Buffalo who he was first drawn to by his wife-to-be. That message was delivered at the May 18 Polish Arts Club of Buffalo presentation by Buffalo State College English professor emeritus Thomas Reigstad, PhD. Dr. Reigstad also described a few Polish twists that occurred in Twain's life.
During his 17 months in Buffalo, Twain, whose given name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was a prominent writer for the Buffalo Morning Express, the predecessor publication of the Courier Express. Described as the "zany innovator" of his time, Twain wrote multi-part columns and stories for the Express from his third-story office at 14 East Swan St. His often-times satirical work dominated the front page as well as the advertising.
With the assistance of his wealthy father-in-law, Twain moved into a lavish house in the upscale section of Delaware Avenue at Virginia Street, fathering a child here. But the infant quickly developed a sickness and with his wife also ill, the three had moved from Buffalo to Hartford, CT. The child died just a short time later.
Twain, however, had a fondness for Buffalo, making lifelong friends with Buffalo residents Charles Underhill, a manager of a shipping site on the waterfront owned by Twain's father-in-law, Jervis Langdon; George H. Selkirk, a business manager for the Express and a Civil War veteran; and John Harrison Mills, a copy editor for the Express as well as a poet and illustrator. He even befriended David Gray, a writer for the competing Courier newspaper, and came to know Grover Cleveland, the former U.S. president who also served as Erie County Sheriff, Mayor of Buffalo and New York State Governor. Reigstad added that Twain and Cleveland became acquaintances in the numerous beer gardens in Buffalo.
A humorous Polish connection was forged through Twain and Underhill playing the card game "66," when Underhill would often defeat Twain and Twain referring to Underhill in lamenting tone as "Dabrowski," in reference to the famous Polish war General Jan Henryk Dabrowski. Twain even penned a letter to his friend, Underhill, in 1893 with the beginning greeting of "Dear Dabrowski."
Another Polish connection to Twain, according to Reigstad, came from later in Twain's life, when the author, then battling bankruptcy following several failed investments, met Polish inventor Jan Szczepanik in Vienna. Twain was said to have been enamored with Szczepanik's innovative thinking in the area of electrophotography. Szczepanik's concepts helped the future evolution of TV broadcasting, such as the telectroscope (an apparatus for distant reproduction of images and sound using electricity) or the wireless telegraph, which greatly affected the development of telecommunications.
Twain (Clemens) was born in Missouri in 1835, and despite having just a fourth-grade education, managed to work his way into a position for a newspaper in Virginia City, and later, San Francisco. He was traveling on a work-funded European excursion when he met 18-year-old Charles Langdon of Elmira on the trip, and the two became fast friends. According to Reigstad, Langdon was rumored to have shown Twain a locket depicting family members, one of whom was his sister Olivia, whom Twain developed a liking for. Twain eventually accompanied Charles to the Langdon household in Elmira, met and romanced Olivia, and developed a friendship with her father, Jervis Langdon.
In 1869, Olivia Langdon accepted Twain's marriage proposal, and with the blessing and guidance of Jervis Langdon, Twain took a writing position at the Buffalo Morning Express, in proximity to the family's Elmira residence as well as Jervis' shipping port on the waterfront. At the time, Buffalo was growing industrially and had a population of 117,000.
"Buffalo was the right spot for him," Reigstad said of Twain's arrival. "It was 'Boomtown.' He had the means to write (more renowned novels) by the time he left."
Residing at a nearby boarding house on Swan Street, Twain developed his writing at the Express, in between earning additional money through lectures he conducted. When he and Olivia were married, Jervis gave the couple the generous gift of the luxurious home at 472 Delaware, with the deed ironically being issued in the same real estate home notice as Grover Cleveland's.
In addition to Olivia's editing of his articles and other works, the couple was described by Reigstad as enjoying board games and poetry, while also hosting popular neighborhood get-togethers. They attended church at Lafayette Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian in Buffalo.
However, happiness turned to sadness when Jervis Langdon was diagnosed with cancer, became sickly and died in 1870, causing the couple much grief. Olivia gave birth to their baby boy, who suffered from sickness and, just like that, the couple sold their home and moved from Buffalo in March 1871, relocating to Hartford before the death of their infant. Twain had enlisted a Buffalo artist to sculpt a bust of the baby boy who had untimely perished.
It was stated that pollution produced from a pipe manufacturing site near the Clemens' home may have contributed to various illnesses incurred by the family. The house was sold and in the 1960s suffered fire damage and was demolished, with the Cloister Restaurant being built on site and featuring a menu that commemorated various Mark Twain writings and memories. The restaurant operated until the mid-1980s.
Reigstad has taught English and literature at Buffalo State College for 26 years, also serving as a copy editor for the Buffalo Courier Express, the publication that had been previously known as the Morning Express, for which Twain wrote. Reigstad is a self-proclaimed Twain historian and took a graduate seminar on Twain.
Among Twain's most well-known writings are his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Innocence Abroad, the latter of which is described as being primarily written in Elmira. Twain died in 1910.