Character guide

Mark Twain

major

Also known as Samuel L. Clemens, Mr. Clemens, S. L. Clemens, Sam, Mark

The white-suited humorist who turns his own life into a laboratory, testing memory against legend while insisting the truth is stranger and funnier than any fiction.

Orion Clemens

supporting

Also known as Uncle Orion Clemens, Orion

Mark Twain's older brother, whose sober judgment and steady hand become both a foil and a lifeline for the younger Clemens's wilder schemes.

Susy Clemens

supporting

Also known as Susy, Susy Clemens

Mark Twain's daughter, whose clear-eyed observations of her famous father turn the family parlor into an unintentional biography.

Livy Clemens

major

Also known as Mrs. Clemens, Olivia Lewis Langdon

Mark Twain's wife, whose patience and moral seriousness anchor the household while her husband turns their life into literature.

Henry H. Rogers

supporting

Also known as Mr. Rogers, Henry Rogers

The Standard Oil magnate whose business genius rescues Mark Twain from financial ruin and becomes the unlikely friend of the humorist's later years.

Ulysses S. Grant

supporting

Also known as General Grant, Grant, The Grant

The former president and general whose quiet dignity and late-life memoir project draw Mark Twain into the publishing gamble of a lifetime.

Joe Twichell

supporting

Also known as Rev. Joe Twichell, Mr. Twichell, Twichell

Hartford's irreverent pastor and Twain's walking companion, forever stumbling into providence and the world's best anecdotes by accident.

Jane Lampton Clemens

supporting

Also known as Mamma, mamma

Twain's mother, whose sharp tongue and stubborn kindness shaped the boy who became the humorist of Hannibal.

Clara Clemens

supporting

Also known as Clara, Little Clara, Aunt Clara

Twain's middle daughter, who grew from a child of the household into the guardian of his letters and literary afterlife.

John Malone

minor

Also known as John, Malone

An actor and friend of Mark Twain.

James W. Paige

supporting

Also known as Paige, W.

The obsessive inventor of the Paige typesetting machine, whose mechanical dream would consume Twain's fortune and years.

Joe Goodman

minor

Also known as Goodman, Joseph

Editor of the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise.

Petroleum Vesuvius Nasby

minor

Also known as Nasby

Pen name of humorist David Ross Locke.

C. H. Higbie

minor

Also known as Higbie, Calvin H. Higbie, Cal

Mining partner of Mark Twain in Nevada.

Jim Wolf

minor

Also known as Jim

A colorful character from Mark Twain's Hannibal days.

Jervis Langdon

minor

Also known as Mr. Langdon, Mr. Jervis Langdon

Livy's father and Mark Twain's father-in-law.

Patrick McAleer

minor

Also known as Patrick, old Patrick

The Clemens family coachman and loyal servant.

Doctor John

minor

Also known as Doctor

A physician friend of the Clemens family.

William Dean Howells

supporting

Also known as Mr. Howells, Howells, old Mr. Howells

The Atlantic editor and novelist who became Twain's most trusted literary friend and gentle critical conscience.

Helen Keller

minor

Also known as Helen

Deaf-blind author and activist, friend of Twain.

Mrs. Morris

minor

Also known as Morris, Mrs. Minor Morris

A neighbor whose illness is recounted in detail.

James Lampton

minor

Also known as Lampton, Jim

Mark Twain's cousin, model for Colonel Sellers.

Mason

minor

Also known as Mr. Mason

A business associate or acquaintance.

Willard Fiske

minor

Also known as Professor Willard Fiske, young Fiske, Fiske

A professor and friend from Twain's early lecturing days.

Karl Gerhardt

minor

Also known as Gerhardt, Mr. Gerhardt

Sculptor who made a bust of General Grant.

Frank Goodwin

minor

Also known as Rev. Frank Goodwin, Franklin, Francis Goodwin, Goodwin

A clergyman and friend of Mark Twain.

Grover Cleveland

minor

Also known as Cleveland, Mr. Cleveland, President Cleveland

President of the United States, acquaintance of Twain.

John Hay

minor

Also known as Hay

Statesman and author, friend of Mark Twain.

Henry C. Robinson

minor

Also known as Henry, Harry

Governor of Connecticut, friend of Twain.

Theodore Crane

minor

Also known as Mrs. Theodore Crane, Mrs. Crane

Livy's sister and brother-in-law, close family friends.

David Gray

minor

Also known as Mr. David Gray, David

A poet and friend of Mark Twain.

Governor Nye

minor

Also known as The Governor, Nye

Governor of Nevada Territory.

Charles Dudley Warner

minor

Also known as Warner, Charley, Charley Warner

Author and neighbor of Mark Twain in Hartford.

Henry Ward Beecher

minor

Also known as Beecher, Henry

Famous preacher and lecturer.

Jean Clemens

supporting

Also known as Jean, little Jean

Twain's youngest daughter, a restless spirit whose struggles shadowed the family's later years.

Horace Bixby

minor

Also known as Mr. Horace E. Bixby, Horace Bixby

Riverboat pilot who taught Mark Twain.

Charles Warren Stoddard

minor

Also known as Stoddard

Author and friend of Mark Twain.

Thomas Bailey Aldrich

minor

Also known as Aldrich, Tom

Author and editor, friend of Mark Twain.

F. G. Whitmore

minor

Also known as Whitmore, Mr. Whitmore

Business manager for Mark Twain.

Fred Grant

minor

Also known as Col. Fred Grant, Grant, Col. Grant

Son of General Grant, a military aide.

Clara Spaulding

minor

Also known as Miss Clara L. Spaulding

A friend of the Clemens family.

Richard Watson Gilder

minor

Also known as Mr. Gilder, Gilder, R. W. Gilder

Editor of Century Magazine.

Tom Sawyer

minor

Also known as Tom

Fictional character, briefly mentioned as a real person.

George Dolby

minor

Also known as Dolby, Mr. Dolby

Manager of Charles Dickens's American tour.

Robert Louis Stevenson

minor

Also known as Louis Stevenson, Stevenson

Author, met Mark Twain in New York.

General Sherman

minor

Also known as Sherman

Union general, acquaintance of Mark Twain.

Edwin Booth

minor

Also known as Booth, Mr. Booth

Famous Shakespearean actor.

General Sickles

minor

Also known as Sickles, Gen. Sickles

Union general, subject of a chapter.

Dr. John Brown

minor

Also known as John, John Brown, Dr. Brown

Scottish physician and author.

Susan Langdon Crane

minor

Also known as Susy Crane, Susy, little Langdon, Langdon

Livy's sister, a close family member.

Charles L. Webster

minor

Also known as Webster, Charley, Charles

Mark Twain's nephew and business partner.

John P. Jones

minor

Also known as P. Jones, Jones

Senator from Nevada, friend of Twain.

Samuel E. Moffett

minor

Also known as Mr. Moffett, Moffett, Sam, Sam Moffett

Mark Twain's nephew and journalist.

Charles J. Langdon

minor

Also known as Charley Langdon, Charley, young Charley Langdon

Livy's brother, a friend of Mark Twain.

General Sheridan

minor

Also known as Sheridan

Union general, acquaintance of Twain.

Injun Joe

minor

Also known as Joe, the real Injun Joe

Real-life criminal from Hannibal, basis for fictional character.

Katy Leary

minor

Also known as Katy

Longtime maid for the Clemens family.

Will Bowen

minor

Also known as Will, Sam Bowen

Childhood friend from Hannibal.

Abraham Lincoln

minor

Also known as Mr. Lincoln, Lincoln

President, mentioned in anecdotes.

Theodore Roosevelt

minor

Also known as Mr. Roosevelt, Roosevelt, President Roosevelt

President, acquaintance of Mark Twain.

James Redpath

minor

Also known as Redpath

Founder of the Boston Lyceum Bureau.

Bret Harte

minor

Also known as Harte

Author and former friend of Mark Twain.

Charles Dickens

minor

Also known as Dickens

English novelist, mentioned in lecture context.

Aunt Susie

minor

Also known as Aunt Sue, Aunt Susy, Susie

Mark Twain's aunt, often mentioned in family stories.

Macfarlane

minor

A philosophical Scotsman who influenced young Sam Clemens.

Doctor Brown

minor

Also known as Dear Doctor Brown

A physician correspondent of Mark Twain.

Anson Burlingame

minor

Also known as Mr. Anson Burlingame, Mr. Burlingame, Burlingame

American diplomat and friend of Mark Twain.

Tom Nash

minor

Also known as Tom

A childhood friend from Hannibal.

Booker T. Washington

minor

Also known as Washington, Booker Washington

Educator and civil rights leader, acquaintance of Twain.

Steve Gillis

minor

Also known as Steve

Friend and fellow printer from Virginia City.

Colonel Sellers

minor

Also known as The real Colonel Sellers, Sellers, Colonel Mulberry Sellers

Fictional character based on James Lampton.

Bob Ingersoll

minor

Also known as Bob, Ingersoll

Orator and agnostic speaker, friend of Twain.

Dennis McCarthy

minor

Also known as Dennis

Mining partner of Mark Twain in Nevada.

Satan

minor

Figure in a philosophical discussion.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

minor

Also known as Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mrs. Stowe

Author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, neighbor in Hartford.

Ralph Keeler

minor

Also known as Ralph, Keeler

Author and journalist, friend of Twain.

John Mackay

minor

Also known as Mackay

Mining magnate from Nevada.

Queen Victoria

minor

British monarch, mentioned in passing.

Horace Greeley

minor

Also known as Greeley

Newspaper editor, mentioned in anecdotes.