Topic starter
07/03/2010 6:29 pm
I am doing some research on Samuel Clemens steamboat career. I have found a list of all the boats he worked on. What i am wondering is; did Samuel Clemens ever pilot or cub on the Ohio River?
07/03/2010 7:08 pm
Sam Clemens
Do you have the book written by Raymond P. Ewing: Mark Twain's Steamboat Years? It is quite the definitive work on Twain's piloting career, which was only 4 years: 2 as a cub, 2 licensed. He boarded the PAUL JONES in Cincinnati, intending to go to New Orleans to continue his career as a typesetter. Several days into the trip, his childhood urge to become a pilot resurfaced, he made the deal with Bixby, and worked under him and several other pilots, but all on the Mississippi between St. Louis and New Orleans. When Bixby went to the Missouri for a while, he sent Clemens to work with another pilot on the Mississippi. I see no references to Sam steering anywhere but in the St. Louis to New Orleans trade.
Topic starter
07/03/2010 9:36 pm
I have the book. I also could find no reference. It appears he was only licensed for the Mississippi.
08/03/2010 12:45 pm
Contact Dave Thomson. He is the expert on Mark Twain.
08/03/2010 1:25 pm
A booklet by Raymond P. Ewing has a photocopy of Samuel Clemens's license on page 61. It was issued by the inspectors at St. Louis and the limits are, ". . .on the Mississippi River to and from St. Louis and New Orleans." It was issued on April 9, 1859. It was for one year.
On page 50 is a chronology of his river time from April 15, 1857, listing the boats on which he served until May, 1861. Mr. Ewing's source was a doctoral dissertation by Dr. Allan Bates at the University of Chicago, 1968, which is in the university library.
No, Dr. Bates and I are not related.