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Mark Twain Mark Twain (born Samuel Longhorne Clemens) was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri. His father, a justice of the peace, was unsuccessful at his job in the law, shopkeeping, land speculation and ventures in slave trading. Clemens left school at twelve to earn his own living. He first worked in a printing office and wrote occasional newspaper items, and humorous sketches. Like many authors of his day he had little formal education. His education came from the print shops and newspaper offices where he worked as a youth. In 1853 Clemens left Hannibal, MO with an ambition to see the world. On a trip to New Orleans he persuaded a riverboat pilot to teach him his skill. By the Spring of 1859 Clemens was a licensed riverboat pilot. The coming of the Civil War put an end to this occupation and to commercial traffic on the river. He spent a few grim weeks in the field as a Confederate irregular, and then chose not to get involved in the war and moved to Carson City, Nevada. After an unsuccessful attempt at gold and silver mining he joined the staff of a newspaper in Virginia City, Nevada.
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