Elmira Free Academy - Torch / Sagoyawatha Yearbook (Elmira, NY)

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AM UEL LANGHORN ULEM ENS, Mark Twain, was born November 30, 1835, in Florida, M isscruri. At the age of twelve years he was obliged to leave school, but was apprenticed to a printer, gaining a love for reading as well as a trade while with him. After travelling through many states as a journeyman printer, he became a river pilot, prospector, miner and reporter, and visited not only California but the Sandwich Islands and The Holy Landg In 1870 he was marrwd to Oliva Langdon at the home of her father in Elmira. For the nezt twenty years he maintained a residence in Connecticut, but much of his best writing was done in his study at the Mark Twain farm, overlook- ing Elmira. He received degrees from Yale and Oxford, won fame as a lecturer as well as writer and in 1910 died at Redding, Connecticut, and was buried in the family plot in Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira. We, the Senrbr Class of Elmira Free Academy, in our 1980 Year Book pay our humble homage to this famous Elmirian, of whom we might well say in his own words: He was a good man, and a very, very great man. America lost a son and all the world a servant when he died.