It is well documented that Orion Clemens was the older brother of Samuel L. Clemens. What is seldom accurately reported is that Orion Clemens came to the Territory of Nevada as Secretary of the Territory, appointed by President Lincoln pursuant to the Territorial Organic Act. He was not "secretary to the governor" as so many writers have inaccurately stated. Even the owner/resident of the house Orion built in Carson City, and the Nevada State Historical Marker at the house, call him secretary to Territorial Governor James W. Nye. Nye's personal secretary was Sam Gallagher, who had been Nye's next door neighbor in New York City. Nye initially paid Gallagher out of his own pocket, there being no territorial treasury and Congress failing to respond to Gov. Nye's requests for money to have an office secretary. As Secretary of the Territory, Orion was Acting Governor when Nye was out of the Territory. He was the Territorial record keeper. He organized the territorial legislative sessions. He wore a lot of hats as Territorial Secretary, but never one as Nye's personal secretary.