Regarding Clemens and Presbyterianism, did he ever have a formal
association with a Presbyterian Church? I have gone through the session
minutes of First Presbyterian in Hannibal and there is no record of his
joining -- just Jane and Pamela.  Did he subsequently associate anywhere
else?  If so, where?  If he did associate elsewhere, what was the
"persuasion" of the church with which he affiliated?  Old School?, New
School? Regional affiliation?
    Thanks, Terrell Dempsey
-----Original Message-----
From: John Huffman <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, June 29, 2001 11:26 AM
Subject: Re: Quote about Presbyterians


>Thank you very much for the rapid response.  No wonder we couldn't find
it
>since Twain never said those exact words.  I'll pass it along to the
>minister asking about it, giving you full credit for solving his
question.
>
>John Huffman
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: James S. Leonard <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Friday, June 29, 2001 9:56 AM
>Subject: Re: Quote about Presbyterians
>
>
>> John Huffman wrote:
>>
>> > We have a request for which I have been unable to find an answer.
What
>place was Twain referring to when he made the comment about there being
so
>many saloons and dance halls, and some thought of building a church,
that
>"it was no place for a Presbyterian, and I did not remain one for
long."  I
>would also like to know the source for this quote.
>> >
>> > Best regards,
>> >
>> > John Huffman
>> > Mark Twain Birthplace SHS
>>
>> The place is Virginia City, and the source is, more or less,
"Roughing
>It," chapter XLIII.  I say "more or less" because the version you're
quoting
>is actually from Hal Holbrook's "Mark Twain Tonight" (Twain's version
>doesn't include the part about being a Presbyterian).  Here's the
paragraph
>from "Roughing It":
>>
>> Virginia had grown to be the "livest" town, for its age and
population,
>that America had ever produced. The sidewalks swarmed with people -- to
such
>an extent, indeed, that it was generally no easy matter to stem the
human
>tide. The streets themselves were just as crowded with quartz wagons,
>freight teams and other vehicles. The procession was
>> endless. So great was the pack, that buggies frequently had to wait
half
>an hour for an opportunity to cross the principal street. Joy sat on
every
>countenance, and there was a glad, almost fierce, intensity in every
eye,
>that told of the money-getting schemes that were seething in every
brain and
>the high hope that held sway in every heart. Money
>> was as plenty as dust; every individual considered himself wealthy,
and a
>melancholy countenance was nowhere to be seen. There were military
>companies, fire companies, brass bands, banks, hotels, theatres,
>"hurdy-gurdy houses," wide-open gambling palaces, political pow-wows,
civic
>processions, street fights, murders, inquests, riots, a whiskey mill
>> every fifteen steps, a Board of Aldermen, a Mayor, a City Surveyor, a
City
>Engineer, a Chief of the Fire Department, with First, Second and Third
>Assistants, a Chief of Police, City Marshal and a large police force,
two
>Boards of Mining Brokers, a dozen breweries and half a dozen jails and
>station-houses in full operation, and some talk of building
>> a church. The "flush times" were in magnificent flower! Large
fire-proof
>brick buildings were going up in the principal streets, and the wooden
>suburbs were spreading out in all directions. Town lots soared up to
prices
>that were amazing.
>>
>> --Jim Leonard
>>