Peter, I have an article (that I can't seem to get published!) that goes through the whole telephone issue, including the biographical details, but also discusses his use of the telephone in fiction (which he was also the first person to do), as well as his recognition of the changes the telephone would make in society. I have to get off to work right now, but will dig it up later today and post an authoritative answer to your question. But off the top of my head: If I remember rightly, he claimed to be the first private home with a telephone; he was certainly among the first, since Hartford had one of the first phone systems. I believe the network consisted of a local doctor, a drugstore, a livery stable (those three hooked up for medical reasons), and the newspaper. Thus the hookup to the Clemens household was more of a novelty than anything else. It would almost be like having the first police scanner. Will dig out the other details later today!