Twichell, Joseph Hopkins
He was a chaplain in the New York State Infantry during the Civil War, an experience that shaped his views and his work as a pastor later in life (see Rasmussen et al. 2:918). In 1865, Twichell married Julia Harmony Cushman and took on the position of pastor of the Congregational Church in Aylum Hill, Hartford (see LeMaster and Wilson, MTE 757).
Hartford was also the place where he was first introduced to Clemens and both soon established a close friendship. According to MTE "Twichell not only tolerated Clemens' irreverence, profanity, and occasional salacious humor; he enjoyed them" (757). Twichell and Clemens repeatedly travelled together and, according to Rasmussen et al., the long-lasting friendship had a considerable impact on Clemens' work as Twichell "encouraged Clemens through difficult periods, and fed him ideas and shared experiences that his friend wrote about" (2:919).
As a family friend, Twichell also officiated at many ceremonies for the Clemens family, for example at Samuel Clemens and Olivia Langdon's wedding and at the wedding of Clara Clemens and Ossip Gabrilowitsch, as well as at the funerals of Clemens' daughters Susy and Jean and of his wife Oliva (see Rasmussen et al. 2:918-920). After Clemens' own death, Twichell conducted the funeral service in New York City but could not officiate at the other ceremonies because his wife was seriously ill and died shortly after (see Rasmussen et al. 2:920).
Twichell died on 20 December 1918 in Hartford, CT.