when and where does this story take place? why does the setting work so well for the story?

Pudd'nhead Wilson takes place in the fictional Missouri frontier town of Dawson's Landing on the banks of the Mississippi River in the first half of the 19th century. The themes Twain draws from are perfect for this setting. The setting is fertile ground to explore the hypocrisy over slavery, biracial children and human nature of the Old South.