About Mark Twain
Timeline of Mark Twain
Nov 30, 1835
Mark Twain Born
Samuel Langhorne Clemens is born in Florida, Missouri, the sixth child of John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens.
1839
Family Moves to Hannibal
The Clemens family moves to Hannibal, Missouri, a riverbank town that is a frequent stop for steamboats traveling the Mississippi. Young Samuel reveres the riverboat pilots and hopes to become one himself.
1847
Death of Twain's Father
Samuel's father John Clemens dies, forcing the family into financial hardship.
1851
Twain Takes Work as Printer
At the age of 15, Samuel leaves school and goes to work as a printer in Hannibal.
1857
Apprentice River Pilot
Samuel Clemens begins a successful two-year apprenticeship to become a licensed river pilot. He learns the lingo of the trade, including "mark twain," a phrase that refers to the river depth at which a boat is safe to navigate. He soon adopts it as his pen name.
Jun 1858
Death of Twain's Brother
Twain's youngest brother Henry is killed tragically at the age of 20 in an explosion on the steamboat Pennsylvania. Henry had been training to become a steamboat pilot, at Twain's encouragement. Twain, devastated by his brother's death, feels responsible for it for the rest of his life.
Apr 1861
Civil War
The Civil War breaks out. Trade along the Mississippi River is halted, forcing an end to Twain's steamboat career. Twain spends two weeks training in a volunteer Confederate militia before it disbands.
1862
Twain Travels West
In an adventure later chronicled in the book Roughing It, Twain travels to Nevada with his brother Orion, who had been named the secretary to the territorial governor. He tries his hand at mining and other schemes, without much success, before becoming a reporter for the Virginia City (Nev.) Daily Territorial Enterprise.
1864
Twain in California
Twain travels to northern California, visiting Calavaras County before settling in San Francisco.
Nov 18, 1865
"Jumping Frog" Published
The short story "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" (later "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calavaras County") appears in the New York Saturday Press. The story proves extremely popular and raises Twain's profile as a writer.
1866
Twain Begins Lecturing
Twain travels to Hawaii as a reporter for San Francisco's Alta California newspaper. When he returns to the mainland a few months later, he gives his first public lecture. It's a hit.
Dec 31, 1867
Twain Meets Future Wife
Twain is introduced to Olivia "Livy" Langdon, the sister of a friend. He is instantly smitten.
1869
The Innocents Abroad
PublishedMark Twain's first book, The Innocents Abroad, becomes a bestseller.
1870
Twain Weds, Fathers First Child
Twain marries Olivia Langdon, who becomes an important editor of his work. Their son Langdon is born later that year.
1872
Twain in Connecticut
Twain moves his family to Hartford, Connecticut. He publishes Roughing It, the memoir of his years in the West. The year is one of tragedy and joy—the couple's daughter Susy is born, but their son Langdon dies of diphtheria.
1873
Twain Publishes
The Gilded AgeTwain publishes the satiric novel The Gilded Age, its title giving a name to an entire era of American history. His most successful invention, the self-pasting scrapbook, makes its debut the same year.
1874
Clara Clemens Born
Daughter Clara is born, the only one of Twain's children to outlive her father.
1876
Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is published.
1880
Jean Clemens Born
Livy Clemens gives birth to the couple's fourth and final child, a daughter named Jean.
1883
Life on the Mississippi
Twain publishes Life on the Mississippi, his memoir of his years as a steamboat pilot.
1884
Twain Founds Publishing Company
Twain founds his own publishing company, Charles L. Webster & Co. (named after his nephew and co-owner Charles L. Webster). It turns out to be a bad financial move—the company's struggles will eventually ruin his family's finances.
1885
Huck Finn
In the span of less than a year, Twain publishes both his greatest fiction and non-fiction works: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and a biography of President Ulysses S. Grant.
1889
Connecticut Yankee
Twain publishes A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Critics slam the book.
1891
Twain in Europe
His finances in shambles following a series of poor business decisions, Twain moves his family from Hartford to Europe for cheaper living.
1894
Twain's Last Novel
Pudd'nhead Wilson, Twain's last novel, is published. After ten difficult years, Twain's publishing house, Charles L. Webster & Co., finally goes belly-up. The writer finds himself essentially bankrupt. Close friend Henry Huttleston Rogers takes over his finances, saving him from complete disaster.
1895
Lecture Tour
Twain hits the road for a worldwide lecture tour in order to pay back his creditors.
1896
Death of Susy Clemens
Twain's 24-year-old daughter Susy dies of meningitis in the U.S. while Twain is lecturing in Europe. Twain, who was particularly close to his oldest daughter, is devastated. He never fully recovers from her death, which marks the end of his most successful period as a writer.
1904
Death of Livy Clemens
Twain's wife Livy dies after a serious two-year illness. Following his wife's death, Twain moves to New York City and begins writing his autobiography.
Oct 25, 1906
Family Troubles
Twain's youngest daughter Jean is institutionalized due to severe epilepsy. Twain's biographer, Albert Bigelow Paine, moves in with Twain to collect material.
1908
Angelfish Club
Twain moves into a house in Connecticut that he names Stormfield. Lonely and missing his wife and daughters, he forms a club of young girls called the Angelfish Club who meet regularly at his house to play cards.
1909
Death of Jean
ClemensTwain's youngest daughter Jean Clemens dies.
Apr 10, 1910
Death of Mark Twain
Mark Twain dies at the age of 74 at his home in Redding, Connecticut.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Mark Twain Timeline of Important Dates." Shmoop. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
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