Timeline: Mark Twain

Period: Jan 1, 1835 to Dec 31, 1910

Mark Twain Events

Nov 30, 1835

Birth

Samuel L. Clemens is born prematurely at Florida, Missouri, November 30 to Judge John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens. Halley's Comet was in the skies above

Mar 12, 1839

Moving

Family moved to Hannibal, Missouri, where Judge J.M. Clemens, Samuel's father, began to operate general store.

Mar 12, 1843

Mark Twain Home

Family moved into house known as Mark Twain Boyhood Home.

Mar 12, 1846

Poverty

Due to money issues, the Clemens family had to move out of their home. They move in with Dr. Grant. Samuel's mother works as a cook.

Mar 24, 1847

Bye, Father

Sam's father dies, family moves back into Mark Twain home.

Mar 12, 1848

Apprentice

Sam becomes apprentice to Joseph Ament, who worked for the Missouri Courrier Newspaper.

Mar 13, 1850

Orion

Sam's older brother Orion comes home and buys Western Union Newspaper. Sam works for his brother.

Mar 13, 1853

Separation

Sam leaves town and becomes a journeyman in St. Louis. Orion takes the rest of the family to Iowa.

Mar 13, 1854

Visit

Sam visits his brother Orion during the summer in Muscatine, Iowa on the Muscatine Journal.

Mar 13, 1855

Work

Sam works for brother in Iowa for the Orion's Daily Post.

Apr 9, 1859

Pilot

Sam becomes a licensed river pilot.

May 30, 1861

Civil War

Civil War starts, Sam loses river boat job. Sam joins the Marion County Rangers and combats Union Forces.

Mar 13, 1863

Mark Twain

Sam uses his famous pen name Mark Twain for the first time.

Mar 13, 1865

Jumping Frog

Visiting Jackass Hill in California, Sam hears the tale of the Jumping frog.

Nov 18, 1865

Published

"Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" published in an issue of New York Saturday Press.

Mar 13, 1867

Re:Published

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County published nationally. Travels to Europe and the Holy Lands (recalled in his first book, The Innocents Abroad).