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Samuel L. Clemens Birth
Samuel L. Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri on November 30th, 1835 to Judge John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens. At the time of his birth, Halley's Comet was in the sky. -
Samuel the Apprentice
In the year 1848, a year after Samuel's father dies, he goes to work as an apprentice for Joseph Ament at Missouri Courier newspaper. -
Sam's First Experience Writing
While working with his brother, Orion, Sam edited Orion's newspaper while Orion was on a trip. Sam ended up submitting two sketches to the Saturday Evening Post. Then, his sketch "The Dandy Frightening the Squatter" was published in the May issue of Carpet-Bag of Boston, Massachusetts. -
Sam Leaves Hannibal, Missouri
In 1853, Sam left Hannibal to become a journeyman printer in New York and Philadelphia. -
Sam on the River
In 1857, Sam became an apprentice river pilot under Captain Horace Bixby and by 1859, he was a fully licensed pilot for steamboats. -
Mark Twain
After being a miner for a short amount of time, in 1862, Sam settled as a reporter in the Virginia City, Nevada Territorial Enterprise. While he was here, he used the pen name Mark Twain in 1863. -
The Jumping Frog
In 1865, Sam visited Jackass Hill in California where he heard the Jumping Frog story and attempted gold mining. On November 18th, he published the story in the November issue of the New York Saturday Press. -
Engagement and First Book
On February 4th, 1869 Sam Clemens proposed to Olivia Louise Langdon who was from Elmira, New York. Following this, he bought part interest in Buffalo Express newspaper and began working as an editor. His very first book, The Innocents Abroad was published the same year. -
Marriage and First Child
On February 2nd, 1870, Clemens married Olivia and they gave birth to their first son on November 7th. Unfortunately, their son died two years later. -
Birth of Daughter and Second Travel Book
In 1872, Clemen's daughter, Susy, is born on March 19th. The same year, his son died, he built a large house in Hartford, and his second travel book, Roughing It, was published. -
Second Daughter is Born
On June 8th, 1874, Clara was born. She was Clemen's second daughter and third child. -
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
In 1876, Clemens published The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. -
Fourth Child is Born
On July 26th, 1880, Clemen's fourth child and third daughter, Jean, is born. -
Life on the Mississippi
Life on the Mississippi is published in 1883. -
More Books and Best Sellers
In 1885, Twain published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and his publishing firm released a best-seller called Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant. -
Mother's Death
In 1890, Twain visited his ill mother in Keokuk, Iowa. Very soon after this, he attended her funeral in Hannibal, Missouri. -
Bankruptcy
Twain's firm experienced bankruptcy in the year 1894, following the Panic of 1893. -
More Bankruptcy
In 1895, Twain experienced personal bankruptcy and went on a twelve month round-the-world lecture tour to pay off his debts. -
Death of Daughter
On August 18th, 1896 Twain's daughter, Susy died of meningitis. -
Doctorate
In 1901, Twain received his honorary doctorate degree at Yale. -
Last Visit to Hannibal
Twain's last visit to Hannibal took place from May 29th to June 1st, 1902. While he was there, he handed out graduation diplomas at Hannibal High School. From there, he went to Columbia, Missouri to receive his honorary Doctorate from the University of Missouri. -
Olivia's Death
Twain's wife, Olivia, dies in 1904 after being sick on a trip to Florence, Italy. After her death, Twain returned to life in New York. -
Last House
In 1908, Twain moved into his last home, named Stormfield, in Redding, Connecticut on the 18th of June. -
Marriage and Death of Two Daughters
On October 6th, 1909, Twain's daughter, Clara, married Ossip Gabrilowitsch, a Russian concert pianist and conductor at his home. 2 months later, on Christmas Eve, Twain's daughter, Jean, passed away. -
Twain's Last Moments
On Twain's last trip to the Bermuda, he began having heart complications. He returned to his home and died on April 21st. He was then buried in his wife's family's plot, Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira, New York. At the time of his death, Halley's Comet was in the sky again.
