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Samuel L. Clemens is born as Halley's Comet makes an appearance.
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Clemens' family moves to Hannibal, Missouri a port town on the Mississippi River. This town is the inspiration behind St. Petersburg, Missouri where 'Tom Sawyer' takes place.
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in 1851 Clemens begins work for his brother, Orion, at the 'Hannibal Journal' as a typesetter.
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In 1853, Clemens began work as a printer in New York. He also worked as a printer in Philadelphia, St. Louis and Cincinnati.
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Clemens and his brother, Henry, begin working on a steamboat. Clemens is trained as a cub pilot. On this date an explosion on the steamboat kills Henry.
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Clemens first signs the name Mark Twain after he penned "Letter From Carson – re: Joe Goodman; party at Gov. Johnson's; music." The phrase mark twain was a river cry for a safe passages for a steamboat.
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The first illustrated edition of 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' is published by the American Publishing Company. This story takes place approximately in the year 1845.
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Samuel L. Clemens passes away from a heart attack as Helley's Comet passes by Earth once again. Clemens predicted that he would leave with the comet just as he arrived with it.
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Clemens' wrote his autobiography, by dictation, and requested it to be published 100 years after his death.