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Birth
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (or better known as Mark Twain) was born in Florida, Missouri. -
Family Moves
When Samuel was four years old, he and his family moved to Hannibal, Missouri. -
Father Died
Samuel's father, John Marshall Clemens, dies of pneumonia when Samuel was just eleven years old. -
First Job
When Samuel was only fifteen years old, he left school to begin working as a typesetter in the Hannibal Journal, a company in which his brother Orion owned. -
More Printing Jobs Outside of Hannibal
At the age of eighteen, Samuel decided to leave Hannibal to go work as a printer in New York City, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Cincinnati joining the International Typographical Union. -
Apprentice River Pilot
Samuel embarks on a two-year apprenticeship to become a fully licensed river pilot where he learned his what would soon be his pen name, Mark Twain. -
Brother Tragically Dies
Samuel invited his brother, Henry, to come work with him. However, something terribly bad happens when the steamboat they were on, The Pennsylvania, exploded which in turn killed Henry. -
Civil War
The Civil War broke out which forced Samuel to discontinue his steamboat passion and train with a volunteer Confederate militia for two weeks. -
Becomes A Miner...Then Back to A Printer
Samuel became a miner for the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, Nevada. However, he failed at this job and decided to go back to printing at the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City. -
First Use of Pen Name
Samuel used his pen name for the first time when he wrote an account titled "Letter From Carson" and signed it "Mark Twain". -
"Jumping Frog" Published
Samuel published a short story in the New York Saturday Press titled "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" (which was later called "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County"). This story was extremely popular and put Mark Twain on the map as a writer. -
Twain Begins Lecturing
Mark Twain travels to Hawaii as a reporter for San Francisco's Alta California newspaper where he interviews the locals in that area. When he returns to the mainland a few months later, he gives his first public lecture which was a huge success. -
Meets Future Wife
Twain meets his future wife, Olivia Langdon, who was a sister of one of his friends. -
First Full Book Published
Mark Twain's publishes his first book: "The Innocents Abroad" which becomes a bestseller. -
Gets Married and Has Children
Twain Marries Olivia Langdon and has a son named Langdon in honor of her maiden name a year later. -
Moves To Connecticut, Daughter Born, Son Dies
Twain and his family move toward Hartford, Connecticut where he published "Roughing It" which was about his memories living in the west. Olivia and Samuel have a daughter named Susy but their son dies of diphteria later in the year. -
Publishes "The Gilded Age", Invents Self-Pasting Scrapbook
Twain publishes "The Gilded Age", its title is based off an entire era of American history. His most successful invention, the self-pasting scrapbook, was also released to the public. -
Clara Clemens Born
Olivia and Samule give birth to another daughter the named Clara who would be the only one of his children to outlive him. -
Tom Sawyer
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is published. -
Jean Clemens Born
Olivia and Twain give birth to their final child Jean. -
Life on The Mississippi
Twain publishes his book "Life on The Mississippi" which was about his memories of his time as a steamboat pilot. -
Twain Founds Publishing Company
Twain founds his own publishing company called "Charles L. Webster & Co." which was named after his nephew and co-owner Charles L. Webster. -
Huck Finn
"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is published which becomes Mark Twain's most famous fiction work. -
Connecticut Yankee
Twain publishes "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" However, the public harshly receives the book. -
Twain in Europe
Twain moves his family from Hartford to Europe due to financial issues. -
Twain's Last Novel
Pudd'nhead Wilson, Twain's last novel, is published. Twain's publishing house goes almost bankrupt. However, he sells the company to his close friend Henry Huttleston Rogers saving him from complete disaster. -
Death Of Susy Clemens
At twenty -four years old, Susy dies of meningitis in the U.S. while Twain is lecturing in Europe. When he found out he was devastated and never fully recovered which marked his last successful year as a writer. -
Death of Wife
Olivia dies after a serious two-year illness. After she dies, Mark Twain moves back to New York City where he wrote his autobiography. -
Family Troubles
Jean Clemens is institutionalized due to severe epilepsy. Albert Bigelow Paine, his biographer, moves in with him to collect material. -
The Angelfish Club
Twain moves back to Connecticut. Due to Twain missing his wife and children, he decided to make the Angelfish club where girls would come over to his house and play cards with him. -
Death of Jean Clemens
Jean Clemens, Mark Twain's youngest daughter, drowns to death. -
Death Of Mark Twain
Mark Twain dies at the age of seventy-four years old in his house in Redding, Connecticut.