Mark Twain
Born 1835 · Age 190
American writer, humorist, lecturer and entrepreneur, author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth of Samuel Langhorne Clemens
Born prematurely in Florida, Missouri; birth coincided with Halley's Comet.
Family moved to Hannibal, Missouri
Clemens family relocated to the Mississippi River port town that later inspired St. Petersburg in his fiction.
Death of father John Marshall Clemens
Father died of pneumonia; family financial strain followed.
Printer's apprenticeship
Apprenticed to Joseph Ament of the Missouri Courier; began lifelong relationship with printing and newspapers.
Began working for brother Orion's newspaper
Orion returned to Hannibal, bought Western Union; Sam began working for his brother and joined the Cadets of Temperance.
Early sketches published
Submitted sketches (e.g., “The Dandy Frightening the Squatter”) to periodicals; earned no pay for some pieces.
Left Hannibal to work as journeyman printer
Worked in St. Louis, New York, Philadelphia; joined the newly formed International Typographical Union while learning via public libraries.
Apprenticed as river pilot under Horace E. Bixby
Began riverboat pilot apprenticeship; Bixby taught him river navigation between New Orleans and St. Louis for a $500 arrangement to be paid out of first wages.
Steamboat boiler explosion and brother Henry's death
Boiler explosion aboard a steamboat; his younger brother Henry was mortally wounded and died eight days later—event affected Twain profoundly.
Received river pilot's license
Became a fully licensed Mississippi river pilot.
River piloting ended due to Civil War; brief Confederate enlistment
With river traffic curtailed he briefly enlisted in a local Confederate unit, the Marion Rangers, but the unit disbanded after two weeks.
Moved west to Nevada to work with brother Orion
Traveled by stagecoach to Nevada; tried silver mining on the Comstock Lode and then turned to journalism at the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City.
First use of pen name 'Mark Twain'
Used 'Mark Twain' for the first time in a humorous travel account in the Territorial Enterprise.
Moved to San Francisco as a journalist
Worked for San Francisco newspapers and met other writers (e.g., Bret Harte), expanding his literary network.
Published 'The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County'
Short story published in the New York Saturday Press; brought Twain national and international attention.
Correspondent trip to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii)
Sent as a correspondent by the Sacramento Union; letters formed the basis for his first lectures.
Quaker City excursion to Europe and Middle East
Sailed on a five-month pleasure/excursion voyage that produced travel letters later compiled into The Innocents Abroad.
Engaged to Olivia Langdon
Proposed to Olivia Langdon; prolonged courtship followed before marriage.
Published The Innocents Abroad (1869)
First book (a travelogue) published to widespread success; contract received in 1868 and book published in 1869.
Bought part interest in Buffalo Express
Purchased an ownership stake and worked as editor and writer for the Buffalo Express.
Married Olivia Langdon
Married in Elmira, New York; marriage brought Twain into circles including abolitionists and reformers.
Birth of son Langdon Clemens (died 1872)
Son Langdon born November 7; he later died in infancy (1872).
Moved to Hartford, Connecticut and patented garment strap (patent)
Family moved toward Hartford; Twain received a patent for an 'Adjustable and Detachable Strap for Garments' (to replace suspenders).
Published Roughing It (1872)
Travel memoir based on his American West experiences; further solidified his literary reputation.
Birth of daughter Susy Clemens
Susy born March 19, 1872; later central to family life until her death in 1896.
Co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today
Collaboration with Charles Dudley Warner satirizing political corruption and greed (published 1873).
Patent for self-pasting scrapbook
Filed a patent for and commercialized a self-pasting scrapbook; sold more than 25,000 units.
Birth of daughter Clara Clemens
Clara born June 8, 1874; later survived him and managed family affairs.
Published The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)
Novel drawing on his Hannibal youth; introduced Huckleberry Finn as a supporting character.
Major investment in Paige typesetting machine begins
Twain invested heavily in the Paige Compositor (mechanical typesetter), spending large sums between 1880 and 1894; machine proved impractical.
Published The Prince and the Pauper (1881)
Historical novel exploring class through switched identities.
Published Life on the Mississippi (1883)
Memoir and travelogue drawing on river pilot experience; included river lore and social commentary.
Published Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)
Often considered the 'Great American Novel'; marked Twain's literary maturity and critical reputation.
Founded Charles L. Webster and Company (publishing firm)
Twain founded his own publishing house (partnered with Charles L. Webster) to control publication and profits.
Published Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant (via his publishing house)
Charles L. Webster Company published Grant's memoirs; the set returned more than $350,000 to Grant's family and was a bestseller.
Market release of 'Memory Builder' game / third patent
Commercialized the Memory Builder Game (patented) — noted as his third patent and marketed item.
Moved family to Europe (1891–1895)
Family left Hartford and lived mainly in France, Germany, and Italy due to dwindling income and health reasons; Hartford home closed.
Became close friend of Henry Huttleston Rogers
Standard Oil executive Rogers began assisting Twain financially; later arranged protections and helped manage debts.
Filed for bankruptcy (April 1894)
Following investment losses (Paige Compositor) and publishing failures, Twain filed for bankruptcy; Rogers intervened to protect copyrights.
Embarked on year‑long world lecture tour to pay debts
Set out on a 14-month circumnavigation lecture tour (July 1895–July 1896) to repay creditors in full; visited Pacific, Asia, Africa, India, Australia, NZ, and South Africa.
Death of daughter Susy Clemens
Susy died of meningitis on August 18, 1896; event precipitated deep depression and marked the family's turning away from Hartford.
Published Following the Equator (1897)
Large travel book based in part on his 1895–96 world lecture tour; critical of imperialism and colonial abuses.
Paid off last of bankruptcy debts (approx.)
By 1898 Twain had reportedly discharged the last of his creditors, with Rogers' assistance and lecture revenues restoring solvency.
Returned to the U.S. after years abroad
Returned in October 1900 after European and world travels; resumed public life and political stances against imperialism.
Became vice‑president of the American Anti‑Imperialist League
Publicly opposed American imperial expansion (Philippine–American War); served as vice president from 1901 until death.
Awarded honorary D.Litt. by Yale University
Received an honorary doctorate recognizing literary contributions (Yale, 1901).
Awarded Doctor of Law by University of Missouri
Received honorary doctorate from his home-state university.
Published 'King Leopold's Soliloquy' (pamphlet)
Satirical pamphlet condemning Belgian atrocities in the Congo Free State.
Testified before Congress on copyright extension
Testified in favor of extending copyright to lifetime plus 50 years (1906); active public intellectual.
Oxford University awarded Doctorate of Law
Received an honorary degree from Oxford (1907).
Photographed/filmed by Thomas Edison; began publishing autobiography chapters
Edison visited Stormfield and filmed Twain (footage used in The Prince and the Pauper, 1909). Twain published chapters of his autobiography in the North American Review starting September 1909.
Death of close friend Henry Huttleston Rogers
Rogers' death removed a key financial and personal ally; Rogers had helped Twain recover from bankruptcy.
Death of daughter Jean Clemens
Youngest daughter Jean died December 24, 1909; deepened Twain's grief in his final months.
Estate value estimated at death
Officials in Connecticut and New York estimated the value of Twain's estate at approximately $471,000 (1910).
Death of Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens)
Died of a heart attack at Stormfield, Redding, Connecticut—one day after Halley's Comet was at perihelion, fulfilling his famous prediction.
Posthumous Hall of Fame recognition
Twain was inducted into relevant literary/hall of fame lists (example: anniversary recognitions; Britannica notes Hall of Fame 1920), a posthumous honor.
First volume of autobiography published (posthumous; century after death)
First volume of Twain's autobiography published approximately 100 years after his death (noted as first volume appearing a century later).
Key Achievement Ages
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