| 15 Nov 1835 |
Halley's Comet at perihelion. |
| 30 Nov 1835 |
Samuel Langhorne Clemens born, Florida MO. |
| 22 Jan 1845 |
Samuel Langhorne Clemens an eyewitness to the murder of Sam Smarr. |
| 24 Mar 1847 |
Father, John M. Clemens, dies. |
| 9 Apr 1859 |
Receives steamboat pilot license. |
| 21 May 1861 |
Becomes a Mason, joining the St. Louis, Missouri lodge. |
| Jun 1861 |
Joins a Confederate militia for two weeks, the Marion Rangers. |
| 4 Oct 1862 |
Twain's Petrified Man hoax article published in the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise. |
| 3 Feb 1863 |
First uses the pseudonym Mark Twain. |
| 28 Oct 1863 |
Publishes an entirely fabricated story in the Territorial Enterprise, "A Bloody Massacre Near Carson." |
| Mar 1867 |
The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. |
| 2 Feb 1870 |
Marries Olivia (Livy) Langdon, Elmira NY. |
| 7 Nov 1870 |
Son, Langdon Clemens, born (premature.) |
| 2 Jun 1872 |
Son, Langdon Clemens, dies, Hartford CT. |
| Jan 1876 |
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. |
| 1879 |
Gives his thoughts in a speech, Mark Twain on Masturbation, at the Stomach Club, Paris. |
| 26 Jul 1880 |
Daughter, Jean Clemens, born, Elmira NY. |
| 10 Dec 1884 |
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. |
| 1885 |
Publishes the autobiography of Ulysses S Grant. |
| 27 Oct 1890 |
Mother, Jane Lampton Clemens, dies. |
| Oct 1891 |
Translates Der Struwwelpeter. |
| 18 Aug 1896 |
Daughter, Olivia Susan (Suzy) Clemens, dies, Hartford CT. |
| 2 Jan 1897 |
Reports of Twain's death "greatly exaggerated." In Twain's notebook: "Came Mr. White, representing the N.Y. Journal with two cablegrams from his paper. (1) 'If Mark Twain dying in poverty, in London, send 500 words.' (2) 'Later. If Mark Twain has died in poverty send 1000 words.'" Twain's response: "James Ross Clemens, a cousin, was seriously ill here two or three weeks ago, but is well now. The report of my illness grew out of his illness; the report of my death was an exaggeration. I have not been ill. Mark Twain." |
| 1897 |
Begins work on unfinished The Chronicle of Young Satan. |
| 14 Aug 1902 |
"I am always reading immoral books on the sly, and then selfishly trying to prevent other people from having the same wicked good time." Letter to the Denver Post, regarding General Funston's ban of Huckleberry Finn from the Denver Public Library. |
| 5 Jun 1904 |
Wife Livy dies, Florence Italy. |
| 1905 |
A Humane Word For Satan. |
| 1909 |
Is Shakespeare dead? |
| 19 Apr 1910 |
Halley's Comet at perihelion. |
| 21 Apr 1910 |
Mark Twain dies of angina pectoris at 6:30 pm, Redding CT. Buried in Elmira, NY. |
