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Mark Twain History
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Mark Twain was born
Samuel Langhorne Clemens is born in Florida, the sixth child of John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens -
The family moves
The Clemens family moves to Hannibal, Missouri, a riverbank town that is a frequent stop for steamboats traveling the Mississippi. Young Samuel reveres the riverboat pilots and hopes to become one himself -
Death of Twain's father
John Clemens dies, forcing the family into financial hardship -
Work
At the age 15, mark leaves school and works a a printer -
River Piolet
Samuel Clemens begins a successful two-year apprenticeship to become a licensed river pilot. -
Twain's brother dies
Twain's youngest brother Henry is killed tragically at the age of 20 in an explosion on the steamboat Pennsylvania. -
"Jumping Frog" is Published
The short story "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" appears in the New York Times -
First book published
Mark Twain's first book, The Innocents Abroad, becomes a bestseller. -
Marriage
Twain marries Olivia Langdon, who becomes an important editor of his work. -
Son
Langdon is born -
The Gilded Age
Twain publishes the satiric novel The Gilded Age, its title giving a name to an entire era of American history. -
Daughter
Clara is born -
Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is published -
Last novel
Pudd'nhead Wilson, Twain's last novel, is published. After ten difficult years, Twain's publishing house, Charles L. Webster & Co., finally goes belly-up. -
Death
Mark Twain dies at the age of 74 at his home in Redding, Connecticut.
