Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain)
Life & Masonic Timeline
November 30, 1835
Born
1839
Age 4
Family moved to Hannibal, Missouri (inspiring Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn settings)
March 24, 1847
Age 11
Father died; apprenticed as printer to Joseph Ament
1851
Age 16
Began working as typesetter and contributor to brother Orion's Hannibal Journal
1857
Age 22
Became Mississippi River steamboat pilot apprentice
1859
Age 24
Received pilot's license
May 22, 1861
Age 25
Initiated an Entered Apprentice — Polar Star Lodge No. 79, St. Louis
June 12, 1861
Age 25
Passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft — Polar Star Lodge No. 79, St. Louis
July 10, 1861
Age 25
Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason — Polar Star Lodge No. 79, St. Louis
July 26, 1861
Age 25
Traveled to Nevada Territory with brother Orion; began writing for Territorial Enterprise (first use of 'Mark Twain' pseudonym)
November 18, 1865
Age 29
Published 'The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County' (national breakthrough)
April 24, 1867
Age 31
Reinstated to Polar Star Lodge No. 79
June 8, 1867
Age 31
Traveled to Europe and Holy Land (basis for The Innocents Abroad); gifted cedar gavel to lodge
February 2, 1870
Age 34
Married Olivia Langdon
February 1, 1872
Age 36
Published Roughing It
June 1, 1876
Age 40
Published The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
February 1, 1885
Age 49
Published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
December 10, 1889
Age 54
Published A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
April 18, 1894
Age 58
Bankruptcy and global lecture tour to pay debts
August 18, 1896
Age 60
Daughter Susy died (major family tragedy)
April 21, 1910
Age 74
Died
