American Literature Web Resources: William Dean Howells
William Dean Howells Chronology
compiled by Carla Ford, Millikin University
1837
March 1 William Dean Howells is born in Martin's Ferry, Ohio, to William Cooper and Mary Dean Howells. He is the second child and second son of their eight children.
1848
The family moves around in Ohio.
1852
Howells' father has one of his poems published in the Ohio State Journal.
1853
Tale of Love and Politics, Adventures of a Printer Boy was published.
1857
Howells writes a column ("Letter from Columbus") for the Daily Cincinnati Gazette.
1858
Howells begins to work for the Ohio State Journal.
1860
Poems of Two Friends is published.
Howells meets his future wife, Elinor Mead.
1862
Howells marries Elinor Mead.
1863
The first child, Winifred, is born.
1866
Venetian Life is published.
The Howellses' second child, John Mead Howells, is born, and William's mother dies.
1869
Howells meets Mark Twain, which will lead to a lifelong friendship.
1871
Suburban Sketches is published.
1872
Howells' first novel, Their Wedding Journey, is published.
Mildred, their third child is born.
1873
A Chance Acquaintance, poetry, is published.
1875
A Foregone Conclusion Private Theatricals is published.
1876
Sketch of the Life and Character of Chester A. Arthur, a campaign biography, is published.
1877
Out of the Question is published.
1879
The Lady of the Aroostook is published.
1880
The Undiscovered Country is published.
1881
A Fearful Responsibility and Doctor Breen's Practice are published.
1882
A Modern Instance is published.
1883
A Woman's Reason is published.
1885
The Rise of Silas Lapham is published.
1886
Indian Summer is published.
1887
The Minister's Charge is published.
1888
April Hopes is published.
1889
Annie Kilburn is published.
The Howellses' daughter, Winnie, dies.
1890
The Shadow of a Dream is published.
1891
Criticism and Fiction is published.
1892
An Imperative Duty is published.
1893
The World of Chance is published.
Howells receives a copy of Maggie by Stephen Crane. Howells reads and commends it. He works to get it printed.
1894
A Traveler from Altruria is published.
1895
Stops of Various Quills, poetry, is published.
1897
The Landlord at Lion's Head is published.
1898
The Story of a Play is published.
1900
Literary Friends and Acquaintance, a group of essays, is published.
1901
Heroines of Fiction is published.
1902
The Kentons is published.
1903
Letters Home is published.
1904
The Son of Royal Langbrith is published.
1905
Miss Bellard's Inspiration and Editha are published.
1907
Through the Eye of the Needle and Between the Dark and the Daylight are published.
1910
My Mark Twain is published.
Both Elinor Mead Howells, his wife, and Mark Twain, his close friend, die.
1913
New Leaf Mills: A Chronicle is published.
1916
The Leatherwood God and Years of My Youth are published.
Howells' friend, Henry James, dies.
1920
May 11, in New York, William Dean Howells dies in his sleep.
The Vacation of the Kelwyns is published after his death.
Secondary Sources:
Bennett, George N. The Realism of William Dean Howells, 1889-1920. Nashville: Vanderbilt UP, 1973.
Kirk, Clara Marburg. William Dean Howells. New Haven: College & UP, 1962.
Lynn, Kenneth Schuyler. William Dean Howells: An American Life. New York: Harcourt, 1971.
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Last modified January, 2001 by Dr. Michael O'Conner. Contact:
moconner@millikinor Click Here to Email