1789
Born on September 15 to William and Elizabeth (nee Fenimore) Cooper.
1790
Moved with family to Cooperstown, New York, the village founded by his father
on Otsego Lake, the source of the Susquehanna River.
1803
Entered Yale College.
1805
Expelled from Yale after perpetrating several pranks.
1808
Joined the Navy as a midshipman.
1809
Inherited $50,000.00 upon the death of his father, who was fatally injured by an
assassin while leaving a political meeting.
1811
Married, on January 1, Susan De Lancy, daughter of wealthy landowners in
Westchester County, New York.
1819
Became head of the entire Cooper clan after the death of the last of his five elder
brothers; assumed full responsibility for Cooper estates then heavily in debt.
1820
Published his first book, Precaution; it was mildly successful.
1821
Published The Spy. This book was praised by reviewers, and brought him
international fame, and a certain amount of wealth.
1823
Published The Pioneers, the first of the Leatherstocking Tales. This book is
generally considered the first truly American novel.
1826
Continued the Leatherstocking Tales with Last of the Mohicans.
Added Fenimore to his name to keep alive his mother's family name.
1826
Moved to Europe for the education of his five children.
1827
Published the third book in the Leatherstocking Tales, The Prairie.
1828
Published Notions of the Americans, a book that offended both British and
American critics.
1833
Wrote Letter to General Lafayette for the Finance Controversy, a project which
earned him unpopularity at home.
1833
Returned to America to find himself unwelcome in New York City; left there to
go live at Cooperstown.
1840
Published the fourth book of the Leatherstocking Tales, The Pathfinder.
1841
Published The Deerslayer, the fifth and final book in the Leatherstocking Tales.
1850
Published his last novel, The Ways of the Hour.
1851
Died at Cooperstown, New York, on September 14, one day before his sixty-
second birthday.