The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1
Key Dates in Ellen G. White’s Life (1827-1859)
| 1827, November 26 | Ellen White born at Gorham, Maine; moved to Portland, Maine, at early age |
| 1836, late | Accident in Portland, Maine |
| 1840, March | First heard William Miller present the Advent message in Portland, Maine |
| 1840, September | Conversion at Methodist camp meeting in Buxton, Maine |
| 1842, June | William Miller’s second preaching series in Portland, Maine |
| 1842, June 26 | Baptized into the Methodist Church |
| 1842, September | James White began preaching |
| 1843, September | Disfellowshipped from the Methodist Church |
| 1844, October 22 | Great Disappointment |
| 1844, December | First vision (Portland, Maine) |
| 1845, February | “Bridegroom” vision regarding the heavenly sanctuary |
| 1845, spring | “New Earth” vision supporting a literal, visual Second Advent and new earth |
| 1845, spring | Met James White |
| 1845, spring/summer | Relates visions at meetings in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont |
| 1845, August | First traveled to Massachusetts |
| 1845, autumn | Longest recorded vision (four hours), at Randolph, Massachusetts |
| 1845, October | “Time of Trouble” vision at Carver, Massachusetts, rejecting time setting |
| 1846, January 24 | First vision published in the Day-Star |
| 1846, April 6 | First “broadside” publication of visions |
| 1846, August 30 | Married James White |
| 1846, autumn | James and Ellen White began observance of the seventh-day Sabbath |
| 1847-1848 | Resided at Topsham, Maine, with the Howland family |
| 1847, April 3 | Vision of the Sabbath’s special significance |
| 1847, May 30 | James White published A Word to the “Little Flock” |
| 1847, August 26 | Birth of first son, Henry Nichols |
| 1848, April 20-24 | First attended conference of Sabbathkeeping Adventists at Rocky Hill, Connecticut |
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| 1848, autumn | Vision regarding the health dangers of tobacco, tea, and coffee |
| 1848, November 18 | Vision to begin publishing work |
| 1849, July | First of 11 numbers of The Present Truth, published in Middletown, Connecticut |
| 1849, July 28 | Birth of second son, James Edson |
| 1849, December 20 | William Miller dies |
| 1850, August 24 | Vision regarding mysterious “rappings” (spiritualism) and “church order” |
| 1850, November | First number of the Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald published |
| 1851, August | First book published, A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White |
| 1852, April | Moved to Rochester, New York |
| 1852, August | First number of the Youth’s Instructor published |
| 1853 | First Sabbath school organized |
| 1853, February 5 | Robert Harmon (Ellen White’s brother) died |
| 1853, May 6 | Nathaniel White (James White’s brother) died |
| 1853, late | Offshoot Messenger Party formed (continued until about 1857) |
| 1854, January | Supplement to the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White published |
| 1854, February 12 | Second “health vision” on cleanliness, temperance, and rich foods |
| 1854, August 29 | Birth of third son, William Clarence |
| 1854, November 20 | Anna White (James White’s sister) died |
| 1855, November | Moved to Battle Creek, Michigan |
| 1855, November 16-19 | “General Conference” at Battle Creek, Michigan. Affirmation of Ellen White’s visions. Sabbatarian Adventists begin to keep Sabbaths at sundown instead of 6:00 p.m. |
| 1855, December | Testimony for the Church, no. 1, published |
| 1856, spring | Moved into Wood Street home in Battle Creek, Michigan |
| 1856, August 21 | Testimony for the Church, no. 2, announced |
| 1856, October | “Laodicean message” applied to the lukewarm spiritual state of the church |
| 1856, December | Whites crossed half-frozen Mississippi River to reclaim discouraged ministers in Waukon, Iowa |
| 1857, April 30 | Testimony for the Church, no. 3, announced |
| 1857, May/June | Traveled east to meetings in New York and New England |
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| 1857, November 19 | Testimony for the Church, no. 4, announced |
| 1858, March 14 | “Great Controversy” vision at Lovett’s Grove, Ohio |
| 1858, September 9 | Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, announced |
| 1858, September-November | Traveled east to meetings in Ohio, New York, and New England |
| 1859, June | Systematic Benevolence plan officially began |
| 1859, June 16 | Testimony for the Church, no. 5, announced |
| 1859, August-November | Traveled east to meetings in New York and New England |