Chronology

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1843	Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 17th.
1850	Witnessed the launching of the USS Susquehana（later the flagship of Commodore Matthew Perry).
1859	Opening of the Port of Yokohama (where griffis entered and left the country). As a result of his families financial troubles, he quit high school to work under a jeweler.
1860	Witnessed the arrival of a Japanese delegation in Philadelphia.
1861	Beginning of the American Civil War（Griffis would volunteer twice.
1865	Enters Rutgers College (Rutgers University) in New Brunswick, New Jersey. While there、Griffis would teach at the Rutgers Grammar School he taught two nephews of Yokoi Shōnan as well as the young samurai from Fukui, Kusakabe Taro.
1868	Restoration of Imperial Rule in Japan (Meiji Restoration).
1869	Graduates and enrolls at New Brunswick Theological Seminary.
1870	April, Griffis attends Kusakabe's funeral.
	Matsudaira Shungaku, ex-daimyō, contacts Dutch Reformed missionary, Guido Verbeck, to hire someone to teach physical science in Fuku. Rutgers, with its connection to the Dutch Reformed Church, was contacted and recommended Griffis for the position.
	Arrives in Yokohama on December 29th at the age of 27.
1871	Arrives in Fukui on March 4th. Lives in a part of a samurai manor not far from the present museum. He begins teaching at the Domain School, Meishinkan, located within Fukui Castle (current Prefectural Office).
	August 29th、the formal adoption of haihan-chiken, the abolition of the han system and establishment of the modern prefectures.
	September 25th, Griffis moves into his new home (the model for the current museum).
	December, at the request of Katsu Kaishu, Griffis recommends his friend E.W. Clark as an instrcutor. Clark begins teaching in Shizuoka.
1872	January 22nd、Griffis departs for Tokyo. He would then teach for two years at the Nanko School, the precursor to Tokyo Imperial University (now Tokyo University). His older sister Maggie arrives and begins teaching at Tokyo Women's School the following year.
1873	The original house burns down.
1874	July 18th, he and Maggie depart Yokohama and begin a long journey back to Philadelphia.
1875	Enrolls at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
1876
	Publishes his magnum opus, "The Mikado's Empire."
1877	Graduates from seminary school, and is called to the ministry at Schenectady, New York.
1879	Marries Katherine Stanton.
1883	Eldest daughter Lilian is born. First son Stanton born four years later, and second son John Elliott born five years after Stanton.
1886	Joins the ministry at Shawmut Congregational Church, Boston, Massachusetts.
1893	Called to the ministry at the First Congregational Church, Ithaca, New York.
1898	Wife Katherine passes away.
1900	Marries Sarah Francis King.
1903	Retires from the ministry to focus on writing.
1908	Receives the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.
1915	Publishes "The Mikado" (ミカド).
1926	Returns to Japan in December with wife Sarah. Receives Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.
1927	Visits Fukui from 4/25～29. Returns to the U.S. in June.
1928	Passes away on February 2nd in Winter Park, Florida, at the age of 84.
1929	Sarah King gifts a sundial clock to Fukui City, which is placed on Asuwa Mountain in 1934.
1936	The remaining Ijinkan burns down.
1975	The Fukui Junior Chamber of Commerce sends a delegation to visit the gravesite of Kusakabe Taro in New Brunswick, NJ.
1976	Stone monument erected outside the Fukui City Library to commemorate Griffis and Kusakabe. It has been relocated beside the Griffis Museum.
1977	Fukui City Mayor Otake Yukio visits New Brunswick and delivers a donation to restore the gravesite of Kusakabe Taro.
1981	Fukui University and Rutgers University enter an exchange agreement.
1982	Fukui City and the City of New Brunswick, New Jersey, become sister cities.
2015	The Fukui City Griffis Museum opens in October.