| 15 Jan 1906 |
Aristotle Socrates Onassis born, Smyrna (Izmir), Turkey. |
| 1922 |
Onassis family flees to Greece. |
| c. 1923 |
Aristotle Onassis moves to Argentina, with largely no assets. Works as a dishwasher, according to legend. |
| 1925 |
Receives Argentine citizenship. Engages in the business of importing opium to Argentina. For a while, engaged in cigarette/tobacco business, where he manufactured counterfeit BIS brand cigarettes. The BIS company successfully sued over this matter. Sources generally cite tobacco as the sources of his Argentine wealth, but it was clearly opium that turned him into a millionaire in the span of a mere three years. |
| 26 Aug 1927 |
The Turks reoccupy Smyrna, previously in Greek hands. |
| 1946 |
Marries Athina Mary Livanos (a Greek with additional American citizenship), daughter of Stavros Livanos. |
| 1947 |
Slept with Evita Peron. She cooked him an omelet; he presented her a $10K check for her favorite charity. Onassis comment regarding the omelet: "The most expensive I have ever had." (Alan Gansberg) |
| 30 Apr 1948 |
Son, Alexander Onassis, born, New York City. |
| 11 Dec 1950 |
Daughter, Christina Onassis born, New York City. |
| 1951 |
Begins an illegal whaling operation, which lasts 3 years. |
| 15 Nov 1954 |
Peru fires on one of Onassis' whaling ships, arresting 400 sailors. |
| Mar 1956 |
Sells whaling fleet to the Japanese. |
| Jun 1957 |
Founds Olympic Airways. |
| 1960 |
Divorces Athina Mary Livanos. |
| 1963 |
Buys the island of Skorpios. |
| 22 Oct 1968 |
Marries Jackie Kennedy, widow of slain President John F. Kennedy. |
| 22 Jan 1973 |
Son and heir Alexander dies in aircraft accident (he was pilot.) |
| 6 Feb 1975 |
Gall bladder surgery performed. |
| 15 Mar 1975 |
Dies from myasthenia gravis, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. Buried on Skorpios. |
| 19 Nov 1988 |
Christina Onassis dies from an overdose of diet pills, Buenos Aires. |
| 19 May 1994 |
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis dies, New York City. |
| 29 Jan 2003 |
Granddaughter Athina Roussel inherits the bulk of the Onassis' fortune, valued at $2.7B. An additional $2B will come on her 21st birthday (control over the Onassis Foundation.) |