John--I believe that the University of Southwestern Louisiana is now the
University of Louisiana, Lafayette.  That's where Jim Wilson (coeditor
of the MT Encyclopedia) taught.  Jim's wife Mary Ann is still there (as
Professor of English).  The university's website indicates Mary Ann's
address as [log in to unmask]  I'll bet she would know who Mary Minor
Austin is.  Or maybe that's actually a pseudonym for Mary Ann
herself--before she went to "pasta."  --Jim L. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Bird
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 11:57 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Searching For Mary Minor Austin

I am revising the paper I presented at Elmira last year on Twain and
Robert
Ingersoll. In _The Mark Twain Encyclopedia_, the entry for Ingersoll was
written by Mary Minor Austin, affiliation University of Southwestern
Louisiana.  She states that there is evidence that Clara concealed the
fact
that Twain owned a copy of Ingersoll's Complete Works (1900).  I am
trying
to track down that evidence, but I can't find Mary Minor Austin.  Does
anyone know of her whereabouts?

In _Mark Twain's Library_, Alan Gribben quotes the letter from a
Connecticut
man who offered Twain a complete set, as well as Twain's reply that he
would
like to have it.  I talked to Alan last August, and that is as much as
he
knows. Does anyone know more--or can help me track down Mary Minor
Austin?
Thanks for any help!

John Bird
Winthrop University

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John Bird
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