Jennifer wrote:
>I do not at all understand the details that you speak of but I do
> understand DNA results really well. I can assure you, and all readers, that
> I have looked at Susan's results from three competing direct-to-consumer
> genetic testing companies and all are for the same individual when compared
> through a third-party tool.
>etc.
Thank You, Jennifer.
I understood that pretty well. On scientific grounds, not literary ones, I'm parsing the careful word choice. Not suspicion, but exactness, is the question. You stated that You have looked at "Susan's results." That's a reasonable way to say it, so I apologize in advance for my quibble, as follows. Susan Bailey did not transport or process or summarize the results. She provided samples which she, and we, hope were tested without error by honorable technicians at three labs. So they're someone's results. Three someones, in three different labs, tested the samples. Could anything go wrong? If there were a literary conspiracy, it would probably have been a grand intercept on all three samples before they arrived at the labs, if not during the time they awaited testing. Probably, this didn't occur.
But we shouldn't rule it out yet, in my humble opinion. Although it's probable the tests are correct, we would be committing a fallacy if we rounded that up to being a certainty. One could make a case for keeping this possibility open, by citing various
DNA foibles I've witnessed and read about; stranger things have happened in high-stakes literary contexts, haven't they?
I speak from the peanut gallery and do not expect to keep this argument going, at all. Can converse off the forum.
Good feelings about Twain scholars adopting as a dear friend, the author, Susan Bailey.
Mike Pearson
a piece of broken Renaissance pottery
> Date: Mon, 29 Feb 2016 19:59:46 -0500
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Conclusion of Research on Susan Bailey's Ancestry (by David Carkeet)
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Mike,
>
> I do not at all understand the details that you speak of but I do
> understand DNA results really well. I can assure you, and all readers, that
> I have looked at Susan's results from three competing direct-to-consumer
> genetic testing companies and all are for the same individual when compared
> through a third-party tool. Two tests consisted of spit samples and one was
> a cheek swab. Susan's results from each lab clearly matched the results
> from the others, with minor variations depending on which SNPs they choose
> to include on their Illumina chips.
>
> Kind Regards,
> Jennifer Zinck
>
> On Mon, Feb 29, 2016 at 4:22 PM, Mike Pearson <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > Wish to offer a caution about DNA evidence
> > ... Re-do=2C and be sure the shadow government(s) aren't
> > doing something for our own good (preserving the wholesome legacy=2C
> > or preventing any wildcard being introduced at this late date).=20
> >
> > The sample can be switched before the honest lab person receives it. And
> > =
> > etc.
> > NOT saying it happened... just saying that I've seen and heard how things
> > c=
> > an
> > really go off the map.
> >
> > I'm not rejecting the shadow government(s) per se. =20
> > My ancestor Silas Pearson was a member of a committee of correspondence
> > before the Revolutionary War -- a kind of shadow government too.
> >
> > I'll keep this short. =20
> >
> > > Date: Mon=2C 29 Feb 2016 14:21:03 -0500
> > > From: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re: Conclusion of Research on Susan Bailey's Ancestry (by David
> > =
> > Carkeet)
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > >=20
> > > Mr. Edstrom=2C
> > >=20
> > > I do hope you're not implying that any of my work was based on
> > fraudulent=
> > do=3D
> > > cuments.=3D20
> > >=20
> > > The DNA evidence that Mr. Carkeet based his conclusions on only recently
> > =
> > cam=3D
> > > e to light.=3D20
> > >=20
> > > "As someone who has done similar
> > > professional research to evaluate and debunk historical narratives based
> > > on fraudulent documents=2C I applaud Mr. Carkeet's work. Well done!"
> > >=20
> > > Best regards=2C
> > > Susan Bailey
> > >=20
> > > Sent from my iPhone
> > >=20
> > > > On Feb 29=2C 2016=2C at 1:19 PM=2C James Edstrom <jedstrom@ILLINOISALUM
> > =
> > NI.ORG> w=3D
> > > rote:
> > > >=3D20
> > > > I read Mr. Carkeet's article with absorbing interest. I had found
> > Susa=
> > n
> > > > Bailey's book to be a fascinating read and a wonderful story=2C and so
> > =
> > I'm
> > > > probably like a lot of Twain aficionados--I wanted the story to be
> > true=
> > .
> > > > After reading Mr. Carkeet's narrative=2C I think there can be no doubt
> > > > that his conclusion--much to my disappointment--is exactly right. He
> > > > documented all of his research with great care=3B I was particularly
> > > > impressed that he took the time to evaluate Nina's diaries rather than
> > > > to rely upon the typescript. As someone who has done similar
> > > > professional research to evaluate and debunk historical narratives
> > base=
> > d
> > > > on fraudulent documents=2C I applaud Mr. Carkeet's work. Well done!
> > > >=3D20
> > > >=3D20
> > > >=3D20
> > > >=3D20
> > > > Jim Edstrom
> > > >=3D20
> > > > Professor of Library Services and History
> > > >=3D20
> > > > William Rainey Harper College
> > > >=3D20
> > > > Palatine=2C Illinois
> > > >=3D20
> > > >=3D20
> > > >=3D20
> > > > On Sat=2C 27 Feb=2C 2016 at 12:12:05 PM=2C Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]>
> > wr=
> > ote:
> > > >=3D20
> > > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > >=3D20
> > > > Friends=3B first=2C thanks for this=2C & thanks mainly to you David.
> > > >=3D20
> > > > 2nd: I'm a little surprised there has been no response to David's
> > > > conclusions=2C here on the Twain Forum=2C which do appear definitive.
> > T=
> > hen
> > > > again=2C maybe it's not that surprising that nobody has responded=2C I
> > > > suppose=2C
> > > > given the constraints of civil behavior. (One might wonder about the
> > > > currency of civility=2C given our odd presidential campaign season so
> > > > far).
> > > >=3D20
> > > > 3rd: It was a fun ride while it lasted=2C laced with ironies=3B &
> > quite=
> > a
> > > > tale=2C in any event. 'nuff said ... -hb
> > > >=3D20
> > > > On Wed=2C Feb 24=2C 2016 at 9:09 AM=2C Taylor Roberts
> > > > <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > wrote:
> > > >=3D20
> > > >> [The following email was written by David Carkeet. I am posting it on
> > > > his
> > > >> behalf. -TR]
> > > >>=3D20
> > > >> ---
> > > >>=3D20
> > > >> Most Forum members are aware of Susan Bailey=3D3DE2=3D3D80=3D3D99s
> > boo=
> > k THE TWA=3D
> > > IN
> > > >> SHALL=3D3D
> > > >> MEET
> > > >> (co-authored by Deborah Gosselin)=2C which sets forth the theory that
> > > > Susan
> > > >> is Samuel Clemens=3D3DE2=3D3D80=3D3D99s great-granddaughter. As many
> > o=
> > f you kno=3D
> > > w=2C
> > > > I
> > > >> hav=3D3D
> > > >> e been
> > > >> researching this claim and the support cited for it=2C both
> > documentar=
> > y
> > > > and
> > > >> genetic. I have finished the study=2C and unfortunately my conclusion
> > =
> > is
> > > > that
> > > >> Susan was mistaken in her belief. I have written up my findings=2C and
> > > > the
> > > >> report has just been posted on twainquotes.com.
> > > >>=3D20
> > > >> http://www.twainquotes.com/Carkeet/AncestryReport.html
> > > >>=3D20
> > > >> The report is written for the general reader unfamiliar with the
> > > > subject=2C
> > > >> so it is both an introduction to the story and a consideration of the
> > > >> evidence. In the course of my work=2C I had massive help from many
> > > > Twainians=2C
> > > >> almost all of them named in the report at one point or another=2C but
> > =
> > a
> > > >> special thanks goes to Barb Schmidt for her steady and insightful
> > > >> assistance throughout.
> > > >>=3D20
> > > >> Thanks too to these collections for permission to publish previously
> > > >> unpublished photos and documents: Burton Historical Collection=2C
> > > > Detroit
> > > >> Public Library=3B Kevin Mac Donnell=2C Mac Donnell Rare Books=2C
> > Austi=
> > n=2C
> > > > Texas=3B
> > > >> L. Tom Perry Special Collections=2C Brigham Young University=3B Mark
> > T=
> > wain
> > > >> House and Museum=2C Hartford=3B Mark Twain Project=2C Bancroft
> > Library=
> > =2C
> > > >> University of California=2C Berkeley.
> > > >>=3D20
> > > >> If you have questions about the report=2C I will be happy to answer
> > > > them.
> > > >>=3D20
> > > >> --David Carkeet [log in to unmask]
> > > >>=3D20
> > > >=3D20
> > > >=3D20
> > > >=3D20
> > > > --=3D20
> > > > Prof. Harold K. Bush
> > > > Professor of English
> > > > 3800 Lindell
> > > > Saint Louis University
> > > > St. Louis=2C MO 63108
> > > > 314-977-3616 (w)=3B 314-771-6795 (h)
> > > > <www.slu.edu/x23809.xml>
> > > > .
> > =
> >
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