Does anyone know where (or when) the claim that Will Clemens (William Montgomery Clemens) was Mark Twain's relative originated? Newspaper accounts of the time and later variously refer to him as MT's cousin, nephew, and even brother. He appears not to have been related at all, or possibly a very distant cousin. I'd assume that he spread the assertion that he was related, but would like to track it down. Thanks for any help on this. Ellen Ellen Gruber Garvey, Ph.D. Research Triangle Fellow, 2007-2008 National Humanities Center Research Triangle Park, NC phone: 919-549-0668 x218 fax: 919-549-9001 Associate Professor Department of English New Jersey City University Visit the Research Society for American Periodicals website at: http://home.earthlink.net/~ellengarvey/index1.html email: [log in to unmask]