I would like to add these comments to Barb's, and I do so with Susan Bailey's explicit permission-- My offer was for up to three envelopes to be tested. The DNA test to be run is for mtDNA, a type of DNA that is passed from mother to daughter virtually unchanged from one generation to the next, so that any viable mtDNA from a direct female ancestor would match every granddaughter, great-granddaughter, etc. The first envelope tested --chosen because it was used to seal a letter written by Clara to Ossip while Clara was traveling alone ca. 1916 and was very likely sealed by Clara herself-- did not yield viable mtDNA. Either there wasn't enough or she may have used a stamp sponge or the storage conditions for that letter over the years were unfavorable. Each test for mtDNA costs $2500. Some less-qualified labs charge less, and tests for other kinds of DNA --paternity tests for example-- cost much less, but mtDNA is what must be tested. and the best qualified labs charge $2500. I've offered a second envelope for testing. It dates from ca 1960-61, a time when Clara may not have been sealing her own envelopes (she had a devoted assistant and a less devoted husband handy at the end of her life). This more recent envelope contains a personal letter written by Clara and the envelope is addressed in her hand, and after the flap was sealed she scribbled a PS on the flap. The presence of that PS increases the odds that she sealed it herself, but does not make it certain. The test would run $2500 , but there is a risk that no viable mtDNA will be found, even though this letter was stored under much better conditions than the earlier letter. It's also possible that Clara used a stamp sponge, or that her husband or assistant sealed it. So, after spending another $2500 on another mtDNA test the results could prove Susan's case 100%, or yield no answer at all (it could not disprove her maternity since we don't know who sealed the envelope). The decision to run that test is Susan's alone and raising the money to run another test is daunting, never mind the risk of more emotional stress from another inconclusive result. Kevin @ Mac Donnell Rare Books 9307 Glenlake Drive Austin TX 78730 512-345-4139 Member: ABAA, ILAB ************************* You may browse our books at: www.macdonnellrarebooks.com -----Original Message----- From: Barbara Schmidt Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2015 8:28 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: response to Susan Bailey claims Updates on Susan and Deb's research are posted on The Twain Shall Meet facebook page as new discoveries and links are found. To my knowledge, the first DNA envelope offered for testing failed to find usable DNA due to the age of the sample. Susan's matches to known descendants who have provided DNA to a national database continues to rise. There are also many other letters from Nina's estate that were recently found to be at the Mark Twain Papers that were unknown to Susan and Deb at the time their book was produced. I understand these are being transcribed and made available. One other scholar who has researched Nina's life in depth has also shared additional material. While Susan may never attain that 100% certainty mark, the percentages for her being Nina's daughter are extremely close to that. I do expect there will be an updated second edition of their book at some point in time. I agree with Hal that this story is one that would be of prime interest for a venue such as the History Channel. Barb