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Clemens Children | Mark Twain biography
Langdon Clemens -
Born prematurely on November 7, 1870. Olivia was sick as was the baby after the birth, so the
family left Buffalo and went to Quarry Farm (Olivia's sister's home). In April of 1871, while
riding with his father, Langson caught a cold which developed into diphtheria. He died June 2,
1872. He was only 19 months old. Twain blamed himself for the child's illness and rarely spoke
of his son's death.
Olivia Susan Clemens -
Nicknamed "Susy" - Born March 19, 1872. She was an intelligent and interesting girl. In his
autobiography Twain said, "Like other children, she was. . .happy, fond of play; unlike the
average of children, she was at times much given to. . .trying to search out the hidden
meeanings of the deep things that make the puzzle. . .of human existence. . ." A friend of the
Clemens' famliy remarked, "She knows all there is life and its meanings. She could not know it
better if she had lived it out to its limit." While attending college, and with her parents
traveling oversas, Susy contracted meningitis. She died on August 18, 1896 at eh age of 24.
Clara Clemens -
Born June 8, 1874. Clara was a colorful and independent character who studied voice and peano.
She sometimes feuded with her famous father over her "bold" befavior; once in Germany, she was
the only girl at a party with 40 army officers. Her father was furious. She wed concert peanist
Ossip Gabrilowitsch on October 6, 1909. They settled in Detroit where Ossip conducted the
Detroit Symphony. They had one child: Nina Gabrilowitsch, born August 18, 1910. Ossip died
Februaru 14, 1936. Clara remarried on May 11, 1944, to another musician of Russian descent,
Jacques Samoussoud. She enjoyed acting and writing, authoring five books and numerous articles.
Clara died November 19, 1962, at the age of 88.
Jane L. Clemens -
Nicknamed "Jean" - Born July 26, 1880. Jean developed epilepsy by 1898. Twain said of Jean,
"There was never a kinder heart than Jean's. From her childhood up she always spent the most of
her allowances on charities." Also, "She was a loyal friend to all animals and she loved them
all; She found two or three societies for the protection of animals, here [America] and in
Europe." She died on Christmas Eve, 1909, at the age of 29.
Mark Twain's granddaughter Nina Clemens Gabrilowitsch -
Born August 18, 1910, just four months after her famous grandfather died. Nina died January 17,
1966. She had no children, thus there are no direct descendants of Mark Twain alive today.
Editor's note: For information on Twain's parents and siblings, click here.
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