Clara Langdon Clemens (1874-1962)

Clara Langdon Clemens was born June 8, 1874, two years after her older sister, Susy. Because they were so close in age, much of Clara’s early years are similar to Susy’s: full of social life, homeschooling in language and music, and foreign travel. Clara’s childhood nickname was “Bay” which evolved from toddler Susy’s pronunciation of “baby.”

Clara was more adventurous than her older sister and more prone to mishaps, breaking her ankle while sledding on the steep slope where the Hartford house sits. As a young woman, she accompanied her parents on their round-the-world trip in 1895-96. Clara’s_ My Father: Mark Twain_ is largely concerned with describing their travels on that lecture tour. Clara was a fine pianist and also performed as a singer. Her hopes of becoming an opera star were never fulfilled, but she had a somewhat successful career as a recital soloist.

Clara was the daughter who found it easiest to function independently of her family, and longed to break away and start her own life. After Susy’s death, Clara found herself in the emotionally draining position of keeping the family together. Her mother’s health was declining and her younger sister‚ Jean‚ suffered from epilepsy. Both were under doctor’s orders to avoid stress or excitement. Clara helped nurse them both, but was not allowed to tell either of the other’s status.

Samuel, who was not permitted to spend much time with his wife during her illness, was unequipped to care for Jean’s needs, and virtually no help to Clara at all. After her mother’s death, Clara suffered an emotional collapse and spent twelve months away from her family, with a physician in attendance in a cottage in rural Norfolk, Connecticut, with visitors restricted. On her recovery, and longing to start a career that did not depend on her fathers’ name for success, Clara spent her time traveling for performances and at home with her father managing household affairs.

Clara was the only Clemens child to survive their father. In 1909, she married Russian pianist, composer, and conductor Ossip Gabrilowitsch. Together they had one daughter, Nina. Later in life, Clara occasionally sang on her husband’s concert tours and for fundraising concerts for Mark Twain historical sites, among these the Mark Twain Memorial, the predecessor organization to The Mark Twain House & Museum. Clara also shared family furnishings and her memories of growing up in the home with the early stewards of the Connecticut house.

After her husband’s death in 1936 Clara married another Russian musician, Jacques Samoussoud, and spent her last years living in southern California. She died November 19, 1962, at the age of 88.


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