Jane Lampton Clemens was born on June 18, 1803 in Adair County, Kentucky. She married John Clemens on May 6, 1823, in Columbia, Kentucky, at the age of 20. “She bore seven children, yet outlived all but three of them. When Jane's children became adults and moved from their hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, Jane went to live with them—first with her son Orion in Keokuk, Iowa, and then with her daughter Pamela in St. Louis.

In 1870, Jane and Pamela, now also a widow, moved to Fredonia, New York, to be near Sam, who was living in Buffalo. She lived there for 13 years before moving back to Keokuk to live with Orion. In 1890, at the age of 87, she died in Keokuk. Although Sam saw his mother infrequently after leaving Hannibal, usually on his lecture tours, she had a great influence on his life and he often corresponded with her. Jane Clemens is remembered as a cheerful, affectionate, and strong woman, with a gift for storytelling.” [Text quoted from "About Mark Twain"]