Researchers Get Card From Clinton's Mum

The mother-in-law of one of the world's most powerful men has thanked archivists from a Welsh town for helping to research her family tree.

Dorothy Rodham,the mother of first lady Hillary Clinton,sent a note to council staff after they tracked down her links with the Landore area of the town.

After months of research,they discovered that Mrs Clinton's great-grandfather Edwin's brother Benjamin Alfred Howell was born in the Maesydd area in 1872.

They sent a letter to the family in the US and have now received a response from Mrs Rodham,nee Howell,on White House paper.

It reads: "Thank you so much for your work on our family tree.It might be of interest to know that my mother-in-law,Hannah Jones,was also of Welsh descent.

"I do not know if she was born in Wales or soon after her family came to the United States.She also was quick to let it be known of her Welsh heritage.I have sent your interesting findings to Hillary.

"She is extremely busy these days running for the Senate seat in New York.Thanks again,very truly yours,Dorothy Rodham."

The work to trace Mrs Clinton's ancestors was carried out by principal archivist Rosemary Davies and a former search room supervisor,Elizabeth Belcham.

Mrs Davies said she was delighted when the lettrer arrived."We wanted something to illustrate our annual report.Quite a lot of time was spent checking it out.The results speak for themselves."