Anne,

If you will list all the reasons that persuade you to conclude that
Jefferson fathered Sally Hemings children I will try to answer each in
order. Please leave out slipping to the cabin and the current president.
Possibly I may have addressed your questions in my past posts, if so,
please do not repeat them.

Herb  

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Anne Pemberton
Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 1:06 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Jefferson's Overseer

Steven,

Perhaps because I am no spring chicken anymore, I am on a fence on how
much 
we can or should demand that science establish "proofs" which in the
past 
were left as unanswered questions.

I have no problem whatsoever in analyzing all the available information
and 
sticking to my belief that in all probability, Sally shared TJ's bed. He

would not have needed to slip out to her cabin. They could have been 
comfortably undisturbed in his bed. Since she was also his chambermaid,
who 
would know? Such testimony as the overseer's statements reminds me of
the 
"testimonies" offered by our current president to explain away his
absences 
from National Guard duty.

I would like to learn more about that census entry for Madison Hemings
that 
he was the son of Thomas Jefferson. Why would the clerk of the court
sign 
off on a document with such an assertion if it was not intended to be 
understood as knowledge and fact.

Anne
Anne Pemberton
[log in to unmask]
http://www.erols.com/apembert
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org 

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