Thanks Marsha for your experiences with "a DNA authority." Many people
use the Jefferson-Hemings DNA Study as the example for what DNA can and
cannot do. DNA DID NOT prove that Thomas Jefferson fathered Sally's
children. The study did completely resolve the original James Callender
LIE of 1802 in that there was no Jefferson-Woodson match. The Eston
Hemings match was made possible because Dr. E.A. Foster tested a male
descendant of Eston Hemings, whose family oral history had ALWAYS been
that they descended from "a Jefferson uncle" (researched to mean
Randolph), therefore, a match was imminent, BUT Dr. Foster DID NOT tell
Nature Journal, Monticello, the media or the public of this "guaranteed
match" for Randolph....NOT Thomas. The test proved one thing....the
Eston family was correct, "A" Jefferson, their "uncle" (Randolph) was
found to match. There was a match and the media went wild and Monticello
assigned an oral slave historian as Chairman of their study group and
the biased and one sided report was released MINUS the Minority Report
which had been "swept under the rug" and kept from readers. To this very
day Dr. Jordan refuses to appoint another study group composed of other
knowledgeable people, not an in-house controlled study. 

Name changes and "passing for white" add nothing to the study. Dr. Dan
Jordan, Monticello President, REFUSED to suggest to the Hemings family a
test of a newly found son of Madison Hemings which would add more
research to the topic. He suggested to me that "I not put pressure on
them for approval to test", which I never did and when I furnished
official forms not one of eight Hemings would approve. There is NO DNA
proof that Madison and Eston had the same father. Sally's mother had
children from several different men. Political correctness and a desire
to revise history drive these rumors and misinformation.

Herb Barger
Jefferson Family Historian        

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of marsha moses
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 8:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] DNA In Jefferson-Hemings controversy

I have a question.  I attended a lecture about DNA this past winter at a

very famous library.  One of the examples used was the 
Jefferson/Hemmings question.  The man lecturing seemed to take for 
granted the fact that Thomas Jefferson fathered at least one of Sally's 
children.  But he explained that the problem with the DNA testing was 
that several of Sally and possibly Thomas's children passed for white 
and changed their names and are now impossible to track. Is this true?  
Marsha Moses

>  
>

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