Stephan,
You should read a bit more about Abigail Adams comments on "attractive
young woman, Sally" upon her arrival. There was talk that she was so
young and inexperienced in the ways of being Jefferson's daughters that
there was some consideration and suggestions of sending her back home on
the same ship she arrived on. Read earlier posts about the half-sister
rumors......NO proof. This is soap opera stuff that drives believers.
You speak of his sex drive and frequent children by Martha, then tell me
this....WHY was it over five years before Sally had a FIRST recorded
child after return to Monticello?
Herb Barger
How was it adultery? Thomas Jefferson was a widower when he and Sally
Hemings encountered one another in Paris, she an attractive young
woman virtually white in skin tone, just blossoming into beauty -
"Dashing Sally" - his wife's half-sibling and much the same in
appearance as her sister, he a man who never married again after
Martha's death. Just at the simple human level are we to believe
Jefferson lived as a celibate for two-thirds of his life (and this
puts aside his unquestioned, if ill-defined, connection with Maria
Cosway)? Jefferson was clearly strongly attracted to women, and
clearly a sexual being. Martha Wayles Skelton bore her first child
almost nine months to the day from her nuptials - by 18th century
calculation - and was pregnant with metronomic regularity every two
years until her death.
It seems to me that the paternity issue and the sexuality issue ought
to be seen as very different considerations. The former may be
problematic to some, but the idea of Jefferson the monk seems
patently absurd.
-- Stephan
On 1 May 2008, at 17:51, [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Accusing a fine Southern gentleman, and one of the founders of our
> country,
> of adultery when he is not available to defend himself, and on
> assumptions
> rather than facts, is poor history and quite disrespectful.
>
> J South
>
>
>
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