Corneliussen, Hardwick, and Herb Barger all mention the possibility that a
slave with the Jefferson DNA could have fathered Sally Hemings's children
(possibly the slave named Sandy). I don't think this is likely. Jefferson's
daughter Martha scrutinized the Farm Book for any scrap of evidence that
would exonerate her father on the Hemings charge. Had this other Jefferson
slave existed Martha would certainly have found him and told her children
about him; Jeff and Ellen Randolph would have pointed the finger at him
instead of at the Carrs. 

I also don't think the "Jefferson uncle" oral history in Eston's line proves
anything one way or the other. In general, the historical testimony on all
sides of this issue is a vexing mess--Madison Hemings, the Randolphs,
Callender, and Edmund Bacon all got some things wrong and some things right.
The Woodsons are a mystery. And then we have the Fossetts--but that's for
another time. 

As Herb mentions, the McMurrys have tried to knock down the story of Sally
being the half-sister of Martha Jefferson, but I do not find their argument
persuasive at all. If that story had originated as a political smear and was
baseless, as the McMurrys suggest, I think Ellen or Jeff Randolph would have
brought it up to deny it. 

Herb raises an excellent point -- we should try to extract DNA from the
remains of Madison's son. History would be served, but the family doesn't
want it done. A pity. It could answer a couple of big questions. 

Henry Wiencek

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