The problem with Lonny Watro's analysis here is that it doesn't take into
account correlary consequences of the logic.  If true, the TJ spend the
remaining 34 years of his life celibate and alone;  a practice he is on
record as opposing for health reasons.  Moreover, with all the white men
living in the northern Piedmont of Virginia, was it only chance that male
Jeffersons apparently alone fathered Sally H's babies?  Finally, Tj was
known as the "Sage of Monticello."  Was he completely blind to these goings
on?  Children running around the place whose father(s) were his kin and
whose mother was his wife's half-sister.  Was Monticello a bawdy house?  Was
this why TJ freed Hemmings and her children only when he died?  You see
where this is going, don't you?
    Stick to the romance.  It preserves some dignity for TJ.

Harold S. Forsythe
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lonny J. Watro" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, December 05, 2005 2:33 PM
Subject: Re: TJ and Sally's kids


> No, but I do believe that when Jefferson came home all his relatives came
> to
> his home to visit him. And probably didn't visit his home when he was
> away.
> (Because the only reason my mother visits my house when I'm away is to
> feed
> my cat) Since Jefferson had over see-ers he had no need to ask his family
> to
> come over while he was away, IMHO. So I can believe that Jefferson came
> home
> and said "Hey Uncle Fields, why don't you come on over for dinner now that
> I
> am home." That I do believe. And so you see that's why we can't say
> definitely who these children belong to. We can only speculate, IMHO.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Finkelman" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, December 05, 2005 2:12 PM
> Subject: TJ and Sally's kids
>
>
>> Sally Hemings only had children 9 months after she was in close
>> proximity to Jefferson; she never had children when she was not close to
>> Jefferson for more than 9 months.To believe your theory, you would have
>> to believe that whenever Thomas Jefferson was away from Monticello that
>> Sally Hemings remained celebate, but as soon as Thomas was around, she
>> immediately had sex with one of his relatives.  I can see it now, TJ
>> arrived in Va after weeks or months in Philadelphia or Washington, and
>> immediately contacts his Uncle Fields and say, "hey, Uncle Fields, come
>> on over and visit Sally, now that I am home."   Do you really believe
>> this?  If you believe this, then I am sure you would be interested in
>> the bridge I have for sale.
>>
>> But, assume you are right.  Sally is Jefferson's half-sister-in-law.  No
>> one doubts that Sally is the daughter of John Wayles and Bette Hemings.
>> So, Thomas owns his half-sister-in-law.  Furthermore, if the children
>> were fathered by TJ's male relatives then they are his neices and
>> nephews or cousins.  So, both by blood (through the father) and by
>> marriage (through his marraige to Martha Wayles Skelton) Sally's
>> children are his relatives.  So, here we have a man who owns his double
>> relatives as slaves.
>>
>> Now maybe that is the role model for Senator Allen!
>>
>> --
>> Paul Finkelman
>> Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
>> University of Tulsa College of Law
>> 3120 East 4th Place
>> Tulsa, OK   74104-3189
>>
>> 918-631-3706 (office)
>> 918-631-2194 (fax)
>>
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>>
>> Kathleen Much wrote:
>>
>>>Whoa, whoa, whoa. PLEASE don't let us rehash the Jefferson/Hemings
>>>claims and counter-claims. For the record, the original headline
>>>accusing Thomas Jefferson of siring Sally Hemings's children was NOT
>>>supported by evidence in the _Nature_ article itself and was retracted
>>>by the journal. I recommend that anyone wishing to weigh in on the
>>>subject read the whole article first.
>>>
>>>All anyone can say from the DNA evidence is that SOME Jefferson male,
>>>possibly Thomas or his nephew, sired ONE of Sally's children. Beyond
>>>that, all is speculation.
>>>
>>>Now let's return the list to other historical topics.
>>>
>>>Kathleen Much
>>>The Book Doctor
>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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