According to the family history Madison Hemings gave in an interview,
Jefferson's wife, Martha, and Sally Hemings were both the daughters of John
Wayles; so they were half sisters.  Sally's mother was the slave Elizabeth
"Betty" Hemings.

This is what Madison Hemings said:

"Elizabeth Hemings grew to womanhood in the family of John Wales, whose wife
dying she (Elizabeth) was taken by the widower Wales as his concubine, by
whom she had six children--three sons and three daughters, viz: Robert,
James, Peter, Critty, Sally and Thena. These children went by the name of
Hemings."

There are many problems with the oral history given by Madison Hemings--this
is a subject I am researching right now--but I don't yet see any strong
reason to question this particular statement about the blood tie between
Martha and Sally.

Henry Wiencek
Charlottesville

> Didn't Thomas Jefferson basically marry his deceased wife's half  sister?
>

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html