Jon Kukla has done a great disservice to Mr. Jefferson in my opinion. He
spends 25 pages on Sally Hemings. He starts by quoting from the
scandalous reporter James Callender who accused Jefferson of fathering
Thomas Woodson in the Campaign Lies article of September 1802. The 1998
Jefferson-Hemings DNA Study proves that this was just what it is.....A
LIE.......NO match between Jefferson and Woodson. Yet, Kukla proceeds to
tell the reader that "nevertheless, the available evidence now suggests
that Callender was essentially correct about Jefferson's relationship
with Sally Hemings." How could he maintain this false attitude in light
of what DNA indicated? He next proceeds to tell the reader, "Thomas
Jefferson fathered six children born to his slave Sally Hemings between
1795 and 1808." Wow, where was Jon Kukla with all these FACTS when we
were struggling to test the DNA..such a waste of time when he had ALL
the answers all along? 

The truth of the study as known by myself who assisted Dr. Eugene Foster
with the DNA Study is: 

* Dr. Foster, in my opinion, should NEVER have DNA tested John Weeks
Jefferson, descendant of Eston Hemings. His family had "always" claimed
as their ancestor a Jefferson uncle (with the Jefferson DNA), this is a
reference to Mr. Jefferson's younger brother, Randolph, who was known to
come among the slaves, dance and play the fiddle until the late night
hours. He was also known among the Thomas Jefferson grandchildren and
slave children as "UNCLE RANDOLPH" thus there would CERTAINLY be a
match, if their oral history is correct and we have no cause to doubt
it. Dr Foster proceeded with this amateurish and unprofessional, in my
opinion, collection of blood from this man never revealing in his study
the "almost certain" fact that the DNA would match even BEFORE it
arrived at the labs. This was never revealed to Nature Journal, the
media, Monticello or to the politically correct historical revisionists
at some of our "seats of learning." 

* My recent research finds that the Pike County, Ohio article written by
Samuel Wetmore in an interview with Madison Hemings, which was used by
such authority and "road map" for truth by the Monticello Study Group,
was definitely riddled with "untruths." Example: Madison is made to
state that he was named for James Madison by Dolley Madison on the
occasion of her visit to Monticello on January 19, 1805. The real truth
is that there is NO record of such a visit. According to the Madison
Papers the Madisons NEVER left Washington for Virginia during the
winter. Imagine this scenario: Dolley wife of the Secretary of State and
Mr. Jefferson's Hostess, suddenly announces to these busy gentlemen that
she must apologize for having to run down to Monticello, but she has
heard that a slave is to give birth to a MALE and she wishes to name him
for her husband. Never mind that early science did not permit the
revelation of the sex of an unborn child and surely at such a remote
location as Monticello. To add insult to injury Madison states that
Sally never received a promised gift but that happened with white
people. This is a direct slap at Dolley Madison. It must be remembered
that the newspaper reporter was using a subtitle of Harriet Beecher
Stowe's famous book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" for his series of stories. The
other local newspaper, the Waverly Watchman, branded the article as
false and misleading.

Mr. Kukla could have informed his readers that the official "Report on
the controversy, "Jefferson-Hemings Scholars Commission Report, a blue
ribbon panel of thirteen top level scholars found NO PROOF that Thomas
Jefferson fathered ANY slave child. 

I encourage anyone that can to attend this book signing BUT "ask some
tough questions." Wish I could be present but I can't.....I don't think
at this time.

Herbert Barger
Jefferson Family Historian
www.angelfire.com/va/TJTruth
www.tjheritage.org
                        

-----Original Message-----
From: Research and writing about Virginia genealogy and family history.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tameka Hobbs
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 11:29 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VA-ROOTS] 11/15: LVA Book Talk - Mr. Jefferson's Women by Jon
Kukla

The Library of Virginia Book Talk Series Mr. Jefferson's Women by John
Kukla 
Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 12:00 noon

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce that Jon Kukla will be
with us to 
discuss and sign his pioneering study of Thomas Jefferson's
relationships with 
women in his personal life and in American society and politics at noon
on 
Thursday, November 15, 2007.  Kukla's book draws upon seldom-used
sources 
and is the first comprehensive study of Jefferson and women ever
published. 
Mr. Jefferson's Women also offers fresh and cogent accounts of
Jefferson's 
liaison with Sally Hemings, his friendship with Abigail Adams, and his
campaign 
to exclude women from public life in the early republic. This event is
free to 
the public.

The Library of Virginia is located at 800 East Broad Street in downtown 
Richmond.  Free parking is available under the building.

www.lva.virginia.gov
804.692.3900

Upcoming Events: 

Monday, November 26, 2007 at 6:00 p.m.
Book Talk: Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig

For a listing of more events at the Library of Virginia, visit 
http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whoweare/events/index.asp .