Reference the Reuters article on Slave Graves at Monticello. Note the use of "confirmed" and the later hedging back to "likely", a favorite trick of some of the media to misinform the public. If Sally Hemings was so "well known" why no newspaper tributes to her or markers for her burial site (NOT CONFIRMED)? The Thomas Jefferson Foundation (previously known as Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, owners of Monticello), have taken the name of the earlier name of the present Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society (www.tjheritage.org) after a court hearing, concluded in their report that Thomas Jefferson was "likely the father of one, and perhaps all" of the children of Hemings, according to Reuters. Might not any careful observer wonder about that conclusion when ALL DNA proved was NO Jefferson/Woodson match and just SOME Jefferson/Eston Hemings match. There was NO test of any of Sally's other children. So why this cavalier statement that TJ "perhaps" fathered "ALL" her children. There is NOTHING to prove he fathered ANY of the Hemings children! This outrageous finding motivated the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society to commission a group of 13 well known scholars to give an unbiased study to arrive at a conclusion and report to the public. That announcement will soon be announced, so watch your media real soon, you may receive an eye opening experience. I can also report that the Monticello Assn. will NOT vote in May to accept anyone for membership just on someone's say so. Just as in medicine, it is ALWAYS best to have a second opinion and that takes time. It has been said that the "lie" is 10 miles down the road before "truth" can get his pants on, BUT "lookout" when he does get them on. One opinion of Monticello employees is in, NOW let us hear from independent professors not beholding to TJF. I am anxious to read their 500 page report, aren't you???? Herbert Barger Jefferson Family Historian Member of the Board, Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society > Slave Cemetery Found at Jefferson's Monticello > > CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (Reuters) - A long-suspected > slave graveyard has been discovered in a stand of > trees at Monticello, the Virginia plantation of > Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president and > author of the Declaration of Independence, estate > caretakers said. > > Crews in the past few months have excavated 20 of an estimated 40 to 110 graves > after > identifying rectangular depressions lying in distinctive rows........ > > SLAVE DESCENDANTS PRESS CLAIM > > Discovery of the cemetery came as descendants of one of Jefferson's slaves, Sally > Hemings, press their > campaign for rights to be buried in the Jefferson family cemetery. Genetic tests > in 1998 confirmed that at least one of > Hemings' children was likely fathered by Jefferson. > > Hemings was likely buried in the backyard of that home, which now lies under a > motel parking lot about 5 miles from > Monticello. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which incorporates slave life into > tours of the plantation, concluded > last year that Jefferson was likely the father of "one, and perhaps all" of > Hemings' children. > > But the Monticello Association, which consists of Jefferson's white descendants, > has resisted granting > Hemings' descendants membership rights.....A committee set up to study the issue > was expected at the annual family > reunion next month to release a final report on whether to ecognize the Hemings' > descendants as cousins. > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html