I don't think Dr. Forsythe's intent was to rejoin the old controversy of paternity but to address the scandal in the context of the times -- leaving aside whatever modern methods like DNA prove or don't prove, the scandal is a very interesting window into the past. David Kiracofe On Thu, 28 Mar 2002 13:59:21 -0500 "Charles L. Dibble (BLS 1338.733)" wrote: > Here we go again ... > As I wrote earlier today: > I would suggest that Item 2 [Sally Hemmings] be omitted since > the question > posed makes an assumption that is the subject of sharp disagreement > ... and > which has been discussed rather thoroughly on this list and > elsewhere > already. I foresee > that pursuing this question would turn a discussion of the "actual > relationship" and not on "misleading the public". > I find no satisfaction in being proven right. > > ============================================================================ > = > Charles L. Dibble > Post Office Drawer 1240 > Columbia, South Carolina 29202-1240 > email: [log in to unmask] > ============================================================================ > = > > -----Original Message----- > From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Harold S. Forsythe > Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 12:42 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: "high crimes and misdemeanors" > > Mr. Dixon, > > This may be going over old ground, but it bears remembering that > Thomas Jefferson owned Sally Hemmings' body. By law, he also > owned all issue from her body. > What "direct evidence" would survive such a real, but now quite > anachronistic property relationship? Marriage certificate? Civil suit > for child support? Rape charges? Challenge to the filing of > Thomas Jefferson's will, in the interest of his offspring? > The recent DNA analysis proports to demonstrate that at least > one of Sally Hemmings' sons carried a chromosome carried by > males of the Jefferson lineage. Much has been made of the > number of such males living at the time of Hemmings pregnancies, > but no one has ever answered a question I posed on this list some > time ago: did Jefferson run such a household at Monticello, that > his male relatives could drop by at will and impregnate the woman > who seems to have been his closest servant/associate, who was > also half-sister to his late wife? > > Harold S. Forsythe > > Date sent: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 12:26:16 -0500 (EST) > From: "Richard E. Dixon" <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: "high crimes and misdemeanors" > To: [log in to unmask] > Send reply to: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia > history > <[log in to unmask]> > > > In a message dated 3/28/02 11:20:05 AM Eastern Standard Time, > > [log in to unmask] writes: > > > > << Jefferson never > > really went public in his denials, so is that any more misleading than > > any other presidential philanderer >> > > > > My goodness, Jefferson did not publish a full page denial of the third > > party hearsay that plagued him about Sally Hemings. Would that have > made a > > difference in the predisposition of many academics unaffected by the > > absence of any direct evidence? > > _____________________________________________________________________ > > Richard E. Dixon Attorney at Law 4122 Leonard Drive Fairfax, VA 22030 > > 703-691-0770 fax 703-691-0978 > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html David Kiracofe To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html