Thanks Marsha for your experiences with "a DNA authority." Many people use the Jefferson-Hemings DNA Study as the example for what DNA can and cannot do. DNA DID NOT prove that Thomas Jefferson fathered Sally's children. The study did completely resolve the original James Callender LIE of 1802 in that there was no Jefferson-Woodson match. The Eston Hemings match was made possible because Dr. E.A. Foster tested a male descendant of Eston Hemings, whose family oral history had ALWAYS been that they descended from "a Jefferson uncle" (researched to mean Randolph), therefore, a match was imminent, BUT Dr. Foster DID NOT tell Nature Journal, Monticello, the media or the public of this "guaranteed match" for Randolph....NOT Thomas. The test proved one thing....the Eston family was correct, "A" Jefferson, their "uncle" (Randolph) was found to match. There was a match and the media went wild and Monticello assigned an oral slave historian as Chairman of their study group and the biased and one sided report was released MINUS the Minority Report which had been "swept under the rug" and kept from readers. To this very day Dr. Jordan refuses to appoint another study group composed of other knowledgeable people, not an in-house controlled study. Name changes and "passing for white" add nothing to the study. Dr. Dan Jordan, Monticello President, REFUSED to suggest to the Hemings family a test of a newly found son of Madison Hemings which would add more research to the topic. He suggested to me that "I not put pressure on them for approval to test", which I never did and when I furnished official forms not one of eight Hemings would approve. There is NO DNA proof that Madison and Eston had the same father. Sally's mother had children from several different men. Political correctness and a desire to revise history drive these rumors and misinformation. Herb Barger Jefferson Family Historian -----Original Message----- From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of marsha moses Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 8:15 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] DNA In Jefferson-Hemings controversy I have a question. I attended a lecture about DNA this past winter at a very famous library. One of the examples used was the Jefferson/Hemmings question. The man lecturing seemed to take for granted the fact that Thomas Jefferson fathered at least one of Sally's children. But he explained that the problem with the DNA testing was that several of Sally and possibly Thomas's children passed for white and changed their names and are now impossible to track. Is this true? Marsha Moses > > ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html