Steven, Perhaps because I am no spring chicken anymore, I am on a fence on how much we can or should demand that science establish "proofs" which in the past were left as unanswere questions. I have no problem whatsoever in analyzing all the available information and sticking to my belief that in all probability, Sally shared TJ's bed. He would not have needed to slip out to her cabin. They could have been comforably undisturbed in his bed. Since she was also his chambermaid, who would know? Such testimony as the overseer's statements reminds me of the "testimonies" offered by our current president to explain away his absences from National Guard duty. I would like to learn more about that census entry for Madison Hemings that he was the son of Thomas Jefferson. Why would the clerk of the court sign off on a document with such an assertion if it was not intended to be understood as knowledge and fact. Anne Anne Pemberton [log in to unmask] http://www.erols.com/apembert http://www.educationalsynthesis.org ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html