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I am a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson’s grandfather, making the President my first cousin, six times removed. The man who did the most to debunk the DNA “proof” was a Jefferson genealogist, Herb Barger. He demonstrated that Jefferson could not be the only possible father, but that the most likely suspect was his brother, Randolph. The main villain in the drama was a Black woman historian named Annette Gordon-Reed who was employeed at Monticello. She had an agenda and since it was identical to the agenda of the Left, she became both a hero and an impeccable authority. She was neither, but that didn’t slow down those who wanted to destroy Jefferson’ legacy.

I don’t think it’s been debunked at all. Jefferson (Thomas) is the most likely father. After Randolph remarried he was very rarely at Montecello but the white Hemmings children continued.

Before Annette Gordon-Reed, Fawn Brodie argued for Jefferson being the father of Sally Hemings' children. (Sally was the half-sister of Jefferson's wife who had died before any of Sally's children were born.) Brodie did turn up some interesting evidence: in 1870 one of Sally's children, Madison Hemings, told the census taker that he was the son of Thomas Jefferson (the census taker wrote that information in the margin of the page--I have seen the census record), and the same Madison Hemings was interviewed by a newspaper which reported his claim to be Jefferson's son. In fact, two lineages of Sally's descendants preserved an oral tradition that Jefferson was their ancestor.

Before 1998, Jefferson scholars tended to favor the theory that Sally's children were fathered by one of Jefferson's nephews (two brothers surnamed Carr).

The DNA showed that at least one of Sally's children had Jefferson DNA--but that could be from Jefferson himself, his brother, or other relatives with the Jefferson surname. Another lineage of Sally's children appeared to have Carr DNA but that got swept under the rug because the new orthodoxy was that Thomas Jefferson fathered all of Sally's children.

What we do know is that at least one of Sally's children had Jefferson DNA, but I think it is mainly the combination of that and the oral tradition among her descendants which produces the readiness to say Thomas Jefferson was the father rather than one of his close relatives.

Madison Hemings would not have known for sure--all he knew was what his mother told him, assuming he was telling what he thought was the truth. But perhaps his mother said "Thomas Jefferson's brother was your father" but he preferred to claim Thomas Jefferson himself. Who knows?

As I recall, the publication date of the DNA study was moved up so it would come out before the 1998 elections--to try to make Bill Clinton's affair with Monica seem less serious because "look at what Jefferson did! All Presidents do things like that!"

Before Annette Gordon-Reed, Fawn Brodie argued for Jefferson being the father of Sally Hemings' children. (Sally was the half-sister of Jefferson's wife who had died before any of Sally's children were born.) Brodie did turn up some interesting evidence: in 1870 one of Sally's children, Madison Hemings, told the census taker that he was the son of Thomas Jefferson (the census taker wrote that information in the margin of the page--I have seen the census record), and the same Madison Hemings was interviewed by a newspaper which reported his claim to be Jefferson's son. In fact, two lineages of Sally's descendants preserved an oral tradition that Jefferson was their ancestor.

Before 1998, Jefferson scholars tended to favor the theory that Sally's children were fathered by one of Jefferson's nephews (two brothers surnamed Carr).

The DNA showed that at least one of Sally's children had Jefferson DNA--but that could be from Jefferson himself, his brother, or other relatives with the Jefferson surname. Another lineage of Sally's children appeared to have Carr DNA but that got swept under the rug because the new orthodoxy was that Thomas Jefferson fathered all of Sally's children.

What we do know is that at least one of Sally's children had Jefferson DNA, but I think it is mainly the combination of that and the oral tradition among her descendants which produces the readiness to say Thomas Jefferson was the father rather than one of his close relatives.

Madison Hemings would not have known for sure--all he knew was what his mother told him, assuming he was telling what he thought was the truth. But perhaps his mother said "Thomas Jefferson's brother was your father" but he preferred to claim Thomas Jefferson himself. Who knows?

As I recall, the publication date of the DNA study was moved up so it would come out before the 1998 elections--to try to make Bill Clinton's affair with Monica seem less serious because "look at what Jefferson did! All Presidents do things like that!"