[Bodleian_Girl]

Had to shorten the title. Photos at link.

[katana]

She was the half sister of his deceased wife (Jefferson’s father in law fathered Sally off one of his slaves) and probably resembled her. Whether Thomas Jefferson was the father of her children is open to question. But she was far more than a “maid”. In many respects slaves were more akin to family than hired help would have been and the whole “peculiar institution” was far more complex than most people can imagine.

[katana]

She was the half sister of his deceased wife (Jefferson’s father in law fathered Sally off one of his slaves) and probably resembled her. Whether Thomas Jefferson was the father of her children is open to question. But she was far more than a “maid”. In many respects slaves were more akin to family than hired help would have been and the whole “peculiar institution” was far more complex than most people can imagine.

[PAR35]

Well, as long as they pay reparations to themselves....

[MHT]

DNA proved that only her last child, a son, was a Jefferson. But which Jefferson is in question as Thomas’ DNA was never acquired or tested. His age alone might put question on this parentage.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Fake news. There is absolutely no proof, not even a suggestion of proof, that Hemings had 6 children by Thomas Jefferson.

Lies, and damn lies.

[Slyfox]

The historian Stephen Ambrose believed that it was Thomas Jefferson’s brother who had bedded Sally, not Thomas.

[nathanbedford]

In my view Bodleian_Girl has presented compelling evidence that Thomas Jefferson was the father of Sally Hemmings children. More, she has presented compelling evidence in an estimable fashion refraining from personal invective or responding to personal invective but rather making resort to the factual records and providing citations for every fact adduced.

The DNA is irrefutable and demonstrates that the children of Sally Hemmings (or at least one or two children) are descended from Thomas Jefferson or, conceivably, his brother Randolph.

It is absurd to believe that the DNA was generated fraudulently to confirm a false narrative. It is important to note that the narrative was created long before the DNA report. Indeed, the narrative was widely published as early as at the turn of the 19th century. It is therefore not possible to argue that the narrative was created to exploit an ambiguity in the DNA.

The DNA fails to contradict the narrative in any respect and in fact confirms the narrative that Thomas Jefferson was the father Sally Hemmings' children.

The historical record, that is contemporary accounts some of them in Thomas Jefferson's own hand, confirm that only Thomas Jefferson could have been the father because he and he alone was in proximity to Sally Hemmings at the times of her conception.

The contemporary records rule out Thomas Jefferson's brother because he was not in proximity to Sally at the times of conception. The DNA rules out the Carr nephews. By the process of elimination, Thomas Jefferson is almost certainly the father in question.

In addition to the narrative, in addition to the DNA, in addition to the contemporary accounts which rule out competing male donors, there are numerous contemporary accounts attesting to physical resemblance of the children to Thomas Jefferson and a general belief by those who are in a position to know that these children of Sally Hemmings were in fact fathered by Thomas Jefferson.

We have the actions of Thomas Jefferson in manumitting two of these children, when he maintained Sally adjacent to his boudoir, when he permitted other of her children simply to walk away from slavery when he failed to free any other slave not related to Sally Hemmings. We have the widespread custom of plantation owners to lie with their female slaves. We have the fact that Sally Hemmings was the half sister of Jefferson's beloved wife. We have many testimonies of the physical beauty of Sally Hemmings. We have her by some accounts acting as the mistress of Monticello in many respects.

Against all of this we have the bland and ridiculous assertions of many on this thread that all of this evidence "would not stand up in any court." Of course most of this evidence would be admissible and it would be persuasive. Against this accumulation of very persuasive evidence there is virtually nothing to the contrary. One can conclude from what we know that the evidence shows by more than a preponderance but indeed by a clear and convincing degree that Thomas Jefferson was the father of Sally Hemmings' children.

[TexasTransplant]

fltr

[Cecily]

Whoever the father of Sally’s children was, I hope she didn’t hate his guts since she didn’t seem to have much choice in the matter. It’s too bad she didn’t leave an account of her interesting life.

[trisham]

What a strange coincidence that this story was published on July 4th.

[Mr. Jeeves]

It is believed that Jefferson kept his six children as slaves until they came of age, at which point he freed them one by one.

That's one way to make sure the homework gets done. :)

[Albion Wilde]

bump