Study Raises Possibility of Jewish Tie for Jefferson

New York Times ^ | February 28, 2007 | NICHOLAS WADE

[West Coast Conservative]

Was Thomas Jefferson the first Jewish president? Researchers studying Jefferson’s Y chromosome have found it belongs to a lineage that is rare in Europe but common in the Middle East, raising the possibility that the third president of the United States had a Jewish ancestor many generations ago.

No biological samples of Jefferson remain, but his Y chromosome, the genetic element that determines maleness, is assumed to be the same as that carried by living descendants of Field Jefferson, his paternal uncle. These relatives donated cells for an inquiry into whether Jefferson had fathered a hidden family with his slave Sally Hemings, a possibility that most historians had scoffed at.

But researchers reported in 1998 that the Jefferson family chromosome matched perfectly that of a male-line descendant of Eston Hemings, one of Sally Hemings’s sons. The genetic evidence was not conclusive by itself but made a strong case combined with the historical evidence that Hemings had indeed become Jefferson’s mistress after the death of his wife, Martha.

Geneticists at the University of Leicester in England, led by Turi E. King and Mark A. Jobling, have now undertaken a survey of the branch or lineage to which Jefferson’s Y chromosome belongs. All Y chromosomes fall on branches of a single tree, descended from one man in the ancestral human population. The reason is that all the other potential Adams in this population had Y chromosomes that fell extinct when they had no children or only daughters.

[JennysCool]

Hmm...Could there also be a DNA link to Sharpton and Thurmond?

[kinoxi]

There could be a DNA link to every living human on this planet.

[Bittersweetmd]

ping

[Screamname]

Bwa ha ha ha! Hitlery should love this....The founder of her beloved Israel hating Dimo-rat party is a Joooooo! BWA HA HA HA HA!

[GovernmentIsTheProblem]

"But researchers reported in 1998 that the Jefferson family chromosome matched perfectly that of a male-line descendant of Eston Hemings, one of Sally Hemings’s sons. The genetic evidence was not conclusive by itself but made a strong case combined with the historical evidence that Hemings had indeed become Jefferson’s mistress after the death of his wife, Martha."

It was most likely his brothers son, who would have the same genetic marker, according to historic evidence. He was in the same place as her when the baby was concieved, TJ wasn't.

[MadIvan]

Yes, but the Democrat Party used to mean something entirely different than it does today. The great debate between the Democrats and Whigs in the 19th century was whether or not the Federal Government should pay for "internal improvements", i.e. roads, etc. The Whigs said yes, the Democrats said no, saying Federal spending would create patronage and corruption. That was a true adherence to Jeffersonian ideals.

The end of that Democrat Party had two stages, one, the elevation of William Jennings Bryan, and second, the last stand of the old party was the 1904 Presidential candidacy of Alton Parker.

Regards, Ivan

[Screamname]

Amazing, Democrats actually saying NO to spending....I think they even use to call it the Democrat-Republican party at first (talk about getting nauseous). Actually I don`t think the Rat party was that bad until it got hijacked by the commies, traitors, and other type vermin in the 1960`s. Joseph McCarthy would have a field day if the Rat party of today existed in the 1950`s "Ms. Rodham, are you or have you ever been a member of the Communist party..No? Well the evidence here is overwhelming that you are a communist! We will take things away from you for the benfit of the common good? These are your own words Ms. Rodham!" bwa ha ha ha!

[MadIvan]

To give you some idea of how things have changed - Grover Cleveland once said that he thought his primary job was to veto bad bills that came out of Congress. In other words, his role was to say "No" more than "Yes".

Regards, Ivan

[Cheburashka]

Assuming that the story is true, it only means he had ancestors from the Middle East, and there are Christians and Moslems in the Middle East as well. Any speculation on the religion of his hypothetical ancestors is absurd. The only reason for this headline is to sell papers.