Many of “TJ’s” male relatives had red hair. Which buttresses, particularly, the male hair color pattern as a sex linked genomic trait. Speaking as a geneticist and forensic pathologist: Hair clips do not contain DNA at all. They are made of protein from dead cells that have lost their nuclei. They will never be used in DNA tests. Also, the number of generations that have passed since “TJ” died. DNA is inherited half from the mother and half from the father In any one generation one would expect to find half of the DNA in common between a father and son. When there is more than one generation separation, then the DNA in common is a smaller percentage. That is it gets harder to make any clear conclusion the farther the distances between generations— for ANY definitive conclusion.
Besides all this is the notion that Jefferson would ever have (unlike his quite well known randy slave abusing male extended kin— who clearly DID) slept with his wife’s half sister, aside from the fact that she was a slave. The later manumission was a fact of the enigmatic Thomas Jefferson’s true thoughts of the institution of slavery, and the restrictions of VA state law at the time.
Much as we are reduced contemporaneously with low rent media based “sex abuse” trial by “citoyenne Tribunals of public media” no proof needed (ironic, as Jefferson witnessed the Reign of Terror in France murdering innocents on a changing basis weekly, and politically), this highly energetic activity to self-righteously condemn a Founding Father genius is driven by a political agenda, and except for the uninformed, has failed.
To be clear— hair roots might have root protein that would reflect the XY or XX pattern (ie male or female) MCN1 chromosomal hair color genes. The provenance of any hair sample (said to be, for example as being “TJ’s” himself, as opposed to “anyone else, male of female”) would be of dubious value. Perhaps someone could or might have one of TJ’s male kin’s hair stored in a box (again, questionable provenance) to provide yet another potential sperm donor for Heming’s descendants. But again the generational distance would be equally or more inconclusive. In regards to the hair color of “said descendants” at this point therefore, it could be said that “A” jefferson male carrying the red hair color genes as a carrier (ie they did not to have red hair themselves)got to sally. And that is all that can be said. Quite maddening to the chattering classes.
I do not believe this was an abusive relationship but one based on affection. This is buttressed by the actions of TJ wrt the Hemmings. The family enjoyed privileges which ordinary slaves did not have. Some of this may have been due to the fact that Sally was family.
No doubt that Callender had a beef with him but he had previously broken (or been a conduit for) a major story on TJ’s enemy Alexander Hamilton’s affair with Maria Reynolds.
In my opinion this made sure that AH never became president and much of the damage was done through Aaron Burr, later Maria’s lawyer in her divorce from Reynolds. She was a classic “Honey Trap” set up by Burr and Jefferson.
AH would have been well-advised to have ignored the story (as Jefferson did with SH) rather than write a 68 page apologia.