Re: Jefferson-Hemings
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In reply to:
Jefferson-Hemings
Mary Nunneley 1/14/02
Dear M.R. Nunneley,
I recently read the articles in the NGSQ concerning the Jefferson-Hemmings issue and am very disappointed in her conclusions. She contradicts herself numerous times and uses the same standard of "psycho-babble" that gained Fawn Brodie much notoriety. Here are some examples:
Page 170 - Who were Sally Hemings's children,"Considerable debate exists over the identity of her first child. The list of children supplied in 1873 by her son Madison is generally accepted by researchers (regardless of their opinion on the Jefferson paternity issue) with one key exception: the identity of the first child. A family of the surname Woodson, rooted in distant Greenbrier County, claims her first child as its forebear; and some past scholars have accepted the claim without intense scrutiny. For reasons developed herein, this study finds Madison's identification of his own siblings to be the credible account."
[my comments]
[Therefore, his account is accepted without error.]
Thomas C. Woodson
page 171 - "...conceived in Paris during mid- to late 1789 and born at Monticello in early-to-mid 1790, lived "but a short time", [the gospel - my editing] according to Madison."
page 174 - "Woodson's own records show that he could not be Sally's child.."
[Incredible that a child who, lived "but a short time" would be able to maintain records!!!!!!]
[But Madison said he was ......]
"For reasons developed herein, this study finds Madison's identification of his own siblings to be the credible account."
page 180 - "The sum of evidence points inescapably to Thomas Jefferson as father of all seven of Sally's Heming's children".
[Really! Hmm.. "Woodson's own records show that he could not be Sally's child.."]
page 177 - " The Woodson Y haplotypes are also very different from the Jefferson haplotype. Thus, the present day Woodsons whose DNA was analyzed are not of the Jefferson Y line, nor did their ancestor Thomas Woodson belong to this line..."
[ The point is, if Mr. Jefferson fathered ALL SEVEN of Sally's children, then Thomas C. Woodson would be the son of Thomas Jefferson - she can't seem to make up her mind on this issue and even uses examples that contradict her conclusions- incredible!!!!!]
There are many more examples- but I won't bore you with them.
Suffice is to say that anyone having "credentials" can use their reputed positions to advance any theory they wish. This is America and everyone has a right to their own opinion- they even have the right to state it publically ( and even sell it!!!!!!). That doesn't make their arguments, speculations or suppositions facts- it just makes them THEIR OPINIONS!!
However, a grave injustice is done when "evidence" is manipulated, contradicted, taken out of context- or even fabricated to support any theory, no matter how "whimsical", all in the name of "accurate" history!
More Replies:
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Re: Jefferson-Hemings
Mary Nunneley 12/04/03