Win from one of the links on the sites you linked to -
monticello.org
"I think Eric Lander and Joseph Ellis in their News and Views commentary
over-interpreted the results as proving that Jefferson was the father of Eston;
I think the actual authors are more correct when they consider other
explanations 'unlikely.' What the data do prove, beyond any reasonable
doubt, is that Thomas Jefferson and H21, a descendant of Eston Hemings,
had Y chromosomes that were identical by descent. The Y chromosome
data do not prove that Thomas Jefferson himself was the ancestor of H21,
but that is certainly one of the likely specific scenarios within the 'identical by
descent' family of explanations.
"The term 'identical by descent' is standard population genetics terminology
and means that the instances being considered, in this case the two Y
chromosomes, Thomas Jefferson's and H21's, can be traced to a single
common ancestral Y chromosome. That could be Thomas Jefferson's OR it
could be an ancestor of Thomas Jefferson who was also an ancestor of H21.
Obviously, the evidence favors Eston being the Great-Great Grandfather of
H21 since there is no reason to question that lineage. Thus, the question
becomes one of who Eston's father was. For example, J5, J12, J6, J13, and
J14 look likely to have been alive and old enough to have fathered Eston and
they have Y chromosomes identical by descent with Thomas Jefferson's.
How many other male-line relatives of Thomas Jefferson were alive at that
time? Did Thomas Jefferson II (Peter's and Field's father) have any brothers
and/or any paternal uncles? One can go back this way to other male-line
ancestors and then forward again among their male-line descendants to the
relevant time. In sum, a male-line relative quite remotely related to President
Thomas Jefferson would likely have the same Y chromosome as Jefferson.
(For example, J41 and J49 are fifth cousins once removed and have the same
Y chromosome.)
Tim
P.S. - I am not saying that TJ was not the father of at least one (and at most all but one) of Hemmings children. I just object to the idea of picking one possible explination and insisting it is true and that all oppoents are either stupid or at least biased, when in reality the question is a bit more complex. |
