RE: Jefferson's illegitimate children
Jefferson's love life is very complex. He pledged to his wife Martha on her death bed that he would not remarry. It was a beautiful relationship. He was deeply in love with her, and she with him. He became an desperately lonely man -- loving his children deeply but deprived of the love of a woman. In Paris, he fell in love with a young married English woman -- a charming artist -- but a Roman Catholic who would not divorce -- he broke his wrist springing over a fence showing off for her. They parted -- childless. Sally Hemmings, a young mulatto girl, sister to James (who J. was having trained as a chef in Paris), came as maid to Jefferson's young daughter. Some belief that Jefferson and Sally had a long sexual relationship -- but little is known for a fact about the relationship. Much later, Sally's children who claimed to be descended from Jefferson, lived as free people in Ohio. During his lifetime, political enemies accused him of having children with a slave woman.
"...the rumor that Thomas Jefferson had an affair with Sally Hemmings, one of his slaves. According to an excellent article in the Wall Street Journal (9/23/97, pA1), this was reported in the Richmond, VA Recorder in 1802 by James Callendar, a British-born reporter. He presented no proof, but other papers picked up the stories and it became accepted as fact. Callender also reported that Alexander Hamilton had been in an extramarital affair.*"
realchange.org
(the above site is loaded with grue about everyone who ever thought of running for president)
I don't think there was an independent counsel or internet in those days, so we will never know if the affair actually occurred, or, even more important, if they loved each other and if Jefferson loved the children if he had them. Under the laws of Virginia marriage was legally impossible, even if it had been politically possible. It should be possible now to conduct DNA tests of his reputed descendents for compatibility with Jefferson's DNA. If anyone is interested, Jefferson's body is buried at Monticello next hill over from The University.
* interestingly enough, Jefferson helped Hamilton to cover up his own affair (at Hamilton's request), perhaps because of his animosity against Callendar. |
