Jefferson's Secret Life
Did the author of the Declaration of Independence take a slave for his mistress? DNA tests say yes
Field Jefferson 1702-1765. Field Jefferson and his brother, Peter, received the same & chromosome from their father. Match. A living descendant of Field Jefferson gives blood for DNA testing.
Peter Jefferson 1707-1757. Peter passed his Y chromosome to his eldest son, Thomas.
Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826 Martha Wayles 1748-1782 Only Thomas's daughter Martha gave him grandchildren, 11 in all. Seven of them produced 35 grandchildren for Martha and her husband, Thomas Mann Randolph. Today, more than 2,000 Jefferson descendants come from this line-but as offspring of Thomas's daughter, one carries the Jefferson Y chromosome.
Sally Hemings 1772-1836. Sally Hemings had seven children. The chromosomal match was made through her youngest son, Eston. Thomas 1790-1879 Edy 1796-1796 Harriet 1795-1797 Beverly 1798-? Harriet (no. 2) 1801-? Madison 1805-1877 Eston 1808-1852
John Wayles Jefferson 1835-1892 Beverly Jefferson 1838-1908 (Easton's youngest son) Anne Jefferson (Pearson) 1836-1866
Carl Smith Jefferson 1876-1941 (Beverly's son) Beverly Frederick Jefferson 1905-1960
William Magill Jefferson 1907-1956 (One of Carl's three sons) Julia Jefferson (Westerinen) born 1934 (pictured page 60)
Carl S. Jefferson Jr. 1910-1948 Mary Esther Jefferson born 1947 (pictured page 62)
John Weeks Jefferson born 1946 (William's son). His Y chromosome matches the Y in the Field Jefferson line.
Sources: Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, Down From The Mountain, Nature
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