Mr. Adams question of Cinder Stanton of Monticello was a fair one and deserved a truthful and precise reply of what the DNA Study actually proved. She could have easily told Mr. Adams that an African-American Chairperson (Dianne Swann-Wright), of her study group, permitting input from members of the Getting Word Project (10 prominent African-Americans, including Julian Bond, NAACP Chairman), represented the reason for her employment at Monticello to further the oral history of the slave involvment at Monticello.
Since I assisted Dr. Foster with the study, I am thoroughly familiar with the study and just because Cinder Stanton and Dan Jordan, President, Monticello, are presumed by the public to be the foremost center for anything Jefferson, I found that a SEPERATE and SECOND opinion was badly needed. Just because they own Monticello that doesn’t mean that their research and outlook on this study should be “swallowed” by the public regarding Mr. Jefferson’s personal life, in my opinion.
Their in-house study of the matter was VERY lacking in analysis, they did not take action to request the Hemings to gain the DNA of a valuable Hemings male, William Hemings, which I had found in Kansas and reported to Mr. Jordan. The Hemings family says, NO…we are HAPPY with our oral family history…ARE YOU??
One of the Monticello employees, Dr. Ken Wallenborn, wrote their Minority Report, however, Dan Jordan DID NOT release it with his original report. It was very critical of their methods and approach. After complaints to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Board, Mr. Jordan apologized to Dr. Wallenborn and you may be able to read the Minority Report on the Monticello and other web pages.
Dr. Wallenborn, a long time trusted employee of Monticello and two other loyal employees joined the board of the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society after they resigned in DISGUST at the shenagans going on at Monticello. Monticello later dropped the 73 year old word, “Memorial” from their title. Dr. Wallenborn outlines the approach of the Monticello Study to be biased in favor of finding Mr. Jefferson guilty. One Monticello employee jumped with glee when he threw down something on Dr. Wallenborn’s desk and announced, “NOW WE HAVE HIM”. Dr. Wallenborn corrected his assumption very quickly.
An example of the Monticello Report shortcomings can be found in their assertion that not only one but possibly ALL of Sally’s children were fathered by Mr. Jefferson. This is a PREPOSTEROUS assumption by a tax exempt foundation because “ONLY ONE” Hemings descendant was tested…any one or more of the others could have been fathered by a Carr, or a mulatto slave named Sandy (denoting reddish/brownish hair, a Jefferson distinction), inheritated from Thomas Jefferson’s father who COULD have the Jefferson DNA in his veins, as has been admitted by the Carr brothers and written about in various history books.
In my own opinion I can well see why Dan Jordan would not seek the new DNA because it would bring science and truth to the table and that would change the whole issue in my opinion. I do not consider Eston (white descendants) and Madison (black descendants) to be from the same fathers.
Herb Barger
Jefferson Researcher
herbar@comcast.net