The DNA tests (made on four sets of descendants, Jefferson's, his nephews, the Carr brothers' (who have been accused of being Sally's lovers) and those of two of Sally's sons, Eston Hemings and Thomas Woodson), proved to the satisfaction of the participating scientists that Jefferson was the father of Eston Hemings, born in 1808. But he was definitely not the father of Thomas Woodson (whose name was changed from Hemings). Thomas was born in 1790, soon after Sally returned from France. This fact would seem to contradict a statement that Sally made to her son Madison, that she had become Jefferson's concubine when she was in France, acting as nurse to Jefferson's daughter, Maria.
We asked our resident Jefferson biographer, Tom Fleming (The Man From Monticello) what he thought of all this. Tom said that he had been convinced of Jefferson's innocence on the basis of a private letter Jefferson wrote to Robert Smith, his secretary of the navy. In that letter he admitted a sexual indiscretion he committed before his marriage -- an attempt to seduce the wife of his friend and neighbor, John Walker. But he denied the Sally Hemings story. For the moment Tom recommends a cautious approach. One statistician with whom he talked said the results put Jefferson on the list of suspects, but did not convict him. Tom cites the puzzling fact that the DNA of the Woodson descendants exonerate Jefferson and seems to make a liar out of Sally Hemings. ``We need to hear from some more scientists -- and some more historians,'' Tom says.
My all time favorite landfill is the South Street Seaport, just east of Water Street. I loved standing in front of Bowne Publishers when a construction crew working in the basement found a 17th or 18th Century ship. I'd be willing to bet that the program integrity unit of the claims department of Lloyd's of London would have been interested although by now it's long since become a write-off.
Finally we get to the site of the moment. There is a terrific large bronze relief of an equestrian George Washington on the Court Street side of the Independence Savings Bank on the southwest corner of the intersection with Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The original bank was the South Brooklyn Savings Institution, which placed it there in 1926. It reads: ``Near this place during the Revolutionary War stood the Ponkisberg Fortifications from which General George Washington is said to have observed the fighting at Gowanus during the Battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776.''
Not only were these bankers telling us about our history. They were also demonstrating how cautious they were with the facts -- and by implication with the depositors' money. They did not say George was there -- only that he was somewhere near there. How could you not trust those guys?
It includes an intricate scale model of Mount Vernon and a video presentation plus photographic panels. Its scope ranges from the bloodstained military sash given to George by the dying General Braddock to the Great man's handwritten census of Mount Vernon's slaves. Martha is also represented with her wedding slippers and a lead-weighted bathing dress.
The show will tour four other cities, commemorating the 200th anniversary of Washington's death. It will be on view at the NYHS until February 22, 1999.
The second exhibit is George Washington: A Man of His Time, A Man for All Times. This is a rare public showing of some 40 manuscripts from the New York Historical Society and the Gilder-Lehrman Collection of American History. It traces Washington's progress from local Virginia planter to world figure. Particularly interesting is a letter to Francis Mercer in 1786, expressing an ardent wish to develop a plan to abolish slavery in America ``by slow, sure & imperceptible degrees.''
The third exhibit is The Power and the Glory: George Washington and the Birth of Fame in America. It includes 30 paintings, prints and souvenir objects from the Historical Society's collections, demonstrating Washington's celebrity throughout the 19th Century
Mr. Terrell passed away in October at 81. he was a Chicago born actor who made his name as a theatrical manager, founding the Bucks County Playhouse in 1939 and the Lambertville (N.J.) Music Circus some years later. In 1953, Mr. Terrell, with six friends a-rowing, played George Washington as a one shot publicity stunt for the Music Circus.
The idea caught the public's fancy and is continued to this day by the Washington Crossing Foundation. Ah, an actor's life for me! In case you're wondering who replaced Mr. Terrell in 1978, it was longtime crewman Jack Kelly, Princess Grace's brother.
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Move over Susan B. Anthony! The U.S. Mint has announced the issuance of the Dolley Madison Commemorative Silver Dollar. Designed by Tiffany & Co., a portion of the proceeds will help the National Trust for Historic Preservation maintain Montpelier, James and Dolley Madison's Virginia home. Call 1-800-USA-MINT for details. Several Proof and Uncirculated sets are available. However, the rumors that the Dolley Madison Dollar will also be minted in Cherry Vanilla and Butter Pecan are not true!
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When studying the Revolutionary battles that took place int eh Hudson Highlands, many persons stop with Stony Point and West Point. They forget the battle that took place on October 7, 1777, in the shadow of Bear Mountain. On that date over 100 Americans died and 263 were captured when Sir Henry Clinton's men stormed Forts Clinton and Montgomery to clear a passage up the Hudson and create a diversion for General John Burgoyne's embattled army.
It has not been the British but the construction of Route 9W and the Bear Mountain Bridge that has contributed the most to destroying the forts. Fort Clinton is basically gone. But the second battle of Fort Montgomery is just beginning. Two groups, the Fort Montgomery Battle Site Association and the Friends of Fort Montgomery are trying to raise $500,000 to stabilize the remains of the fort and build a visitors center to house the 500,000 artifacts dug up from 1967 to 1971.
If you want to help, contact jan Conley, Box 376, Fort Montgomery NY 10922. Your treasurer has written voicing the Round Table's support.