Lee Robert E. Lee and Nancy Ruffin

[10th Michigan Infantry]

After posting my thread on James Edward Lee I found that story came to a dead end, but I've come across yet another claim about Robert E. Lee fathering slave children, and this one comes from a genologist who claims to have DNA evidence. I notice she says she has gotten push back from other people on her conclusions, but I'm not an expert on DNA testing or how to confirm what she is saying so I'll let everyone else be the judge. The genologist in question is Jacqueli Finley, she wrote a book called "The Lost Lee's of Virginia" and posted her DNA testing results on her blog. The story goes that Lee had two children with a slave named Nancy Ruffin. I'll send a link to her DNA study below. As I've said before, I don't believe many of these claims, but I find genology interesting so that is why I post them when I find them. https://jacquelifinley.com/f/general-robert-edward-lee-and-the-lost-lees-of-stratford

 

[Jamieva]

She's a geneologist not a geologist. And I guess she is claiming she is a Lee descendent. She published this 2 years ago I don't recall any media picking up the story like with Jefferson and Hemings.

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

I do see that there may have been some concerns over how she did the DNA testing being incorrect. https://www.geni.com/discussions/248770

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

She's a geneologist not a geologist. And I guess she is claiming she is a Lee descendent. She published this 2 years ago I don't recall any media picking up the story like with Jefferson and Hemings.

Yes, well I see on her website she claims that her books have been being "censored" by other genologists who are trying to basically "hide" that Lee had a child with Nancy.

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

Here is another link to a PDF where she explains her findings more. It is at the bottom
https://leesofvirginia.org/lost-lees-of-stratford-1

 

[Jamieva]

Yes, well I see on her website she claims that her books have been being "censored" by other genologists who are trying to basically "hide" that Lee had a child with Nancy.

In other words her work probably doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

 

[RedRover]

My mother was a Virginian, and genealogy enthusiast, and used to half joke that all Virginians were related somehow. My grand-father would muse that kinship and a quarter might get you a cup of coffee (at least in the late 1960s).

The science of the DNA testing cannot fill in all of the blanks. In the Thomas Jefferson case, the DNA experts had to admit their findings could not be conclusive, other than to confirm a familial relation based on their analysis of DNA.

......

Nature, Thomas Jefferson...

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

My mother was a Virginian, and genealogy enthusiast, and used to half joke that all Virginians were related somehow. My grand-father would muse that kinship and a quarter might get you a cup of coffee (at least in the late 1960s).

The science of the DNA testing cannot fill in all of the blanks. In the Thomas Jefferson case, the DNA experts had to admit their findings could not be conclusive, other than to confirm a familial relation based on their analysis of DNA.

View attachment 502497

......


View attachment 502498
Nature, Thomas Jefferson...

My understanding as to how DNA tests for genealogy works is that you can find that a person may be related to another person, but it can't really show you how you are related to that person. I hope someone with more knowledge on DNA testing can comment on this thread.

 

[121st PA Vols]

She's a geneologist not a geologist. And I guess she is claiming she is a Lee descendent. She published this 2 years ago I don't recall any media picking up the story like with Jefferson and Hemings.

Indeed. And if you're going to be a geologist, your evidence better be rock solid.

 

[Michael C. Hardy]

I would really like to know more about Nancy. She appears in Lee's will in 1846, and then in manumission papers in January 1863.

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

I would really like to know more about Nancy. She appears in Lee's will in 1846, and then in manumission papers in January 1863.

I believe she was one of the slaves Lee inherited from his mother. She and her family were the last of the slaves that Lee inherited that were freed.

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

Nancy is listed as being at Romancoke.

 

[Michael C. Hardy]

Nancy is listed as being at Romancoke.

Is this the right Nancy? If I read this correctly, this is a list of slaves belonging to the estate of Custis. The Nancy that belonged to Lee should not be on this list.

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

Is this the right Nancy? If I read this correctly, this is a list of slaves belonging to the estate of Custis. The Nancy that belonged to Lee should not be on this list.

You might be right, I figured maybe she stayed with the Lee's until the 1850s at Romancoke.

 

[JackADriscoll]

Indeed. And if you're going to be a geologist, your evidence better be rock solid.

Pun of the year

 

[JerryD]

My mother was a Virginian, and genealogy enthusiast, and used to half joke that all Virginians were related somehow. My grand-father would muse that kinship and a quarter might get you a cup of coffee (at least in the late 1960s).

The science of the DNA testing cannot fill in all of the blanks. In the Thomas Jefferson case, the DNA experts had to admit their findings could not be conclusive, other than to confirm a familial relation based on their analysis of DNA.

View attachment 502497

......


View attachment 502498
Nature, Thomas Jefferson...

True, DNA does not tell the whole story. So they have to take into account availability. Who was physically around when Sally Hemmings conceived her children? My memory is that extensive research has gone into this and concluded that of the potential fathers, only Jefferson was there each and every time.

 

[JerryD]

My mother was a Virginian, and genealogy enthusiast, and used to half joke that all Virginians were related somehow. My grand-father would muse that kinship and a quarter might get you a cup of coffee (at least in the late 1960s).

The science of the DNA testing cannot fill in all of the blanks. In the Thomas Jefferson case, the DNA experts had to admit their findings could not be conclusive, other than to confirm a familial relation based on their analysis of DNA.

View attachment 502497

......


View attachment 502498
Nature, Thomas Jefferson...

Thomas Jefferson Foundation, that runs Monticello, confirms Jefferson was the father of Heming's children, based on statistical analysis that Jefferson was present when the children were conceived. Coupled with the dna evidence, this was determined to be a 99% chance he was the father. When you further take into account the oral history accounts, its clear he was the father.

Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: A Brief Account

A review of the historical evidence related to Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, their children, the DNA study that genetically linked them.

www.monticello.org

 

[JerryD]

Yes, well I see on her website she claims that her books have been being "censored" by other genologists who are trying to basically "hide" that Lee had a child with Nancy.

Color me skeptical. Is this passed peer review, it could not be suppressed. To be suppressed you would need to believe that every qualified genealogist is a Lost Causer who is trying to protect Lee's reputation. Which is simply not believable.

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

I wonder if there are any geneticists or genealogists who could comment on this further.

 

[RebelWeber]

Thomas Jefferson Foundation, that runs Monticello, confirms Jefferson was the father of Heming's children, based on statistical analysis that Jefferson was present when the children were conceived. Coupled with the dna evidence, this was determined to be a 99% chance he was the father. When you further take into account the oral history accounts, its clear he was the father.

Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: A Brief Account

A review of the historical evidence related to Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, their children, the DNA study that genetically linked them.

www.monticello.org

https://www.science.org/content/article/thomas-jefferson-hook