A topic of Jefferson's private life was the long-rumored liaison between Jefferson and his mixed-race slave Sally Hemings. She was a half-sister to his late wife, and the daughter of John Wayles and his slave Betty Hemings; Sally was three-quarters white.
One aspect of Jefferson's private existence that was shrouded in mystery was his rumored connection with Sally Hemings, a mixed-race slave who was also the half-sister of his late wife. Sally was the daughter of John Wayles and his slave Betty Hemings, making her three-quarters white.