Peter Field Jefferson and Lost Jeffersons

In “Peter Field Jefferson and Lost Jeffersons,” Joanne Yeck demonstrates, once again, that she is a historian, researcher and writer of the first order. This is a meticulously prepared work in which she leaves no stone unturned in her quest to document the lives of Peter Field Jefferson and other members of a famous American family—many of whom we have never heard of. Ms. Yeck paints a thorough portait of them, from their everyday lives to land purchases to the effect they had on the people around them. Saints and scoundrels alike, they are a fascinating lot, and Ms. Yeck is to be commended on what can only be described as a herculean effort to resurrect them from the mists of time. Thanks to “Peter Field Jefferson and Lost Jeffersons,” we have not only an understanding of these folks, but also of the southern United States in a far distant and important time in our development as a nation. Well written and comprehensive, it is a must for anyone interested in American history—and the chapter notes are just as entertaining to read as the main text, as well. Highly recommended!

This book was a great read! I have been interested in Thomas Jefferson and his brother since reading Joanne Yeck’s The Jefferson Brothers.Peter Field Jefferson and the Lost Jefferson’s went a step further by exploring what she found on the next generations and what became of them. Part intrigue, part tragedy and all history!Yeck also gives a lot of insight on the hardships of what life was like in Virginia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.If you’re interested in American or Virginia history, the Jeffersons or their descendants I recommend reading this one!

An awesome book detailing Peter Field Jefferson son of Randolph Jefferson. Unlike noted in a previous review this book has nothing to do with slave inbreeding...the author speaks of generations of cousin marriages between Lewis, Randolph and Jefferson lines. Truly fascinating and fully factual...

Great book with excellent research by the Author.

Peter Field Jefferson: Dark Prince of Scottsville. Joanne L. Yeck: Her research and books on the Jeffersons of central Virginia, of presidential and Virginia fame, are thorough, and straight forward. I consider Yeck an expert in all things “Jefferson” and their surrounds. She creates a vision in point of time, of the Jefferson locations, their family interactions public and familial, and their homes and lands places along the James River during their time. All of her books are well written and enjoyable to read. I hope another book is in progress... I'm waiting.

Another great addition to the canon of Buckingham County micro-history and Jefferson studies from Dr. Yeck, this well-researched and engagingly-written book offers entirely new information about an under-studied branch of the 3rd president's family which has ramifications for the larger cultural history of the Virginia and the antebellum South as a whole.

The author makes a lot of very ugly assumptions. What does this mean? -- "the genetic decline?" Because the Jeffersons got blacker? Or because black people introduced a lesser form of humanity? Maybe the Jeffs would have declined in any case and the Jeffs ruined a lot black families....?Are "alcoholism, idiocy, and insanity" necessarily inherited? Is the author depending on medical reports from 1820?The thing I hate about the tone is the assumption that by interbreeding the line of Jeffs were debased. She says, "One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is how interbreeding was so common among the landed gentry during this time and the negative impact of such practice...." Germans said the same thing about Jews and Gypsies.The book's assumptions are, from what I can gather, inherently racist. Unless the Jeffs set out to breed and screw black people who were mentally challenged, in which case you would think that the Jeffs were themselves mentally challenged to begin with.