Tom Jefferson, the founder of the Democratic Party, had much in common throughout his life with one of its 20th-century heros, John Kennedy.

After law school and before marriage, Betsy Walker, the wife of a friend, accused Jefferson of repeated “improper behavior” at her home while her husband was away, as well as during her visit to the Jefferson residence. Years later, when faced with her statements, he admitted that “… when young and single I offered love to a handsome lady. I acknoledge (sic) its incorrectness.” Allowing for the circumlocution of 18th-century prose, we can assume he was offering Betsy a romp in the hay.

While in Paris, he managed to visit the attractive Mrs. Maria Cosway almost daily for months – until the long-suffering Mr. Cosway removed his family to Brussels. This separation activated a since-become-famous love missive by Jefferson, known as the “head-heart” letter – a debate of intellectual versus physical pleasure in 4,000 richly ambiguous words.

Another letter to Mrs. Cosway was an erotic play on terms. “I sat down to write you, but could think of nothing … but the promontory of noses of Diego … of the procession to meet the man with the nose …” Jefferson was referring to the bawdy “Tristam Shandy,” a then-popular book rich with double-entendres.

Unfortunately, Maria had not read “Tristam Shandy, ” nor was her English (she had been educated in Italy) up to such sophisticated alliteration, for her reply fumed at him for writing about “nothing but noses”.

Searching for company on an ocean cruise, Jefferson offered a proposal to Angelica Church, also married, suggesting that she accompany him on the trip from France to America (several weeks in those days). The terms of his suggestion were based on sexual innuendo from Stern’s “Sentimental Journey,” where Yorick was offering accommodation jointly to a lady and her serving girl. Jefferson promised, “You shall find in me all the spirit of accommodation with which Yorick (made his proposal). We have a thousand (such) inducements … perhaps you may find one …to serve and amuse you on the dreary passage.”

Three of Jefferson’s slaves were admittedly fathered by Jefferson’s father-in-law. The offspring of such mixed parentage were valuable and kept in the family. Among these slaves was Sally Hemings, his wife’s half-sister. A very attractive young lady, 16-year-old Sally was chosen to accompany Jefferson when he was appointed ambassador to France. According to Sally, there the third president first took her to bed, a pleasure he was to enjoy for years to come.

Modern genetics proves her claim; at least one of her children was Jefferson’s.

There is no trail by which the parentage of all of her children can be proved or disproved, but, if the others were not Tom’s, there must have been several visitors to the Jefferson residence who bore a striking resemblance to their lanky, red-haired host. (If this was the case, one must admire Tom’s hospitality.)

All this having been said, Jefferson’s conduct was little different than that of many wealthy (or less wealthy) American men – then and now. Strong leaders typically enjoy extraordinarily high levels of vigor, emotion and intelligence. More often than not, they are men of great physical drive and, contrary to what many would like to believe, often privately indulge their drives in ways that don’t meet the published standards of conjugal sex..

Had there been a Starr prosecution serving the interests of Jefferson’s political opponents, he might have been jailed for years. In such case, there would have been no Louisiana Purchase and, from St Louis to Seattle, French might today be spoken. They surely would be eating snails and horse meat in Denver.

Rodney Quinn, who lives in Gorham, is a former Maine secretary of state. He can be reached at rquinn@maine.rr.com.