Book Description
Thomas Jefferson believed that the pure-principled teachings of Jesus should have been separated from the dogma and abuse of organized religion of the day. This led him to recast, by cutting and pasting from the gospels, a new narrative of the life and teachings of Jesus, where, according to Jefferson, "there will be found remaining the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man."
Customer Reviews:
Piece of American History.......2007-09-24
This bargain is an impoprtant piece of American history. Jefferson was a diest, which they viewed God as like a fine clock maker and made the government intself, not the constitution. They got rid of anything supernatural from the Bible. It stands along side the King James Bible and the 1611 edition of the King James, the works of Martin Luther as one of the most important reads for a Christian in American history. I liked it a lot, but it's too skimpy a volume to be a classic, but it is famous.
The Jefferson Bible Worth Reading.......2007-09-13
First, and foremost from my perspective, I liked that Jefferson focused on the man Jesus and what He taught.
As I travel my spiritual path, my focus is also on the man Jesus, what He taught, how He lived and most of all how He treated others. Much could be learned and differences could be made today in our society if this were so. The four gospels were interwoven throughout the book which makes it easy to follow, I only wish the print had been larger. I was disappointed it was so very small and this made it much more difficult for me to read.
Wow.......2007-06-27
This was recommended to me about a year ago. Very interesting and attractive book
Jefferson's Bible--a lens that worked for him.......2007-03-23
It is interesting that any religious writing that is capable of being used in some way to detract from the "authority" of the church is so often the object of great discussion. Jefferson's Bible provides such an occasion, for no doubt Jefferson questioned some of the claims of the church that he felt to be unreasonable. That's the bind. We are attracted to Jesus but often repulsed by the Church. It is only fitting that we reclaim Jesus in any way that we can. Jesus is the chief metaphor revealing humanity at its best. Through this metaphor we learn of redemptive love. Jefferson found his lens by which to connect with Jesus. The rest of us must find our own lense--and one way we can do this, perhaps, is by trying to understand what others have done. Jefferson has left us a personal "testament" by having extracted those parts of the New Testament that spoke to him. Those parts of the Scripture are for him now "framed and on the wall", so to speak, and because the book has been published, his favorite Scripture portions are spotlighted for us in this book. I'm not sure he meant his special portions of the Scripture to be on public display. Perhaps each of us who are interested might find our own set of very special parts of the Bible? If we ourselves were to do this, that would probably have pleased Jefferson, in my opinion.
Founding "god" father.......2007-02-13
This streamlined synopsis of the teachings of Jesus Christ is drawn from the gospels of the bible without any religious dogma. The parables Jesus spoke are compiled nicely and provided me with the life lessons which I attempt to live by.
Amazon.com
Thomas Jefferson's fame and continued popularity does not depend upon the marvelous personal example he set, as does George Washington's, or upon the remarkable leadership qualities he displayed during the darkest national hours, like Abraham Lincoln's. Instead, he is revered for presenting a unique world-view. Daniel J. Boorstin provides a rich intellectual history of Jefferson's personal and political philosophy: "My purpose has been to get inside the Jeffersonian world of ideas--to see the relation among their conceptions of God, nature, equality, toleration, education, and government.... In a word, I have been more concerned to recapture the Jeffersonian world of ideas than to perform an autopsy on it." Although this particular book is a bit more academic than others by the same author, Boorstin capably explains why Jefferson's voice still resonates long after his passing. --John J. Miller
Book Description
In this classic work by one of America's most distinguished historians, Daniel Boorstin enters into Thomas Jefferson's world of ideas. By analysing writings of 'the Jeffersonian Circle,' Boorstin explores concepts of God, nature, equality, toleration, education and government in order to illuminate their underlying world view. The Lost World of Thomas Jefferson demonstrates why on the 250th anniversary of his birth, this American leader's message has remained relevant to our national crises and grand concerns.
"The volume is too subtle, too rich in ideas for anyone to do justice to it in brief summary, too heavily documented and too carefully wrought for anyone to dismiss its thesis. . . . It is a major contribution not only to Jefferson studies but to American intellectual history. . . . All who work in the history of ideas will find themselves in Mr. Boorstin's debt."—Richard Hofstadter, South Atlantic Monthly
Customer Reviews:
The lost World of Thomas Jefferson.......2002-04-19
The Lost World of Thomas Jefferson by Daniel J. Boorstin is a look into the early years preceding the birth of the United States and the climate of thought that was current at that time.
Scientific knowledge was starting to be shared and Jefferson seemed to absorb and process a lot of that times current philosophies.
This book is invaluble if you realy want to study or "get a feel" for the times of the 18th and early 19th century. The author goes to great pains in explaining particular events and ideas that were concerning these early scientific thinkers.
This book conveys the thought process behind the events and how the minds of the thinkers moved the nation. Mostly, this book is about American intellectual history, and is engaging as it is history of ideas. These ideas are blended with a purpose to bring the thought of the time into perspective and defines the key problems facing how Jefferson appeared.
This book is worthy of a place on your bookshelf, for reference and a look into American life and thought, aspects that are hard to see today, but are brought out richly in this book.
I highly recommend reading this book by one of America's leading historians .
Valuable reference to Jeffersonian thought of "Natural Law".......2001-08-29
The Lost World of Thomas Jefferson provides an in depth study of the philosophies and amazing depth of scientific knowledge that Thomas Jefferson displayed during his lifetime. The renowned historian, Daniel Boorstin, wrote this wonderful historic piece decades before his more famous works of The Creators, The Discovers and The Seekers. Boorstin's ability to explain a specific set of events and ideas amid the complex myriad of late 18th and early 19th century concerns in political thought and philosophy makes this book a invaluable reference. Thomas Jefferson's basic principle that all law, social construction and philosophy should be grounded with "Natural Law" is explained at depth. Boorstin also explains how the liberal ideals attributed to Jefferson were misinterpreted in the 100 years following his death. If you an interest in either early American Anthropology (although term was not being used per se, it is the only accurate way to describe the emphasis of this book) or American Scientific thought, then this book must grace your shelf.
Boorstin Brings History to Life.......2001-07-08
Boorstin is the best historian I have read. He brings history to life by examining the thought behind the events and the assumptions behind the thought. This is not so much a book about what happened as to why it happened; what the underlying ideas were of the minds that moved the nation at its birth. Boorstin manages to effectively communicate thought processes that are foreign to the modern age. A remarkable achievement. I plan on reading more of his work in the future. Highest recommendation!
Insight into the Jeffersonian World.......2000-10-12
Daniel Boorstin is one America's great historians and one of America's great writers - a rare combination. Boorstin provides insight into the mind of Thomas Jefferson that illuminates this crucial period of American History. He shows how Jefferson departed from the Puritan heritage and forged a new philosophical base for America that was rooted in her land, not her people. "Things, not ideas, drove the Jeffersonian Worldview". If you are looking for the truth underlying the birth of our nation, you will not find a better resource.
The book was terrible.......2000-03-10
I found that the author's philosophical ramblings were as uninformative as they were boring. I recommend this book to those suffering from insomnia.
Book Description
Thomas Jefferson's was one of history's greatest voices for the importance of individual freedom. His eloquence on this fundamental right became the cornerstone of our nation and a central theme of the Enlightenment. And yet, Jefferson presided over a society that depended on slavery and was himself the holder of numerous slaves. How are students of history to reconcile this contradiction in the third president? Now celebrated biographer and historian Natalie Bober presents a life of Jefferson that does not evade this difficult question. Bober explores the slave community that built and maintained his home, Monticello--and what their lives under Jefferson tell us about him and about slavery as an early American institution.
To assess fully what Jefferson might mean to our time, we must first understand what it meant to be a man of his own time. From the first page, the world he inhabited is made vivid--and so, too, is Jefferson himself, standing before us as a freckled and, for the eighteenth century, unusually tall young man. Bober follows him through a life in which the presidency was just one of many accomplishment. As designer of Monticello, he was one of the great architects of his era; as founder of the University of Virginia, he was one of the nation's early champions of higher education. His greatest legacy is perhaps as author of the Declaration of Independence, a nearly unrivaled instance of words giving tangible meaning to life. The Jefferson revealed here is distinguished by his often contradictory nature but also by his optimism, his curiosity, his exceptional sense of history (including the history still to be made).
While primarily aimed at young readers, the book is a substantial work of scholarship, based on several years research of primary-source materials (including black oral history) and the most current writings, and like Bober's earlier works should attract students of history of all ages. This book faces the fact that Jefferson was a flawed human being--and insists that this does not disqualify him as a hero.
Customer Reviews:
Richie's Picks: THOMAS JEFFERSON: DRAFTSMAN OF A NATION.......2007-06-16
"The most important thing to remember about Thomas Jefferson is that he taught us the power of the word. He taught us that ideas matter -- that words beautifully shaped can reshape lives. Jefferson distilled into one remarkable sentence the essence of our creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...' Indeed, in the words he wrote he changed the shape of our country and became one of the most notable champions of freedom and enlightenment in recorded history. He had a vision of what the world should be.
"Jefferson speaks not only to Americans today but to people the world over -- particularly in the emerging democracies of Europe. In a sense, his words are responsible for the most liberal reforms, including the eventual end of slavery, the civil rights movement, and the suffrage of women.
"Even before his death, the language of the Declaration was appropriated by new claimants -- freed Blacks, abolitionists, early advocates of women's rights -- until it received decisive transformation by Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, when he said: 'We are a nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.' Thomas Jefferson wrote that proposition." --from the Author's Note
Having been the oldest grandson -- and (once upon a time) a very well-behaved one at that -- I was regularly dropped off at my paternal grandparents' house on Mulberry Avenue in Garden City for some weekends during the school year and for a week at a time in the summer. The entrance to Hemlock Park was perhaps 25 steps from their back door, and I typically divided my time between The Park, and my grandfather's upstairs office overlooking The Park.
One day during the summer that followed the first coming of the Beatles, being a point in time when I was reading well enough to regularly consume an entire Beverly Cleary or Carolyn Haywood book in an evening, my grandfather, Rex, set up one of those portable card tables with the round metal fold-down legs, set out a yellow legal pad and sharpened pencils, and brought out a book that, at the time, appeared large enough to literally crush a small child.
It was a compilation of the writings of Thomas Jefferson. I was encouraged to sit down at the card table for the purpose of reading and taking notes on the Autobiography portion of the enormous book. Because I lived for pleasing my grandfather, I spent large portions of that week doing exactly that. And what I learned of that autobiography's author caused me to forever since maintain an affinity for all things Thomas Jefferson, a guy whose world-altering reading and writing abilities were complemented by the hundreds of diverse hands-on talents he also acquired during a lifetime that began, as Bober writes in THOMAS JEFFERSON: DRAFTSMAN OF A NATION:
"When William Randolph took his friend Peter Jefferson to visit his Uncle Isham, Peter met Isham's seventeen-year-old daughter Jane. Tall, slender, graceful, and elegant, she had a cheerful disposition and a fine mind. Two years later, on October 19, 1739, she and Peter were married. He was thirty-two; she was nineteen. She brought with her many slaves from her father's plantation. With this union, Peter Jefferson, an man without family prestige or social pretense, became identified with one of the leading families in Virginia. In eighteenth-century Virginia there were two distinct groups: the aristocracy, typified by Isham Randolph; and the yeomanry, who were, for the most part, industrious, belligerently independent, and instinctively democratic. The marriage of Jane Randolph to Peter Jefferson joined the two classes. Of these two strains would come the unique mosaic that was Thomas Jefferson."
Back in my Book Buyer days, I read a paperback reprint of Natalie Bober's 1988 Jefferson biography, THOMAS JEFFERSON: MAN ON A MOUNTAIN. I enjoyed it so much that I continued on to read her biography of Abigail Adams. A few years later, when Bober's COUNTDOWN TO INDEPENDENCE: A REVOLUTION OF IDEAS IN ENGLAND AND HER AMERICAN COLONIES, 1760-1776 was published, it easily made it onto my Richie's Picks Best of 2001 list.
Now Bober has done something rarely seen in trade publishing: a do-over. As the author states in her Author's Note, "History is an argument without end." Theories in which Bober believed two decades ago, regarding Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, were essentially proven false by DNA testing. And so armed with new knowledge and a new perspective, the author has now written a new biography of this most complex of forefathers.
"Peter Jefferson had been an example of industry and responsibility, but it was his love of learning more than anything else that was his legacy to his son. The only thing Thomas Jefferson wrote about his father -- almost sixty-four years later, when he was seventy-seven -- reveals what was most important to him throughout his life: '...being of strong mind, sound judgment, and eager after information, he read much and improved himself.' Books would become for his son the means to 'improve himself,' the keys to unlock the mystery of any subject he wanted to learn. Books would become the passion that ruled and shaped his life."
In wrestling anew with the question of how such an amazing man of ideas could create those immortal words about all men being created equal and, at the same time, condone slavery, Natalie Bober combines her skill for impeccable research with an unsurpassed ability to turn history into captivating story. And while that might sound cliche, the fact is that we are lucky if we discover a handful of YA nonfiction titles in a year that are immersed simultaneously in research and story to the degree found in THOMAS JEFFERSON: DRAFTSMAN OF A NATION.
Thomas Jefferson provided my first real inspiration to write about ideas and to internalize the ideals upon which America was founded. It has been truly fulfilling to, once again, spend a couple of days reading and writing about him.
Average customer rating:
- Half a Religious biography, Half other
- A Review
- Narrative Account of Jefferson's Religious Ideas
- Jefferson's Thinking Hovers
- Public education is necessary to save democracy Chapter ^
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Sworn on the Altar of God: A Religious Biography of Thomas Jefferson (Library of Religious Biography Series)
Edwin S. Gaustad
Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
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ASIN: 0802801560 |
Customer Reviews:
Half a Religious biography, Half other.......2006-10-06
Gaustad, Edwin S. Sworn on the Altar of God: A Religious Biography of Thomas Jefferson. Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, United Kingdom: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996. 246 pages. Notes on the Sources, index.
Sworn on the Altar of God, is a religious biography (as the subtitle implies) by Edwin S. Gaustad, the critically acclaimed professor of history at the University of California, Riverside. He has written other historical books (also with good reviews I may add) such Documentary History of Religion of America, and in this book he scores again, only if it were a biography of Thomas Jefferson rather than a religious biography.
Gaustad uses many of Jefferson writings and includes it in this biography with citations and context of when it is being said. He does this in a way that makes this book appealing. Right from the start though I noticed a flaw, he states his opinion as fact which is also known as the fallacy of misplaced concreteness. He states "Thomas Jefferson was the most self consciously theological of all America's presidents" [Gaustad, preface XIII]. This is contested by many people today who argue that Abraham Lincoln (a well known deist who spoke on God often) and / or George W. Bush (though I don't agree nor do I wish to resort to argumentum ad populum fallacy) is / are the most self consciously theological of all presidents. While this book isn't supposed to be arguing for ones view, I can forgive this. I liked how in the beginning he pointed out the misconception that everyone has today about Separation of Church and State, in the fact that it is not in our constitution but rather it was just a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists [preface IX]. So he expected to catch the viewer's attention by pointing out that misconception (though I already knew that fact) and worked. The books title is based on the quote from Thomas Jefferson "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny of the mind of man" [189]. He goes on to explain Jefferson's life from child hood to death and how he was very Anglican in his birth but went astray from his roots when he got older during The Enlightenment. He explains that he did this because he read many of Joseph Priestley's and Thomas Paine's works and wrote back to them (in secrecy) with open theological discussions. He does a good job doing this due to his extensive work he put into going out and getting all of Jefferson's writings.
What my main quarrel is with this book, is the fact that only a portion of this book actually is actually a religious biography of Thomas Jefferson. The only chapters I found interesting and valuable (that actually pertained to the title) were chapters: 1, 2, 5, and 8. The other 4 chapters were a complete bore and filled with clutter that has nothing to do with religion and never built up to anything associated with religion. Let me give you a fine example, in chapter 6 "The Educator", all Gaustad talks about is James Madison and Thomas Jefferson building the University of Virginia and what his rules were, and to be more specific, one page is even devoted to his architecture from Monticello and how he applied it to the University of Virginia [174]. I noticed what he tried to do in this chapter, he opened up with a quote from Thomas Priestly about creation and man, then he stuck a bunch of clutter about the establishment of University of Virginia then at the end he puts "What sounded like freedom to Jefferson could sound like Unitarianism to others" [180] even though he hardly touched on that aspect in the chapter itself.
What I like about the 4 chapters that actually related to the title of the book was that it delves deep into his feelings and his theological thinking. Chapter 2 "Student of the Enlightenment", explains his reasoning behind accepting reasoning over scripture, for instance "But those facts in the Bible which contradict laws of nature which must be examined with more care" [33]. Chapter 5 "The Religious Reformer", completely goes through Thomas Jefferson's work The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth with a fine tooth comb explaining what verses he cut out and what he kept. His book is a rehash of the 4 gospels that cuts out all miracles and supernatural and leaves the morals for him to study on his own. This work has now been put together and published as The Jefferson Bible. Chapter 8 "A Religion for the People" focuses on Jefferson's feelings against other religions and explains how he ended up intensely disliking the Anglicans because of their doctrine and charging him as a heathen around election time. It also explains how he liked the Quakers because they possessed no doctrine (thus accepting reason over scripture) but were mainly peaceful.
Overall, this work by Gaustad does a good job portraying Jefferson's deism and his thoughts on prayer, but the few chapters that actually were related to the title could have been made into a pamphlet or an online article rather than a $14.00 book. It is very mainstream friendly, but I would recommend anyone JUST interested in Jefferson's religion to read the book The Religious Life of Thomas Jefferson by Charles B. Sanford instead.
A Review.......2005-12-16
Sworn on the Altar of God is an extremely informative look at Thomas Jefferson's faith. As one of the Founding Fathers, politicians and people of faith have so often tried to understand Jefferson's faith. In truth, he was a deist and a rationalist. Understanding the implications of this faith have great ramifications in our current times, especially in relation to a government which seems so intent on glorifying evangelical fundamentalism at the expense of reason. I feel that Jefferson would have been appalled!
Narrative Account of Jefferson's Religious Ideas.......2002-04-05
This book is an excellent compliement to Charles Sanford's "The Religious Life of Thomas Jefferson." Whereas Sanford does a scholarly review of the content of Jefferson's religious ideas, Gaustad in this book gives the narrative and context for how Jefferson applied his ideas concerning religion and religious freedom. Most interesting to me in the Gaustad book were the accounts of the political fights Jefferson and Madison waged for religious freedom during the early years of the Republic. Gaustad filled in the historical gaps and gave me context for understanding how momentous the struggle truly was. Also brought to life by Gaustad are the correspondences between the aged ex-presidents Jefferson and Adams about God and religion. I highly recommend this book to those interested in the history of ideas and freedom of thought.
Jefferson's Thinking Hovers.......2002-03-27
Thomas Jefferson's thinking hovers over many of today's debates regarding separation of church and state, school prayer, the place of public education, and the place of faith in our own lives.
This is an excellent exploration of the complexities of Jefferson's beliefs and the even more complex world of how his writings and thoughts continue to impact America today.
Public education is necessary to save democracy Chapter ^.......1997-09-07
Excellent book As a school board member this book is important to show the importance of saving public education to perserve the American EXperiment. Jefferson was always in favor of a public educational system as a means to perserve the wall of separation between church and state. I would recommend this book for anyone who is oppossed to vouchers and charters schools
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The Jefferson Bible, The Life and Morals of Jesus
Thomas Jefferson
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ASIN: 1595479554 |
Book Description
The Jefferson Bible offers unusual insight into the thought process of Thomas Jefferson. In 1804, Jefferson set out to edit the Gospels in order to uncover the meaning of true religion. In this book completed in 1819 is the astonishing story of the life of Jesus through Jefferson's eyes.
Customer Reviews:
Good reading.......2007-04-11
As a "semi" Christian, this "bible" is quite a read. It includes all of the teachings of Jesus without all of the "miracles". My pastor and I disagree on the whole resurrection thing, but I think this book shows that Jesus would have followers even without that fantasy.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Introduction into Jeffersonian Philosophy.......2005-07-28
One of my favorite books that has helped challenge and shape my spiritual and philosophical outlooks on life. Sanford goes to great length explaining and detailing Thomas Jefferson's views on controversial topics such as the right and nature of Man, nature of God, separation of church and state, religious freedom, deism, Christianity, materialism, morality, and the afterlife. Sanford provides many citations, including Jefferson's personal letters, diaries, personal Jeffersonian Bible, and other primary sources. Sanford carefully places Jefferson's views in historical and cultural context, but yet there's no sugarcoating anything here. It's a great read and I recommend it for any open-minded and mature individual interested in learning about the beliefs that motivated Jefferson and our founding Fathers to create the US Constitituion and a free society.
In-depth Look at Jefferson's Religious Ideas.......2002-04-01
Sanford writes a well-documented but accessible account of Jefferson's religious ideas. Other books on Jefferson's religion extract his ideas from his letters, papers, and speeches, but Sanford goes deeper, tracing the roots of Jefferson's ideas and the influence Enlightenment philosophers played in shaping his thinking. Sanford's book reveals how Jefferson's ideas about liberty, rights, and democracy sprang from his profound belief in God. Sanford's book also shows the contradictions and complexities of Jefferson's beliefs: that he loved Jesus's teachings even while doubting his divinity, that Jefferson attacked immaterialism in religion while believing in the afterlife, and that he contributed to and regularly attended churches while blasting the corruptions of the church and clergy on the Christian faith. I highly recommend this book to understand Jefferson's religious ideas, but to get historical context for the development of this ideas, I recommend as a companion book. "Sworn on the Altar of God" by Edwin Gaustad. Together the two books give a complete potrait of Jefferson's religious life.
Religious Life of Thomas Jefferson - profound insight.......2000-08-18
This book is an excellent look at the deep roots of spirituality, not religion, of one of America's most important founders, Thomas Jefferson.
The book is both informative and very interesting. It's a great book to keep for future reference as well.
It points out that Jefferson, like many of America's key founders, was not a Christian, but was a Deist. That is, he believed in God based on reason and nature, not on the Bible, Torah or Koran or any other man made book.
This is a book that will stimulate your brain and cause you to expand your mind!
Robert L. Johnson
Book Description
"Jefferson aspired beyond the ambition of a nationality,
and embraced in his view the whole future of man."
--Henry Adams
Customer Reviews:
Jefferson the " American Mind".......2003-04-07
This study is a wonderful compilation of the life and writings of Thomas Jefferson. The introduction by Koch and Peden of Jefferson's long and fruitful life is rich and complete. Jefferson's greatness shines forth in the pages of this volume. His Anas, Autobiography, Essay of the Anglo Saxon language, Notes on Virginia, And his numerous public papers and letters show the reader the depth of this great man. Koch and Peden clearly admire Jefferon which is a welcome respite from the sad and anti-intellectual deconstructionist philosophy of modern historians. No PC here. For a student of Jefferson, or someone attempting to familiarize themselves with his ideals, this is a great buy!
A excellent anthology for your library.......2000-09-15
We added this book to our library when I was doing research for a doctoral project on Racism. In one volume, is Jefferson's autobiography, travel journals, essays, biographies of other historical figures, notes and correspondence. It is a wealth of material into a foundation stone personality of our American identity.
Lately Jefferson has drawn fire because of his position on slavery and his philandering activities as a plantation owner. Still, within this volume you can observe the full story historical context provides.
In my favorite passage in connection with the slavery issue he writes,
"And can the liberties of a nation be though secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of thepeople that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever; that considering numbers,nature and natural means only, a revolution of the wheel of fortune, an exchange of situation is among possible events; that it may become probably by supernatural interference! The Almighty has no attribute which can take side with us in such a contest." (Notes on Virginia, Query XVIII; p. 278 Modern Library Edition)
I think every family should have a copy of this volume in their library. It is enlightening, powerful and life changing material.
Book Description
With accuracy, zest, and insight, _ Indian Summer_ portrays the nearly lost and unspeakably beautiful world of the Choinumne Yokuts and the valley in which they lived.
Customer Reviews:
RARE HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.......2000-09-30
As a fifth generation native of California, I had never heard of such a case where a white child lived with any of the local tribes prior to decimation and influence of outside influences. The true nature of these early natives is thus revealed with great credibility. This remarkable experience of the young Mayfield was almost lost when he revealed his story in 1928 for the first time just prior to his death at age 85. Still, it was not until 1993 that this story was published in it's pure and beautiful essence for the modern reader to enjoy and appreciate.
An Inside Look at the Indians of the San Joaquin Valley.......2000-01-09
Thomas Jefferson Mayfield was only six years old when his family first laid eyes on the grand beauty of the primal San Joaquin Valley in Central California. The year was 1850 and California had just been admitted to the Union as a free state. The Mayfield family settled near Sycamore Creek, east of what is now Bakersfield. The Choinume Yocuts Indians inhabited the region and Thomas Jefferson Mayfield later recalled that the Indians were kind and compassionate to these visitors in their land. On many occasions they showed great care for their welfare.
The Indians provided meat and food stuff during desperate times, without ever being asked. After the brief illness and death of his mother, the Indian women asked Mr. Mayfield if they could watch over little Thomas during his many absences. He knew his son would be in better company with them than the white settlers and gladly agreed to the arrangement. For ten years he grew up knowing security and peace with the Choinumne Indians. He learned their ways and their language, their games and hunting techniques.
Conflict was in store for this peaceful tribe; the Monache Indians of the upper foothills and the settlers became overtly hostile. The Yocuts were the ones caught in the middle. Not only did Thomas Jefferson watch the landscape change, but he also watched his beloved guardians decimated by civilization.
This is Thomas Jefferson Mayfield's spoken testimony to historian Frank Latta of those precious ten years. The book is pleasantly laid out in a sequence that is easy to follow. The large print also makes this publication a joy to read.
Book Description
1902. In 1803, while overwhelmed with other business, Mr. Jefferson cut from the evangelists such passages as he believed would best present the ethical teaching of Jesus, and arranged them, on the pages of a blank book, in a certain order of time or subject. He called it The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth, extracted from the account of his life and doctrines, as given by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; being an abridgment of the New Testament for the use of the Indians, unembarrassed with matters of fact or faith beyond the level of their comprehension. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.
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Thomas Jefferson : Writings : Autobiography / Notes on the State of Virginia / Public and Private Papers / Addresses / Letters (Library of America)
