Mr. Jefferson charms his Geneva audience

With a winning blend of wit and warmth, author and scholar Clay Jenkinson brought Thomas Jefferson to life Friday in front of an appreciative crowd at the Geneva History Center.

Wearing a wig, coat, vest, britches, stockings and shoes of a gentleman of the early 1800s, Jenkinson gave a brief pronouncement of his (Jefferson's) beliefs and vision for the fledgling nation, then answered questions while still in character.

Jefferson was the architect of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States, serving 1801 to 1809.

Jenkinson's hour performance provided a flesh-and-blood history lesson.

"As president, my vision of the nation was that of a huge arena of small villages and family farms," Jenkinson said as Jefferson. "I favored a nation of farmers because farmers are the freest, most independent and happiest of citizens."

According to Jenkinson, Jefferson's ideal of the American citizen was a farmer who worked moderately hard during the day in the fields and read Homer in the original Greek at night. He believed education was the key to an informed electorate for a successful democracy.

His wit came to the forefront when he accepted questions as though President Jefferson was holding a news conference.

When asked about his (Jefferson's) relationships with the slave Sally Hemings and a married woman he romanced in France, Jenkinson quipped, "This will be my last news conference."

Jenkinson admitted Jefferson was a hypocrite in owning slaves after he wrote the Declaration of Independence, although representatives from the southern colonies would not sign the original document in which Jefferson accused King George III of England of promoting slavery.

"There had to be compromises," Jenkinson said. "The issue of slavery was postponed."

Jenkinson said that Jefferson was happiest in his vast garden and cultivated 29 varieties of peas at his beloved estate of Monticello in Virginia. He also died in great debt. He drank prudently but loved wine and would import it from France. He also owned 7,000 books, which he acquired at a cost of about $250 apiece.

"He had the taste of a European aristocrat and the income of a farmer," Jenkinson said.

Jenkinson also impersonates Teddy Roosevelt and will perform at 7:30 tonight in the auditorium at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove. Tickets are $39.

Jenkinson is based in Bismarck, N.D., and teaches at Dickinson State University in western North Dakota. He is an author and humanities scholar. He majored in English in college but developed an interest in the Founding Fathers during the bi-centennial celebration.

"It's a hobby that has taken control of my life," he said after the performance.

Jenkinson writes a weekly column for the Bismarck Tribune and hosts a radio show, "The Jefferson Hour."

"You can download hundreds of hours onto your iPod from my radio show," he told the audience. "It's a good thing my subject is Thomas Jefferson and not Millard Fillmore or Gerald Ford."