Interesting Ancestors?

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Do any of you have any famous or interesting Ancestors or family connections?

My paternal Great Grandmother's surname was Blundell who were a family of minor gentry the Blundells of Little Crosby who were catholic recusants (refusing to attend Anglican services). The family had two manor houses Crosby Hall and Ince Blundell Hall.

My Maternal Grandfather was born in Roughlee old Hall, his family lived in one half of the house they were tenant farmers. His father was born outside of Marriage and his original surname was Dewhurst apparently one of his ancestors was a black slave woman raped by one of two wealthy Dewhurst Brothers and the child was brought to England. Roughlee Old Hall is apparently the home of Alice Nutter one the witches killed during the Pendle Witch trials.

My Maternal Grandmother was the youngest daughter and had a different father to her sisters, prior to her being born the family were in the work house. Her father abandoned her when she was just a baby. One of Her Ancestors were French and Another Italian and they met on the ship and later married.

I have quite a few who fought in the American Revolution. Also one I'm particularly proud of who was fined back in the 1500s for dumping manure on the King's Highway.

Proudly stickin' it to the Man for 500 years.

I have one ancestor who came over on the Mayflower from England. Two who fought in the American Revolution. But I am most proud of a great uncle and aunt who, as Quakers, refused to pay taxes on the military portion of their taxes. That portion they donated to nonprofit organizations working for peace. There were two related cases and theirs went up to the Supreme Court. They lost of course. I admire them for making a careful, conscience stand on something that was important to them and followed it through at significant personal cost. (And by the way, my uncle did serve in the military and did fight in a war. That experience led him to become a Quaker.)

Both really interesting I get the feeling that Americans are more connected to their family history than Brits.

Some of my ancestors survived a shipwreck off the coast of Australia (the Schomberg) when they were emigrating from England.

Two or three ancestors were convicts, one more recent ancestor tried to let prisoners out of jail, my great grandmother had a secret family she left behind before starting another, some ancestors owned land and mansions and some were royals.

Here's another one o' mine.

I have some ancestors who, in early 18th c. New England, had their ears cropped for counterfeiting.