Scoundrels on Both Sides!

We have known for a while of our not-so-shining legacy on my mother's side of the family. My grandmother's maiden name is Burr. Her great, great...uncle is Aaron Burr. Oddly enough, this is how I got my nickname, Ber-Ber, that most of my friends call me! I told my old debate coach of the family connection one day many years ago and he coined the nickname. For those of you who don't know, Aaron was the one who shot Alexander Hamilton in a dual, was Thomas Jefferson's vice president until he became insane and devised what is forever known as The Burr Conspiracy to take over America. Creepy. What's even more creepy is that I have an uncle that slightly resembles him!
Well, at the family reunion this past weekend, I spent some time talking to my 13th cousin, Barbara. (just kidding, she is really just my 6th:) She is one of 57 6th cousins just on my grandmother's side of the family! Anyway, she has spent hours and hours compiling a family genealogy. Apparently, my grandmother's great-grandfather was a man named Thomas Elliot. Thomas was one of Francis Marion's men, but he didn't work only for Francis Marion. He was actually a spy for the British! Apparently, he did so well that he was given a King's Grant of thousands and thousands of acres around the Columbia, SC area. I always wondered why it seemed like my family has been in the South Carolina area since the garden of eden. That is probably why!

So, I have a conspirator on one side and a traitor on the other. How lovely.