Female Pirate's Questionable Behavior Began With Eerie Incident When She Was Just A Little Girl

Since she was little, Anne Bonny couldn't bear being told what to do. Her way of life sent shivers down the spines of grown men, and she always clashed with the "status quo" of the 18th century. Her early life is cast in a great deal of shadow — we are missing many details, but what we do know paints a rather dark story. The one thing that's for certain is that Anne was not a normal child.

Born Into High Expectations

Around 1698 in Ireland — no one knows the precise date — Anne was born into luxury. Her father, William Cormac, was a lawyer, so the entire Cormac family often had to impress other members of the upper class. This would prove to be a challenge. Anne, it turned out, wasn't a legitimate child.

Passionate Affair

Before Anne was born, William Cormac had a passionate affair with his maid while married to another woman. When his wife found out the maid was pregnant with Anne, she cut them off from the estate completely. With his reputation tarnished, Cormac took Anne and her mother with him to America, where they could try to start anew.

Rough Start

William brought his illegitimate family to Charleston, South Carolina after the turn of the century, where he briefly continued his career as a lawyer before running his own local business. It was a rough start for the family and a great change from the pristine life they once lived, but they at least had each other...for a while, anyway.

Devastating Loss

When Anne was 12 years old, her mother passed away, which many tales say was a turning point for the young girl. After losing her mother, she began to express a "fierce and courageous temper," which shook up the whole neighborhood.