Maggie:
I agree with you, we all have nuts in the family tree, but to be honest they do give a great deal of color to the family history.
My family like yours have, been rebels, being thrown out of Germany in the early 1700's and another part of the family in the middle 1800's. Those who came to the states went on to become local officials, Government leaders, engineers, military learders (having fought in every war since the French and Indian War), business men, merchants, doctors, teachers and monster truck champions. But we too have had the few, that we always joke about or not mention in mixed company on both sides of the ocean. I still after all these years, don't know where I will fall into family history, but I have never claimed not to be a nut. God Bless.
JIM