Anne Bonny

 

 

Anne Bonny was born in Ireland (around 1700-1705) the daughter of lawyer William Cormac and his wife's maid Peg Brennan. Her father tried to have Anne dress as a boy to pass her off as a law clerk, however this attempt failed and Cormac lost his law practice due to the scandal. He left the country with Peg and Anne and moved to Charleston, South Carolina.

Anne grew up as a wild child, riding and shooting as well or better than boys her age. Anne's father once again prospered as a lawyer and made enough to purchase a plantation. Shortly after this purchase, Anne's mother died and Anne became mistress of this house. Her father had high hopes for Anne to marry a 'well to do' gentleman, but Anne chose a penniless sailor. Due to this desicion, her father disinherited her.
Anne went to the Bahamas with her husband but she soon tired of him. She left him for the pirate captain John Rackham, AKA Calico Jack. Rackham tried to buy Anne from her husband, who adamantly refused and reported her to the governor. The governor threatened to flog Anne if she did not return to her husband. Due to this, she joined Rackham's crew and began her career in piracy. She gave birth to her and Rackham's child at their refuge in Cuba, then returned to sea with Rackham. This is when Mary Read joins their crew. Anne, being a bit flirtatious, made passes at Mary Read. Mary confessed that she was a woman and they soon became friends. Rackham assumed Anne was having an affair and went into a rage threatening to kill 'Anne's lover'. Anned divulged Mary's secret and the conflict passed.

The capture and trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read:
October 1720- An armed sloop sent by the governor of Jamacia trapped and boarded the pirate ship of Calico Jack. All but three pirate members fled below deck (it was said that most were drunk or hung-over). Bonny, Read and one man continued to resist the capture. Read was ashamed of the cowardice of the pirate members and tried to goad them into defending themselves. She even fired into the hold where she killed one pirate and wonded several others.

Read, Bonny and the one man were unable to hold off the law, so all pirates were captured and taken prisoner. Mary's husband was acquitted since he was able to prove that he had joined under compulsion. However, both Read and Bonny were convicted and sentenced to be hanged with the other captives. They 'pleaded their belly' since both were pregnant. Unfortunately, Mary and her unborn child died in prison of fever. Anne, however gave birth to her child which was followed by several execution reprieves. This is where there are no more official records. She was not hanged and she did not die in prision. At the time of her trial she was not yet 20 years old. It is possible that her father was able to help her escape as well as continue the repreives, however nothing is known.

Here is one account of a possible 'Anne Bonny' who escaped prison:
"There is some conjecture that her wealthy father bought her release after the birth of the child. This is one version of her life after the trial. Anne's child, born five months after the trial, on April 21, 1721, was named John Cormac Bonny. John Rackham seems to have been listed as the illegitimate child's father. After the child's birth the mother and child return to Virginia via South Carolina. There are some records that imply that she married a Joseph Burleigh at this time, 1721. It is guessed that this marriage was arranged by Anne's father to get her started upon a clean slate when she returned (one can only imagine the dowry required to get a man to marry a woman reputed to be such a wildcat). The Anne thus recorded gave birth to eight more children with her husband, three of whom died young. This Anne is said to have died on April 25, 1782 (which would have put her age at somewhere around 70-80) and was buried in a place called Sweethaven (possibly in York County, Virginia)."

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