Puritans, Pirates and Pilgrims

I think this will have to be the title of a book that cries out for me to write. It will have to be a novel about a woman who is researching her family history. Periodically there will be digressions of moving back and forward in time as she moves into the lives of her ancestors (no not new age stuff, but just dreaming of what their life must have been like).
(To the left is my paternal great-great grandfather whose name or image we never knew a thing about - he disappeared one day about 1870 according to a cousin of my father. She had the picture.)
Since May, my newest passion has been putting together my family tree (with lots of help). I am stunned at how much help the ancestry.com site offers. Fortunately I had lots of help from my mom and other relatives and a lot of data several generations back, that all make it possible to keep on digging. Several times when I have been at a standstill, I have just kept on digging and found out a lot of stuff. Of course, being in Brazil, I am limited to what I can find on the internet and I am in a very preliminary stage, needing to verify lots of the data yet.
Still what I have found so far is fabulous. I already have over 1500 names in the tree (like I said, some yet to be totally verified), including an apparent direct link to Charlemagne. Wow!
But we have all gotten the most fun out of a pirate ancestor (Philip Babb) who was hired to bring law and order to the colony (Isles of Shoals) in 1653) and managed to side with the pirates. The legend says he was so bad, even his grave smells of sulphur. How's that for an ancestor?
Ah, but I can go you one better... still on my paternal side - around 1692 Mercy Holbridge was tried as a witch in New Haven, Connecticut. She was found guilty and sentenced to death. Fortunately wiser heads prevailed and because of the extreme travesty of justice, she was pardoned. Seems she was just too upfront as a woman with her opinions for the puritans.
Closing out this trio of illustrious ancestors of the 1600's, is Edward Doty, who had the distinction of being a participant in the first duel ever fought in New England. He was on the Mayflower and a signer of the Mayflower compact. He was, however, no religious man like the others. He was constantly in trouble, the only rogue "pilgrim" aboard the Mayflower. He was actually a servant to one of the real pilgrims! He, I am proud to say, is on my maternal line. So both sides of the family have their fair share of scoundrels.
Because of the relative "fame" of these three ancestors, I have been able to trace a direct line and there is no doubt that some of their blood runs in my veins.
Fortunately there are also preachers who suffered persecutions, Quakers who were exiled, and lots of Methodist and Brethren preachers/pastors/chaplains scattered around. It's definitely not just "genes", but who you chose to give your heart to.