Buzz
Every family has that one individual who tarnishes the family name. Known as the black sheep, they defy expectations and create a reputation the family would rather forget. Some black sheep brought disgrace through terrible crimes, while others simply broke away from tradition to carve their own paths. Regardless, the prominence of their family only amplified the attention their actions received.
10. Thomas Edison Jr.
Whether you view Thomas Alva Edison Sr. as a brilliant inventor or a shrewd businessman, his success is undeniable. He transformed his name into a lucrative brand, profiting from products that sold purely due to the “Edison” label.
This widespread fame didn't escape others. His eldest son, Thomas Alva Edison Jr. (nicknamed 'Dash'), tried to follow in his father's footsteps. While he aimed to be an inventor, his efforts fell short. Nevertheless, the Edison name alone attracted investment. Dash launched the Thomas A. Edison Jr. Chemical Company, producing products like the Magno-Electric Vitalizer, a device that claimed to cure ailments ranging from nervous disorders to deafness and poor vision.
After that venture failed, Dash founded the Edison Jr. Electric Light and Power Company. His next project, the Thomas A. Edison Jr. Improved Incandescent Lamp Company, met the same fate. Each new endeavor was presented as an 'Edison invention,' attempting to cash in on the family name. But it wasn't enough to turn these dubious ideas into success, leading Dash into debt and scrutiny for fraud. Eventually, his father took legal action to stop Dash from using the Edison name.
9. James Capone
Under ordinary circumstances, James Capone would have been the pride of his family. A community stalwart, he served in World War I as a lieutenant, earning a sharpshooter's medal. He was a respected Prohibition agent, known for his many convictions. He also worked as a special agent for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and briefly served as bodyguard to President Calvin Coolidge. However, James was also part of one of the most infamous crime families in history.
His brother, Al Capone, is arguably the most famous gangster ever. Along with brothers Frank and Ralph Capone, who were also involved in the Chicago Outfit, they built a criminal empire centered around bootlegging and other illicit ventures. Needless to say, they were less than thrilled to learn that their brother was an (honest) Prohibition agent.
James distanced himself from his notorious family. After the war, he relocated to Nebraska, changed his name to Richard Hart, and took up work as a Prohibition agent. He tried to sever all ties, even hiding his Italian heritage. In 1923, his cover was blown when he accidentally shot an innocent bystander during a raid. The media soon discovered that Richard Hart was actually James Capone, a member of the infamous Capone family. Surprisingly, this revelation improved his relationship with his family, and he began visiting them occasionally.
8. Charles Adams
The Adams family (not the one with Gomez and Morticia) has produced two U.S. presidents. John Adams, a Founding Father, served as the first vice president and then the second president. His son, John Quincy Adams, became the sixth president. However, his other son, Charles Adams, failed to live up to the family's legacy.
Charles struggled with alcoholism throughout most of his life, a battle that began when he was just 15. At that age, he was already studying law at Harvard, where he almost got expelled for running naked through the Harvard Yard while intoxicated. There were times when Charles appeared to be on the path to recovery: he graduated from law school, started a family, and even opened a practice in New York after apprenticing under Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. However, his involvement in shady investments led him to lose a great deal of money that wasn't his. These financial troubles only worsened his drinking problems, and by the time he was 30, he had abandoned his legal career entirely.
In 1798, John Adams disowned his son completely, calling him 'a madman possessed by the devil.' He vowed never to see Charles again, and he kept that promise, as Charles passed away two years later. Despite his anger, John later wrote a letter expressing sorrow for his son's death, describing him as an 'unfortunate youth' whose promising future had been tragically cut short.
7. Rainer Hoess
In this case, being the 'black sheep' is something to be proud of. Rainer Hoess was disowned by his family and branded a traitor for being the only one to see his grandfather, Rudolf Hoess, for the monster he truly was.
Rudolf Hoess was a Nazi officer who commanded the Auschwitz concentration camp. He was responsible for introducing Zyklon B to the gas chambers, making his camp the most efficient killing machine in human history. Every day, by dinnertime, Rainer’s grandfather had killed 20,000 people, justifying his actions by claiming he was simply doing his job.
Despite these horrors, Hoess was regarded as a hero in his family. His son (Rainer’s father), Hans-Jurgen, grew up in a villa next to Auschwitz. While thousands of people were being murdered, he played in the garden nearby. As an adult, Hans refused to let anyone speak ill of Hoess. Rainer recalls how there was a dictatorship in the family where you were expected to 'admire (my) grandfather like a hero.'
As a teenager, Rainer discovered the truth about Rudolf Hoess. It was a topic rarely discussed, and the rest of the family maintained the image of the 'good commandant'—except for Rainer’s mother, who supported him and paid the price for it at the hands of Rainer’s father. At 16, Rainer left home and never returned. Now, he dedicates his life to speaking at schools against extremism.
6. Benson Ford Jr.
The Ford name has been synonymous with automotive royalty ever since Henry Ford, shown above, founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. The company grew into one of the largest automakers globally, and the Ford family has continued to lead it for over a century. After Henry Ford's death, his son Edsel took over the helm. Edsel, in turn, passed the reins to his eldest son, Henry Ford II. Today, William Clay Ford Jr., the great-grandson of Henry Ford, serves as the executive chairman.
One member of the Ford family who didn't quite live up to the high expectations is Benson Ford Jr., another great-grandson of Henry Ford. In his younger years, Benson was content to live off his family's wealth, indulging in a lifestyle of parties, gambling, fast cars, and drugs. Eventually, he was convinced to learn the family business, but even his own father had doubts about entrusting the future of the Ford Motor Company to him. This led Benson Sr. to leave a fortune in company stock to his son but place the voting rights in the hands of a trustee.
Unhappy with the decision, Benson has been involved in disputes over the ownership of the company since the 1980s. He has also faced multiple drug-related arrests and been accused of real estate fraud. One of the strangest incidents occurred during a 1983 lawsuit, where Benson testified under oath that he was part of a group ready to kill anyone, even fellow family members, in order to secure a position on the board of directors.
5. Donald Nixon
Having a president with an embarrassing brother has become somewhat of a tradition. Bill Clinton had to manage his brother Roger's antics, and Billy Carter used his brief fame to promote his own beer brand, Billy Beer. Donald Nixon doesn't often come up in discussions, likely because Richard Nixon's actions were more than enough to tarnish the family's reputation. However, Donald did play a significant (and negative) role in his brother's political downfall.
It all began long before Nixon's first presidential campaign in 1960. Donald had dreams of launching his own restaurant chain named “Nixon’s.” However, the public didn't seem interested in Nixonburgers, and the business quickly floundered. On the brink of bankruptcy, Donald accepted a loan from Howard Hughes in 1956, totaling $205,000. Fast forward to Richard's initial run for president, and rumors began circulating that the Nixons had financial ties to Hughes. After losing to Kennedy, these allegations lingered over Nixon during his unsuccessful bid for governor of California.
In his memoir, Nixon shared that his brother Donald felt terrible about possibly influencing his brother's election outcome, though Richard never placed blame on him. However, during the Watergate scandal, it came to light that, while in office, Nixon had the Secret Service wiretap his brother’s phone to prevent any issues that might threaten his reelection campaign in 1972.
4. King George IV
The House of Hanover left a significant legacy in British history, but not all its members were exemplary. George IV, in particular, became (and still is) a royal laughingstock, remembered as one of the worst monarchs in the history of Great Britain.
George’s father, King George III, wasn't much to boast about either. He was known as the mad king who lost America. However, George IV's lavish lifestyle and obsession with self-gratification turned him into a national disgrace, even before ascending to the throne in 1820.
There was a stark contrast between how George wanted to be seen and the actions he took to shape that image. He amassed enormous art collections, threw lavish parties, and staged grandiose pageants, all designed to flatter his ego. He earned a reputation for his extensive list of mistresses and his mistreatment of his wife, Caroline of Brunswick.
By the time of his death, George’s hedonistic lifestyle had reduced him to a sickly, bloated figure who seldom left his private rooms. His passing revealed just how little affection people had for him. The Times obituary remarked, “no one was less mourned by their fellow men than this deceased king.” The Duke of Wellington called George “the worst man he encountered in his life,” and courtier Charles Greville said, “there is no more despicable, cowardly, self-centered, heartless dog than he was.”
3. Osama bin Laden
In the present day, the name 'bin Laden' (or sometimes 'Binladin') carries a singular, notorious association, especially in Western circles. It’s easy to overlook the fact that it also refers to a massive construction conglomerate with numerous projects across the Middle East.
The Saudi Binladin Group was established in 1931 by Mohammed Awad Binladin, shortly after the formation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mohammed secured the company’s first major project in 1950 when King Abdul Aziz entrusted him with constructing the first Saudi extension to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina. The Bin Laden family has since maintained close ties with the Saudi Royal Family.
Upon Mohammed's death, he left behind 54 children. His eldest son, Bakr, took control of the company, with 13 other brothers joining him on the board of directors. The family had known about Osama's radical views for years and began distancing themselves from him in the early 1990s. In 1994, Osama was officially disowned by the Bin Laden family, though there remains significant debate regarding how much, if any, assistance he received from his family in founding and managing Al-Qaeda.
2. Joe Coors Jr.
In 1873, Adolph Coors founded the Coors Brewing Company, which grew to become one of the largest breweries in the United States. Over a century later, Coors continues to thrive. The company has gone through various mergers and partnerships with major brewers like Molson and Miller. Yet, the Coors family has remained deeply involved in the business, with Pete Coors, the great-grandson of Adolph, serving as the current chairman.
Pete's brother, Joe Coors Jr., chose a different path. He was completely cut off from the family’s wealth for breaking a key rule set by the family patriarch—marriage after college. Like other Coors family members, Joe was expected to go to college, earn his degree, and join the family business before starting a family. However, Joe was in love and, in 1962, married his sweetheart, Gail. As a result, Joe and his wife found themselves living in a one-room apartment, hopping from one job to another.
After a long period of exile, Joe was welcomed back into the family fold, transforming from the black sheep to one of its most notable figures. He was assigned to oversee ACX Technologies with his brother Jeff, a prosperous but low-profile subsidiary that specializes in manufacturing ceramic components. In recent years, Joe has gained attention both as a congressional candidate and as a victim of a fraudulent investment scheme worth over $40 million.
1. Jessica Mitford
Jessica Mitford was a distinguished author, journalist, and political activist, known for her bold presence as one of the Mitford sisters, who garnered significant media attention in the early 20th century. Born into an affluent English family, Jessica was the second of six sisters and famously referred to herself as the 'red sheep' because she was a communist in a family of fascists.
The Mitford family gained significant notoriety for their strong fascist leanings, especially Unity Mitford, whose intense admiration and devotion to Hitler made her infamous in the British press. She even attempted (unsuccessfully) to take her own life when Britain declared war on Germany. In reality, many Mitford family members were known for their fascist sympathies—both of their parents were supporters, as was their brother Thomas, and in 1936, Diana Mitford married Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British Fascist Party.
With the onset of World War II, the Mitfords’ political affiliations came under increasing scrutiny, particularly since Unity and Diana frequently visited Germany to meet with Hitler. By then, Jessica had already distanced herself from her privileged background, publicly declared her political views, and emigrated to the United States. She became a U.S. citizen in 1944 and spent the next decade actively campaigning for the Communist Party.
