Legend says Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury (1661-1723) was New York's worst governor: a nepo baby failson; a bully and bigot; a corrupt spendthrift; a sex pest with an ear fetish. Was he really all that awful?

And was he actually a transvestite?

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/universally-detested/

Key sources for this episode include Patricia Bonomi's The Lord Cornbury Scandal: The Politics of Reputation in British America; Alan Taylor's Writing Early American History; Charles Worthen Spencer's "The Cornbury Legend"; John Grant Wilson's The Memorial History of the City of New York from Its First Settlement to the Year 1892; and Shelley Ross's Fall from Grace: Sex, Scandal and Corruption in American Politics from 1702 to the Present.

Special thanks to the Initiates who contributed their voice talents to this episode: #2 Robert White, Richard Le Poidevin (of "The Curiosity of...?!"), #7, Dorothy White, Kristen Harkness, and Mary Anne White.

This week we're promoting our friends Imperfect Men, the show about the heroes, legends, and sometimes utter goobers who actually founded America. Join Steve and Cody every other week as they figure out who's a Founding Father and who's a Floundering Father. https://shows.acast.com/imperfect-men

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The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope is a secret society devoted to sharing strange stories and amazing facts. No topic is off limits -- if it's interesting or entertaining, we'll do an episode about it!