John Clary was expelled for fornicating with his stepdaughter.

A Quaker from Virginia, he moved to Perquimans County in 1776 and became proprietor of a toll float bridge across the river—a position that made him locally important.

His second wife was a widower three times over and had a daughter, Leah Toms, according to William S. Powell's "The Dictionary of North Carolina Biography."

In 1808, Clary was convicted of fornication with his stepdaughter and fined, but he was elected to the House of Commons in 1809 nonetheless. Not everyone was happy, though:

His reception in the legislature was cool, and following the introduction of a resolution proposed that the house "free itself from the contamination of grossly impure and unworthy characters," Clary resigned and went home to vindicate himself.

In December, Clary was re-elected by an even larger margin and returned to the House triumphantly. It was a short-lived win.

More after the jump.

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Scott Mooneyham has dug up the goods on the 11 legislators who have been expelled.

The syndicated political columnist writes that Josiah Turner Jr. was supposed to be censured for calling other legislators names, but he got upset listening to the public scolding, let out a few more choice words and left the chamber. That's when he was expelled.

But Mooneyham writes that Turner was not the only one kicked out for unusual reasons.

Among the others kicked out between 1757 and 1880:

* 1809: John Clary of Perquimans County, for having an affair with his stepdaughter.

* 1835: Robert Potter of Granville County, for brandishing a gun and knife during a fight over a card game.

* 1875: J. Williams Thorne, for publishing a pamphlet that questioned the Bible.

For a complete list, click here.