Frank James (center) attending a Quantrill Reunion

CSA Today

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Honored Fallen Comrade
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Location
Laurinburg NC
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That's an excellent picture of Frank and it's one I have never before seen. Do you happen to know the identities of the other people? Possibly Frank's hosts for the event. I suspect the gent on the left is another Q-man. Regardless, I'd like to know.

Frank came to my town a number of times--probably once as a combatant during Price's expedition of 1864. There are some interesting stories about him in relation to Boonville. He came here once to stand trial for some post-war deed. He was jailed, but was so popular among locals that his bail was raised within an hour or so and he was put up at the City Hotel (which still exists as a private residence). Eventually, charges were dropped. The prosecutor couldn't find anyone to testify against him. Another time, he and Cole Younger came to town with Cole's Wild West Show. They were driven in a carriage to one of the banks so they could exchange some money for lower denomination bills. They sat outside the bank and Frank pointed out a problem by saying: "Cole Younger and Frank James can't walk into a bank together..."
Finally, the driver went in and exchanged their bills for them.
 
In the Truman Library photo, Frank is seated in the front row next to the little boy. I believe the man directly behind the framed Quantrill photo is John McCorckle (at least I have seen him identified that way on other sites). And I believe the tall man in the light suit, third from left on back row, is Jesse James Junior, who attended at least one reunion as a guest.
 
That's an excellent picture of Frank and it's one I have never before seen. Do you happen to know the identities of the other people? Possibly Frank's hosts for the event. I suspect the gent on the left is another Q-man. Regardless, I'd like to know.

Frank came to my town a number of times--probably once as a combatant during Price's expedition of 1864. There are some interesting stories about him in relation to Boonville. He came here once to stand trial for some post-war deed. He was jailed, but was so popular among locals that his bail was raised within an hour or so and he was put up at the City Hotel (which still exists as a private residence). Eventually, charges were dropped. The prosecutor couldn't find anyone to testify against him. Another time, he and Cole Younger came to town with Cole's Wild West Show. They were driven in a carriage to one of the banks so they could exchange some money for lower denomination bills. They sat outside the bank and Frank pointed out a problem by saying: "Cole Younger and Frank James can't walk into a bank together..."
Finally, the driver went in and exchanged their bills for them.
I don't recognize them-- shame they weren't identified.
 
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I believe the two people next to Frank James in the photo posted above are John Poole and wife . John and his brother Francis "Dave" Poole fought with Frank James during the Civil War. Frank was probably visiting them in Texas.

The photo attached shows Frank James at his Farm in 1904 probably in Okla . The date on front is incorrect. The reverse side of this picture has the 1904 date in Anna James' handwriting. This picture belonged to Frank and Anna James and is now in my collection
 
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View attachment 162084 I believe the two people next to Frank James in the photo posted above are John Poole and wife . John and his brother Francis "Dave" Poole fought with Frank James during the Civil War. Frank was probably visiting them in Texas.

The photo attached shows Frank James at his Farm in 1904 probably in Okla . The date on front is incorrect. The reverse side of this picture has the 1904 date in Anna James' handwriting. This picture belonged to Frank and Anna James and is now in my collection
I like the photo but I'm glad you explained the incorrect date, because I'd have argued that. I've seen a picture of Frank at that age and his hair and beard were snow white by then. This is a nice photo. And it's totally staged by the photographer, but who cares? Imagine Frank or any other farmer dressing in a suit and tie to go feed corn to the chickens!
 
I wonder if the man to the left of Frank James could be Charles "Fletch" Taylor as he lost an arm in the war, although I've read that he lost his right arm, and the man in the picture has clearly lost his left arm. "Fletch" Taylor lived to 1912 and by then had become a very wealthy man.

After the war, when Quantrill's men began to have reunions, they had many of them on a farm that they used during the war, and it was hosted by the daughter of the farmer, (I'm sorry but at the present I can't recall the farmer or his daughters name). I wonder if the woman in the picture is that daughter?
 
Wouldn't that be a Quantrill Memorial seeing as how the central figure didn't survive the rebellion?
No that would a reunion of WCQ's "Boys". Yeah WCQ was killed east of the big ditch after the war, so technically he did survive the "rebellion"....but don't get over excited weren't no Jayhawker and it weren't no Red Leg what killed him it were some feller from Kaintuck what shot him.
 
I wonder if the man to the left of Frank James could be Charles "Fletch" Taylor as he lost an arm in the war, although I've read that he lost his right arm, and the man in the picture has clearly lost his left arm. "Fletch" Taylor lived to 1912 and by then had become a very wealthy man.

After the war, when Quantrill's men began to have reunions, they had many of them on a farm that they used during the war, and it was hosted by the daughter of the farmer, (I'm sorry but at the present I can't recall the farmer or his daughters name). I wonder if the woman in the picture is that daughter?
Booner, that's a great hunch. I did a little digging into it. Taylor was wounded in his LEFT arm in 1864, and it was subsequently amputated. I think this must be Fletch Taylor. He was also one of the men who scouted Lawrence. I don't know about the woman in the photo. She could be associated with the reunion location or she could be the wife of one of the attendees.

http://www.rulen.com/partisan/taylor.htm
 
In my post #5, made a few years ago, I incorrectly said that Frank was jailed in Boonville for a short time until his bond was raised by some locals. That is what the conventional histories and local lore always said. It turns out, that is nearly correct, but not completely accurate. Frank and his wife were guests in the parlor of the Sheriff's residence while his bond was being raised. He and Mrs. James received nearly 1,000 well wishers during their short stay in the parlor.

There is a current exhibit about Frank James at the old jail in Boonville. It deals with his "detention" and trial in Boonville. It features copies of newspaper articles of the day and also a photo copy of the original bond (still with a Boonville collector). Frank stayed at the City Hotel during his trial. Actually, the phases were very brief. The prosecutor was unable to produce a single witness to testify against Frank, so the judge let Frank go home on his own honor while the prosecutor worked on the case. Each time a new court date was set, Frank would board the train and show up on time. The prosecutor would again be unable to produce a hostile witness. Finally, after about a year of this, the judge threw the case out.
 
C-Span Video:

Frank and Jesse James ----James P. Muehlberger talked about the 1869 killing of a bank cashier in Gallatin, Missouri that has long been considered the first in a long line of robberies by Jesse and Frank James. In his book, The Lost Cause: The Trials of Frank and Jesse James, Muehlberger argues that it wasn’t a robbery attempt at all; rather, it was a carefully planned execution meant to avenge the death of Confederate guerilla leader Bill Anderson during the Civil War. He spoke at the Kansas City Public Library.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?314282-1/frank-jesse-james
 
C-Span Video:

Frank and Jesse James ----James P. Muehlberger talked about the 1869 killing of a bank cashier in Gallatin, Missouri that has long been considered the first in a long line of robberies by Jesse and Frank James. In his book, The Lost Cause: The Trials of Frank and Jesse James, Muehlberger argues that it wasn’t a robbery attempt at all; rather, it was a carefully planned execution meant to avenge the death of Confederate guerilla leader Bill Anderson during the Civil War. He spoke at the Kansas City Public Library.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?314282-1/frank-jesse-james

thanks for posting the link--very interesting!
 
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