Jesse James

[Borderruffian]

I don´t think Jesse was much of a writer. Other than the press releases the gang famously posted from time to time, I can´t think of anything substantial. The members of the family who lived a long time left a fair bit of remembrances behind, but, as much fun as they are to read, they are understandably biased. If Zerelda James left any writings, they would be interesting. Frank said that Jesse was really quite religous. I´ve always found that angle interesting and unexplored too.

Most of press releases were probably " polished" if not written by John Newman Edwards who often acted as the PR firm for the James -Younger gang.

 

[RedRover]

Hot off the presses...

Memphis Daily Appeal, 4-6-1882.

Galveston Weekly News, 4-20-1882.

The Comet, Jackson, Miss., 6-24-1882.

Galveston Weekly News, 12-27-1883.

Daily Picayune, New Orleans, 6-4-1882.

Daily Picayune, New Orleans, 6-8-1882. It seems interesting that Mrs. James was not the narrator of any of her husband's various activities, while an "enterprising" gentleman would provide a narration to that effect.

Mrs. James was supposedly engaged to be paid 200 per week for the tour...

Augusta Chronicle, GA, 6-9-1882.

Daily Picayune, 6-3-1882.

Daily Picayune, 6-9-1882.

The Ford Brothers also hit the road to appear on stage...

Augusta Chronicle, 12-31-1882.

Bossier Banner, Bossier, LA, 6-21-1883.

Chattanooga Daily Times, 12-6-1883.

Savannah Morning News, 3-5-1884.

Palatka Daily News, Palatka, FL, 6-12-1887.


In the 1890s, Jesse James jr. was arrested for suspicion of complicity in a train robbery, but was acquitted.

San Antonio Sunday Light, 2-19-1899.

Beaumont Journal, Beaumont, TX, 12-12-1921.

Jonesboro Daily Tribune, Jonesboro, AR, 8-25-1922.

 

[archieclement]

During my youth, I had kind of a soft spot for Jesse and thought of him as a Robin Hood-type character. A popular folk song about Jesse I remember as pretty easy to play on guitar -- I used to sing it sometimes with friends. The part I remember best is the refrain:

Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life.
Three children, they were brave.
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid Jesse James in his grave.

I know there are variations on these lyrics, but all of the versions present Jesse James as a hero and Robert Ford as a scheming coward.

ARB

Like the Boss's version, gets lively. One few songs I know with accordian solo, and surprisingly works. Liked even in Ireland.

 

[farrargirl]

@TallTallMan

We picked this up in Missouri. Sure, it's "ancient" ( 1955 ), but it's on the usual book sites for $10-15ish…

 

[Borderruffian]

Like the Boss's version, gets lively. One few songs I know with accordian solo, and surprisingly works. Liked even in Ireland.

Listen to some Acadian (Cajun) music like Joel Sonnier, or Doug Kershaw plenty of accordion solos in dat dere music I guaronteeee.

 

[A. Roy]

Like the Boss's version, gets lively. One few songs I know with accordian solo, and surprisingly works. Liked even in Ireland.

Still gets me a bit choked up, truth to tell. Nice horn section in that too.
AR

 

[Patrick H]

I stumbled (almost literally) across this grave while on a cemetery walk in Richmond, Missouri, several years ago. I had no idea he was buried there. I did not leave a coin, but many people obviously seek this grave out.

 

[Patrick H]

I stumbled (almost literally) across this grave while on a cemetery walk in Richmond, Missouri, several years ago. I had no idea he was buried there. I did not leave a coin, but many people obviously seek this grave out.View attachment 508559

 

[archieclement]

I stumbled (almost literally) across this grave while on a cemetery walk in Richmond, Missouri, several years ago. I had no idea he was buried there. I did not leave a coin, but many people obviously seek this grave out.View attachment 508559

The grave of the assassin that killed the dirty little coward assassin in also in Missouri.

Edward Capehart O'Kelley (1857-1904) - Find a...

Outlaw. The man who shot the man who killed Jesse James, Bob Ford. O'Kelley, or Red as he was known, had married a relative of the infamous Younger Brothers Gang. He became friends with outlaw Jessie James, another cousin by marriage. When James was murdered by Bob Ford in 1882, O'Kelley made...

www.findagrave.com

 

[Borderruffian]

I stumbled (almost literally) across this grave while on a cemetery walk in Richmond, Missouri, several years ago. I had no idea he was buried there. I did not leave a coin, but many people obviously seek this grave out.View attachment 508559

The Dirty Little Coward that Shoot Mister Howard.

 

[General Butler]

I am writing my own little history of the James-Younger Gang. My purpose is to analyze them from a larger perspective; that is, what was going on in Reconstruction and the West, and how did their robberies and crimes play into the larger picture? So; while the Sioux was on the warpath and there was a riot in Louisiana, Jesse James was robbing a train.

I mainly became interested when I found out there are not many histories of the gang AS A GANG. Most of them are individual biographies. This is their story within the context of an outlaw gang.

Anyway, are there any specific good sources for the James-Younger activities? When I look up books the majority seem pedestrian. Also suggest books on the CW and Reconstruction in Missouri, Kansas, etc...

Here's a supposed picture of them:

View attachment 508089

It is my understanding that their failed bank raid Northfield was to strike back at the banks direct connection to Union Generals Butler and his son in law Ames.
Butler looms large even after the war

 

[RedRover]

I am writing my own little history of the James-Younger Gang. My purpose is to analyze them from a larger perspective; that is, what was going on in Reconstruction and the West, and how did their robberies and crimes play into the larger picture? So; while the Sioux was on the warpath and there was a riot in Louisiana, Jesse James was robbing a train.

I mainly became interested when I found out there are not many histories of the gang AS A GANG. Most of them are individual biographies. This is their story within the context of an outlaw gang.

Anyway, are there any specific good sources for the James-Younger activities? When I look up books the majority seem pedestrian. Also suggest books on the CW and Reconstruction in Missouri, Kansas, etc...

Here's a supposed picture of them:

Frank James was tried for the Winston train robbery.

Archive.org, State Trials, Frank James, 1883.

Here is another copy on Google books, published as a "history of the James Gang."

Google Books: Trial of Frank James...

the testimony of Dick Liddill as witness for the prosecution gives the most information about the gang to date. Frank James was acquitted.

Cole Younger's auto-biography from 1903:

Archive.org: Cole Younger, by Himself...

Monk's history of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas:
Google Books, Monk, 1907.

Edwards' book, on "Noted Guerrillas" from 1877...
Google Books: Edwards, 1877, Noted Guerrillas...

History of Boone County... has some references to the James'
Google Books: History of Boone County

History of nearby Jackson County, Missouri, home of Cole Younger, etc.
Google Books, 1881 History of Jackson County, Missouri...

 

[archieclement]

It's all mostly speculation, they were convicted of nothing. Many robberies its not known conclusively they were even there, or if one assumes they were the composition of the "gang".

 

[RedRover]

It's all mostly speculation, they were convicted of nothing. Many robberies its not known conclusively they were even there, or if one assumes they were the composition of the "gang".

It would be handy if somebody simply researched and perhaps compiled a list of actual criminal indictments and/or wanted-reward declarations for the James' and Youngers, and likely associates, from various States.

So much speculation, even in the papers. The following from the Missouri Daily Republican, of 9-27-1876 gives their Status in Missouri before the close of 1876.

 

[SgtDarby8OVI]

Given the energy of this discussion, folks might want to check out the excellent scholarly study on the topic shown below. It traces the origins of the myths and legends surrounding some of these guys (including the James brothers), and makes some interesting points about how memories are constructed and maintained over time.

 

[archieclement]

It would be handy if somebody simply researched and perhaps compiled a list of actual criminal indictments and/or wanted-reward declarations for the James' and Youngers, and likely associates, from various States.

So much speculation, even in the papers. The following from the Missouri Daily Republican, of 9-27-1876 gives their Status in Missouri before the close of 1876.

View attachment 509333

Kind of scary dead or alive rewards were offered when no convictions had been made, or even identity of outlaws conclusively established.

 

[Patrick H]

@red Rover offers some good reference reading in post #152. I would add John McCorkle's Three Years With Quantrill to the list. He offers some interesting insight into the character of Frank James. In all of these sources, you should remember to take things with a grain of salt.

For instance, Cole Younger asserts that the reason Frank and Jesse were not caught at Northfield is because they were never there to begin with. He was Frank's best friend, but he states that he could never be involved in anything having to do with Jesse. ...But this is Cole Younger writing about his best friend. Is he telling us the truth, or covering for Frank? We will never know.

McCorkle's memoir was dictated to a writer when he was in advanced old age. Are his timelines correct? Some of them are not. But this mostly deals with the Civil War and not the outlaw days, so timelines are not such a big deal.

Edwards writings are very flowery and you can count on him to glorify all the guerrillas. He's entertaining, for sure. I'm sure there's an element of truth in all of it, but they weren't all white knights.

My own insight is something I have written about previously, but I've never seen anywhere else: What if other outlaws tried to pin robberies and murders on Frank and Jesse? Think about it. The James brothers have become infamous due to Jesse's penchant for self promotion. They are feared and they are notorious. How many common little hoodlums walked up to bank tellers or express agents with their faces covered and yelled "This is the James Gang! Give us your money or we'll kill you!?" I am confident that it happened more than once, and thus other robberies got pinned on the wrong outlaws.

 

[Borderruffian]

@red Rover offers some good reference reading in post #152. I would add John McCorkle's Three Years With Quantrill to the list. He offers some interesting insight into the character of Frank James. In all of these sources, you should remember to take things with a grain of salt.

For instance, Cole Younger asserts that the reason Frank and Jesse were not caught at Northfield is because they were never there to begin with. He was Frank's best friend, but he states that he could never be involved in anything having to do with Jesse. ...But this is Cole Younger writing about his best friend. Is he telling us the truth, or covering for Frank? We will never know.

McCorkle's memoir was dictated to a writer when he was in advanced old age. Are his timelines correct? Some of them are not. But this mostly deals with the Civil War and not the outlaw days, so timelines are not such a big deal.

Edwards writings are very flowery and you can count on him to glorify all the guerrillas. He's entertaining, for sure. I'm sure there's an element of truth in all of it, but they weren't all white knights.

My own insight is something I have written about previously, but I've never seen anywhere else: What if other outlaws tried to pin robberies and murders on Frank and Jesse? Think about it. The James brothers have become infamous due to Jesse's penchant for self promotion. They are feared and they are notorious. How many common little hoodlums walked up to bank tellers or express agents with their faces covered and yelled "This is the James Gang! Give us your money or we'll kill you!?" I am confident that it happened more than once, and thus other robberies got pinned on the wrong outlaws.

I think you make excellent point about other outlaws passing themselves off as Jesse and the James Gang. I have a friend whose family states for fact that a family member was killed by Jesse James in Taney County in 1864 when he was in East Central Missouri with Anderson at Little place called Centralia. But this being Missouri a lot of folks want some kind of connection to Jesse and always have. Reckon that's part of his continuing "Folk Hero" status.

 

[iac249]

He certainly was at the time. He was rather a hero to the democrat majority of the state. It speaks as much to how poorly the Republican minority was viewed, and the lengths they had gone to try to remain in power. (Drake Constitution). As well he had a good press man

Then Pinkertons cemented the myth by killing Archie and maiming his mom.

Union Major General Francis Blair correctly pointed out he couldn't even vote if Drake was actually impartially applied..........Abraham Lincoln couldn't have voted if a Missouri resident, how ridiculous it was.

Last time I visited Jesse's grave, I found it decorated with fresh flowers, and visitors have been leaving him pistol cartridges on his tombstone.

 

[archieclement]

I think you make excellent point about other outlaws passing themselves off as Jesse and the James Gang. I have a friend whose family states for fact that a family member was killed by Jesse James in Taney County in 1864 when he was in East Central Missouri with Anderson at Little place called Centralia. But this being Missouri a lot of folks want some kind of connection to Jesse and always have. Reckon that's part of his continuing "Folk Hero" status.

It's always been kind of a running joke there isn't a period hotel or cave that supposedly Jesse James wasn't in, such is the desire of a JJ association.