Jesse James was a legend. Some say he was like Robin Hood; others say he was a bloodthirsty murderer; but that is just an opinion. Here are the facts

Jesse Woodson James was born in Kearney, Missouri, on September 5th, 1847. His father was Reverend Robert James, a Baptist Minister. His brother was Frank James.

Jesse and Frank were involved in the Civil War, and some people say it was the harsh treatment from Union soldiers that turned them to crime. They learnt to kill during the war while riding with William Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson.

When the war ended, Jesse was wounded while surrendering. Within a year Jesse and his brother had pulled off their first daylight bank robbery during peace time. They got $60,000 and one man died.

They kept at it, becoming outlaws and making themselves legends that were to live on in peoples minds for for more than a century after they died.

Jesse James married his first cousin, Zerelda, after courting her for nine years. She had the same name as his mother, and he called her Zee. They also had two children, Jesse Edwards and Mary.

The Pinkerton Detective Agency attempted to get them by throwing a fire bomb into their family house, a log cabin. It exploded and tore off his mothers hand and led to the death of his brother Archie.

Jesse's final battle was in September 8th, 1876, on the bank at Northfield, Minnesota. The entire town was firing on him, and everybody except him and his brother was killed, wounded, or captured.

Frank James also married, and the James brother's wives tried to persuade them to have a more normal life. So, with a $10,000 reward on his head, Jesse moved to St Joseph, Missouri with his family in 1881.

He took the name of Tom Howard, and did not work for a living.
 

During the winter of 1882, Jesse was short of cash. Because all his gang members were either dead or in prison, he hired new gang members. The $10,000 reward was still standing, so Bob and Charlie Ford pretended to be his cousins. Then, one day at his home, Jesse was shot from behind by Bob Ford as he straightened a picture. They were later charged with murder. They were sentenced to hang, but got a pardon. Charlie later committed suicide, and Bob was killed in a bar room brawl.

Jesse James is still one of the most well known Americans in the world.

This website was made by Simon Lamain. If you have any suggestions, you can email me at slamain@gmail.com

The information used in this site was from www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/history