Jesse Woodson James

Jesse Woodson James was born in Kearney, Missouri September 5, 1847. His parents are Rev. Robert James and Zerelda James. This little farm boy would become one of the most well known Americans in the world.

Jesse, one of the most famous outlaws of all times, grew up on a farm most all his child hood life. As a child on the farm he learned how to ride horses and shoot guns. At the age of four Jesse's father had left. By the time he was eight his mother had already been remarried two times. Perhaps, his family problems are what made Jesse the famous outlaw that he was.

Frank James, Jesse's brother, joined the confederate army in 1861. Jesse wanted to join to fight for the rebel cause but Quantrill would'nt let him fight until 1863. This is when "Bloody" Bill Anderson took him and tought him the ways of the confederate army. The time Jesse was in the army he acquired

the name Dingus. He was part of the Centralia Massacre in 1864. Towards the ending ofd the Civil War, Jesse was wounded in the battle. He had taken a bullet through the lungs. From then on his cousin helped him gain back his health.

In 1866, Jesse's gang committed their first heist in Liberty, Missouri. For the gang's first robbery the notorious Jesse James was not present. Late October, Jesse joined the members of his gang. In March of 1867, they started their robbing banks and trains together. Two months after their failed attempt at robbing a bank in Savannah, a man and his 15 year old son were found dead. They assume Jesse was the cause of these murders. After Jesse pulled off robberies he went and hid out at his mothers home in Missouri. He felt safe being at home with his mother whom which he was close to.

During a train robbery in July 1873, Jesse killed the engineer of the Chicago and Rock Island express near Adair, Iowa. The gang stole away with $2,000 worth of money from the safe and the valuables of the passengers on board of the train. Following the train robbery, the detectives were on the trail of the James brothers. While in pursuit, detective J.W. Whicher was assumingly killed by the two brothers.

The James brother's formed a gang with the Younger brother's. The gang robbed the Iron Mountain Railroad train in Wayne County, Missouri. While hiding in Roscoe, Missouri, the detectives caught John and Jim Younger. During the gun fight that in which they were obtained, John was shot in the neck and killed by Captain Louis J. Lull of the Pinkertons detective agency. This happened on March 17, 1874.

January 25, 1875, detectives sought out the home of Jesse's mother. They threw an explosive device in the window which caused her to lose her arm and also killed Jesse's nine year old half-brother Archie. The outlaws, once again, got away from the detectives.

Three months after the incident, Jesse married hos cousin Zerelda. She had saved her self just for Jesse, eventhough, she knew he was an outlaw. Together, they had two children Mary and Jesse James. Around the same