Jesse James was one of the most notorious outlaws in the American West, robbing trains and leading the James-Younger Gang.[1]
Jesse Woodson James was born September 5th, 1847 in Kearney, Clay, Missouri, United States to Rev. Robert Sallee James, a Baptist minister, and Zerelda Cole. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] Jesse was only three when his father died while on a trip to gold fields in California. Jesse's mother remarried twice. As a young man, Jesse was known to be a kind, religious fellow.[2]
Jesse Woodson James married Zerelda Amanda Mimms, a cousin, April 24, 1874 in Kearney, Clay, Missouri.[13][14][13] Jesse's surviving children with Zerelda were Jesse Edward James and Mary Susan James.[13] They also had twins who died in infancy, Gould and Montgomery.[15] Zee, as Zerelda was sometimes referred to, also miscarried one child.[15] Jesse may have been married to a Sioux woman before Zerelda and had a son with her. There has been no definite evidence to back up the family's claims, though.[16]
Jesse served in Captain William Quantrill's Partisan Rangers under Lieutenant "Bloody Bill" Anderson and Lieutenant Archie Clement after the Centralia Massacre, from 1864-5. He was wounded during the surrender at end of the US Civil War.[17][7] He and his brother Frank were part of a group called "bushwhackers", Confederate guerillas in the states of Missouri and Kansas during the US Civil War.[1] Jesse was known as being the "keenest and cleanest" fighter in Anderson's group.[2]
Following the war, the James brothers started their spree of robberies, hitting up banks, stagecoaches, and trains across the Midwestern states.[1] Their crimes were especially brutal and gained them notoriety across the country.[1] Despite a large portion of their gang being captured during a robbery in Minnesota, the James brothers continued to find new members. They experienced increased trouble, though, as law enforcement cranked up their efforts to capture the group.[1] The brothers moved their families to Tennessee for a time, Frank James living under the name Woodson and Jesse under the name of Howard.[18]
A collection of his known exploits:
Jesse James was killed by Robert Ford April 3rd, 1882 at 1318 Lafayette in St Joseph, Buchanan, Missouri.[1][12][19][20][13] Ford and his brother Charley were new recruits to the gang who arranged to use their status within the gang to apprehend Jesse and gather the reward money, as part of an agreement with the local sheriff.[1][13] Governor Thomas Crittenden had offered $10,000 for the capture of Jesse, dead or alive. Jesse was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Kearney, Clay, Missouri.[19] The epitaph on Jesse's headstone in the family cemetery reads that Jesse was "Murdered by a traitor and a coward whose name is not worthy to appear here."[2]
Some people believe Jesse James faked his death.[21][22] Jesse's fame in life became only larger once he died, making him a legendary Wild West figure who was portrayed in stories and entertainment the world round.[1]
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"in 1983, a granite stone was placed on Dalton’s gravesite in Granbury, Texas, which reads:
Jesse Woodson James Sept. 5, 1847 Aug. 15, 1951 Supposedly killed in 1882."
The interview with Mrs Ola Everhard is very interesting. Her mother and, I believe, it was his mother were cousins. Mrs. Everhard is 3rd cousins to Jesse Woodson James.
I checked out the Younger Brothers Cole and Bob they are my 6th cousins 6x removed
Mrs. Hayes once remarked that in her 102 years she had seen the best part of this country and also the worst. She knew Jesse James and remembered when she was a girl that he pulled her up behind him on his saddle horse. …
1) The house in St. Joe in which Jesse James lived and was killed was exhibited to thousands of the curious public, on Sunday, at 10 cents a head. 2) The household goods of Jesse James were sold at auction on Monday afternoon. The chair he stood on when shot sold for $5, knives and forks sold at $1 each, an old wash-basin $4.50, wash-stand $11, feather duster $5, old satchel $21, pair old mitts $2, and other items at similar prices.
Looking through my family tree on Ancestry.com I see he's on my Mother's side of the family.
Holland > Morgan > Osborn > Copeland > Osborne >Hash > Field > James
The first surname "James" that comes into my family tree shows as followed:
Mary James > George James > Joseph James > William James > John James > Robert James > Jesse James.
About 10 years ago I was talking to my grandmother (father's side) and great grandmother. While talking to them, they told me that my family were distant cousins of Frank and Jesse James. I don't remember for sure, but my grandmother might have a list of people in our family tree that will show exactly how we are related. I will try to ask her about it in the near future.
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Montors Help Page: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Mentors
Stone AC, Starrs JE, Stoneking M. "Mitochondrial DNA analysis of the presumptive remains of Jesse James". J Forensic Sci. 2001 Jan;46(1):173-6. PMID: 11210907.
The famous song "Jesse James", was composed by one of his former slaves about his exploits and assassination.
Jesse is 19 degrees from Emeril Lagasse, 22 degrees from Nigella Lawson, 22 degrees from Maggie Beer, 44 degrees from Mary Hunnings, 26 degrees from Joop Braakhekke, 30 degrees from Michael Chow, 17 degrees from Ree Drummond, 24 degrees from Paul Hollywood, 22 degrees from Matty Matheson, 23 degrees from Martha Stewart, 28 degrees from Danny Trejo and 28 degrees from Molly Yeh on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
J > James > Jesse Woodson James
Categories: Quantrill's Company, Missouri (Confederate), United States Civil War | Train Robbers | Assassinations | American Outlaws | Mount Olivet Cemetery, Kearney, Missouri | Example Profiles of the Week | Missouri, Notables | Featured Connections Archive 2023 | Notables