Jesse James
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Jesse Woodson James (1847 - 1882)

Jesse Woodson "J.D." James aka Howard
Born in Kearney, Clay, Missouri, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
Brother of , , , , [half], [half] and [half]
Husband of — married 24 Apr 1874 in Kearney, Clay, Missouri, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , and
Died at age 34 in St Joseph, Buchanan, Missouri, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 22 Apr 2011
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Biography

Notables Project
Jesse James is Notable.

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:

  • 14 Feb1866 Clay Co Savings Bank: $60,000.00
  • Oct 1866 Alexander Mitchell Bank
  • March 1867 McLain Banking House
  • 4 Mar 1867 Richmond, MO: $4,000.00
  • 1868 Southern Banking Co, Russellville, Logan Co KY (his father's home) $14,000.00
  • 1868 Daviess Co Savings Bank: $7,000.00
  • 1868 Missouri State General Bank
  • 3 June 1871 Corydon, Wayne Co Iowa
  • 21 July 1873 Pacific Express train: $2,000.00
  • 31 Jan 1874 Iron Mountain Express train: $10,000.00 from passengers.
  • 1874 Texas stage coach
  • 1874 Kansas Bank
  • 1874 Tishimingo Brothers Bank, Corinth MS
  • 6 Sep 1876 Northfield, Minnesota: 1st National Bank. Almost died, the Younger brothers caught and prisoned.
  • Oct 1879 Chicago and Alton Train: $40,000.00
  • Sept 1880 Wells Fargo Stage in Mammoth Cave, KY: $11,400.00
  • 1880 Muscle Shoals Alabama: Paymasters office: $3,000.00
  • 1880 Sexton Bank, Riverton, Iowa: $5,000.00
  • 17 Jul 1881
  • 1881 Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad: $500.00
  • 1881 Chicago and Alton Rail Road: $1,500.00

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]

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Jesse James on Wikipedia.org
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 JESSE AND FRANK JAMES, Reprinted from Dorsey Dreams The Dorsey Family Newsletter, January - March 1984, Vol. II, No. 2, Page 70 - 74, Lois Colette Dorsey Bennington, editor
  3. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDZ7-1JK : 12 April 2016), Jesse R James in household of Robert James, Platte, Clay, Missouri, United States; citing family 732, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). Year: 1850; Census Place: Platte, Clay, Missouri; Roll: M432_396; Page: 351B
  4. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH8S-K3G : 14 December 2017), Jesse W James in entry for Reuben Samuel, 1860. Year: 1860; Census Place: Washington, Clay, Missouri; Roll: ; Page: 969; Image: 425. Note: Note: Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1848 Birth place: Missouri Residence date: 1860 Residence place: Washington, Clay, Missouri, United States
  5. ↑ Burlington Weekly Hawkeye, The (Burlington, Iowa) Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Note: Note: APID: 1,6738::462701579
  6. ↑ Daily Miner, The (Butte, Montana) Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. Note: First ArticleNote: APID: 1,6661::463240193; Second ArticleNote: APID: 1,6661::462562308
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 National Archives and Records Administration. U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 - 2007; Record Group Number: 15; Series Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; Series Number: T288 Ancestry Record 4654 #1027825
  8. ↑ Dalby, John. Minnesota Newspaper Headline Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Ancestry Record 3786 #19193
  9. ↑ American Civil War Soldiers Author: Historical Data Systems, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.
  10. ↑ Historical Data Systems, comp. U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Ancestry Record 1555 #2435842
  11. ↑ National Park Service. U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Ancestry Record 1138 #1056583
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Ancestry.com. Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Ancestry Record 1028 #421535
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 "Jesse James is Dead", County paper Friday, Dec 29, 1882 Oregon, MO Vol: 18 Page: 6
  14. ↑ "Utah, Obituaries from Utah Newspapers, 1850-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVSF-Y9CV : 17 March 2018), Jesse James in entry for Mrs Zeralda Mimms James, 14 Nov 1900; citing Salt Lake Herald 7, The University of Utah. J. Willard Marriott Library, Salt Lake City.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Official James Family Genealogy, ericjames.org
  16. ↑ Genealogy Forum post discussing what sources are available to support the theory about Jesse and Frank's possible Sioux families
  17. ↑ Cited in the family tree "JUSTIN CLAN COLONIAL AMERICA to MICHIGAN" created by "RogueSailor" Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/9395574/person/6010976123 Note: Data: Text: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/31373338/family
  18. ↑ "Frank James", Butler weekly times Wednesday, Aug 29, 1883 Butler, MO Vol: 5 Page: 5
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 01 April 2019), memorial page for Jesse James (5 Sep 1847–3 Apr 1882), Find A Grave: Memorial #539, citing Mount Olivet Cemetery, Kearney, Clay County, Missouri, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
  20. ↑ Weant, Kenneth. Missouri, Newspaper Death Index, 1822-1994 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997-1998. Ancestry Record 3074 #21372
  21. ↑ 1930 United States Federal Census Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. Page: Year: 1930; Census Place: Liberty, Clay, Missouri; Roll: 1183; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 20; Image: 467.0. Note: Note: Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1844 Birth place: Missouri Residence date: 1930 Residence place: Liberty, Clay, Missouri APID: 1,6224::6432270
  22. ↑ 1920 United States Federal Census Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census Page: Year: 1920; Census Place: Higginsville, Lafayette, Missouri; Roll: T625_931; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 107; Image: . Note: Note: Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1856 Birth place: Missouri Residence date: 1920 Residence place: Higginsville, Lafayette, Missouri APID: 1,6061::65811148

See Also :





Memories: 8
Enter a personal reminiscence or story.
Laura Remy
Written by Audrey Hoyle, daughter of Sie Moore, Granddaughter of William Richard Moore, great-granddaughter of Lynch and Rebecca Moore: "My dad (Sie Moore) has said the James boys were trying to stay at home with their mother and farm. Neighbors and others would come to his place and question them and would tie them to the plow and whip them trying to make them tell where their father was. He was fighting in the Civil War. They were forced to leave home and Sie's grandmother Rebecca had fed the boys many times when they were on the run."
posted 6 Jul 2022 by Laura Remy   [thank Laura]
Marsha (Cramer) Baker
https://chatnewstoday.ca/2021/09/02/the-texas-sized-legacy-of-americas-most-famous-bandit-jesse-james/


"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.

https://youtu.be/Kv_ZtOMAepk

posted 12 Apr 2022 by Marsha (Cramer) Baker   [thank Marsha]
Nancy Hall
My father told me that Jesse James was related to him, Thanks to wikitree I am 6th cousins 3x removed from Jesse James ,

I checked out the Younger Brothers Cole and Bob they are my 6th cousins 6x removed

posted 11 Jan 2022 by Nancy Hall   [thank Nancy]
Cathryn (Hallett) Hondros
From the FindAGrave entry of Adalaid Ida Davis Hayes …

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. …

posted 18 Sep 2021 by Cathryn (Hallett) Hondros   [thank Cathryn]
Joyce Vander Bogart
From the Calloway Gazette, 14 April 1882 (11 days after Jesse's death), 2 articles

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.

posted 15 Aug 2021 by Joyce Vander Bogart   [thank Joyce]
Jennifer Holland
I was notified by Wiki that Jesse is my (2nd cousin 2x removed of husband of 1st cousin 8x removed).

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.

posted 8 Apr 2019 by Jennifer Holland   [thank Jennifer]
Karen Parker
I have a 2 great uncle, Adam Stump Yoakum, who moved from West Virginia to Fannin Co., Texas. There is a story told in my family that Jesse James visited Adam at one time in Texas and carved his initials in the wood fireplace surround. I understand the home burned in the 1970s so there is no proof of this anymore.
posted 3 Apr 2019 by Karen Parker   [thank Karen]
Abby (Brown) Glann
Side note by Kay-Lynne North:

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.

posted 1 Apr 2019 by Abby (Brown) Glann   [thank Abby]
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Jesse by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. Y-chromosome DNA test-takers in his direct paternal line on WikiTree: It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Jesse:

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Images: 5
Jesse Woodson James while fighting with Quantrill's raiders
Jesse Woodson James while fighting with Quantrill's raiders
Jesse Woodson James
Jesse Woodson James
Jesse James
Jesse James
Jesse James, half-length portrait
Jesse James, half-length portrait
Jesse James
Jesse James


Comments: 15

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Megan Karchner
Just got my grandmother's Mtdna results back. Says we are blood related to Jesse James. Trying to find the links to this proof through trees. If anyone has insight please let me know. I have been searching wikitree/myftdna/familysearch.org and googling Jesse James' family trees. Please contact me asap, Thanks!
posted by Megan Karchner
Randall-8561 David Randall
Megan, I don't think WikiTree is going to be much help to you until you get your own family tree up and connected to the Big WikiTree. If you are not familiar with how to do this, let me direct you to the Help Page for the Montor's Project. They can assign you to a mentor who will help you get your own tree connected and perhaps figure out how you and Jessee James are connected.

Montors Help Page: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Mentors

posted by David Randall
Francesco Gabrielli
Could someone please check this?

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.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11210907/

posted by Francesco Gabrielli
Overly-217 Christopher (Overly) Overly-McDowell
I believe the person who wrote the article got the location of the relocated grave wrong. There is a Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Kearney, MO where he is said to be buried. However, I was unable to locate a Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Kearney, NE.
posted by Christopher (Overly) Overly-McDowell
Dan Sparkman
As a serving member of Quantrill's Raiders, Jesse James deserves a Confederate Army icon for his service. There is reason to believe that he never stopped being a Confederate soldier, rather than being an outlaw.

The famous song "Jesse James", was composed by one of his former slaves about his exploits and assassination.

posted by Dan Sparkman
Hockenberry-57 Angela Hockenberry
Jesse James MTDNA mitosearch ID is EEYCU
posted by Angela Hockenberry

Rejected matches › Jesse Kersey James (1849-1931)

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