History and Major Facts about Jesse James, the Infamous Outlaw of the Late 19th Century
Jesse James, an infamous outlaw of the late 19th century, left an indelible mark on American history and folklore. Born on September 5, , in Clay County, Missouri, he became a central figure in the tumultuous post-Civil War era. His life, marked by violence, crime, and a Robin Hood-like image, has been the subject of numerous books, movies, and songs.
An artistic depiction of Jesse James.
In the article below, WHE explores the life of Jesse James, including his early life, Civil War involvement, outlaw activities, notorious robberies, public image, assassination, and enduring legacy.
Early Life
Jesse Woodson James was born into a Southern family at a time of heightened tensions leading up to the Civil War. His family, like many in Missouri, supported the Confederate cause. His older brother, Frank James, would go on to fight for the Confederate army. The James family experienced the harsh realities of war, enduring both personal and financial hardships.
Jesse James, in his mid-twenties, along with his brother Frank.
Civil War Involvement
The Civil War further shaped Jesse J
Jesse James
Introduction
Jesse James was a Confederate soldier in the American Civil War who would later go on to become an infamous outlaw, bushwhacker, and bandit gang-leader across the southern United States.
He became a symbol of the deep, violent divides between the American people in the post-war period.
Early Life
Jesse Woodson James was born to Robert James and Zerelda Samuel on September 5, in Clay County, Missouri. The area was much more southern-influenced than surrounding parts of Missouri, leading to the region being nicknamed ‘Little Dixie’.
Growing up in this area, Jesse James witnessed the years of violence that erupted between pro- and anti-slavery groups along the border following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in When this period known as ‘Bleeding Kansas’ finally came to an end, it was only because of the onset of the Civil War.
Life during American Civil War
When the war came to Missouri in , the slave-owning James-Samuel family readily sided with the Confederacy. By the time he was 16 years of age, Jesse James and his older brother Frank had joined up with several groups of secessionist guerrilla fighters known as ‘bushwhackers’.
As
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Biography: Jesse James
A teenager when he rode off to join Confederate guerrillas in , Jesse James never really stopped fighting the Civil War. Unable to accept the defeat of the secessionist cause, Jesse trained his fury on banks, trains and stagecoaches. He fancied himself a modern Robin Hood, robbing from Radical Republicans and giving to the poor. But the myth hid the darker reality of a repeat murderer whose need for attention kept him committing crimes long after the cause he championed was gone.
Slave-Owning Family
Jesse was born in Clay County, Missouri, on September 5, , to Zerelda and Robert James, hemp farmers who owned six slaves. When the Civil War came, young Jesse watched his older brother Frank march off to fight for the rebellion — and likely chafed that he himself was too young to go.
Confederate Fighters
Frank's activities with a band of pro-Confederate guerrillas brought the wrath of Union militiamen to the James family. Jesse was roughed up and his stepfather tortured for information. This may have been the spark that set off Jesse's flame.
Spartacus Educational
Primary Sources
(1) Robert Ford described to Governor Thomas Crittenden how he had killed Jessie James (April, )
On the morning of April 3, Jess and I went downtown, as usual, before breakfast, for the papers. We got to the house about eight o'clock and sat down in the front room. Jess was sitting with his back to me, reading the St. Louis Republican. I picked up the Times, and the first thing I saw in big headlines was the story about Dick Liddil's surrender. Just then Mrs. James came in and said breakfast was ready. Beside me was a chair with a shawl on it, and as quick as a flash I lifted it and shoved the paper under. Jess couldn't have seen me, but he got up, walked over to the chair, picked up the shawl and threw it on the bed, and taking the paper, went out to the kitchen. I felt that the jig was up, but I followed and sat down at the table opposite Jess.
Mrs. James poured out the coffee and then sat down at one end of the table. Jesse spread the paper on the table in front of him and began to look over the headlines. All at once Jess said: "Hello, here. The surrender of Dick Liddil." And he looked across at me with a glare i
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