Jesse James

See also: James

Jesse Woodson James (Born with Kearney the September 5th 1847 - died with Saint-Joseph in the Missouri the April 3rd 1882) was famous a Hors-la-loi officiating in the the United States of second half of the XIXe century, leader of the Gang James-Younger.

Biography

Second wire of a Pasteur, Jesse is born close to Kansas City in Missouri. He has a brother, Frank James, more old man 4 year old and a 2 year old sister his junior. In 1848, his/her father leaves the family for the Californian but, but like much, he dies once arrived on the spot. His/her mother remarie in 1852 with a farmer from which it separates 3 years later, then once again with a doctor, Doctor Samuel. The children thus know a rather unstable family circle.

Jesse James and its brothers grow in a pro-slave family and having slaves. Their Zerelda mother in particular, strong and obstinate woman, raises her sons in the love of the South. She will always see in them not of the outlaws, but of the combatants of the Confédération. The first bloody combat on this topic take place on their premises, between the Kansas and the Missouri, in 1850. When starts the American Civil War, Frank engages at the side of the Southerners, and once returns at his place some gained combat. In 1863, it is then made stop by the Nordistes, but his/her mother obtains her release. With this occasion, their farm is ransacked and the Samuels father-in-law saved of accuracy by his wife whereas the federal ones had hung it. Jess is wildly beaten by the Northerners, which leads it to join Frank in the southern army, but he is considered to be too young (he is only 16 years old). He then takes in April 1864 in the band of William Quantrill and William " Bloody Bill" Anderson, the bushwhackers , guerilla loophole and brutal, whose crimes will prohibit with the Northerners the recognition of the statute of combatants. But this life stops with the capitulation of the South with Appomattox in April 1865.

The situation is very disturbed. Whereas it goes in a northerner camp to deposit the weapons, it is attacked and wounded in way. The family is expelled of Missouri for the Nebraska where she lives as small farmers and is involved in debt near the banks. Rancour with respect to these last leads the brothers to attack the local bank the February 13rd 1866: it is the first attack of bank in times of peace, and the robbers empochent 62.000 $. The October 30th of the same year, Jesse and Frank attack a new bank with Lexington. They benefit from surprised (they are the first attacks of banks) and from the bad organization of the police force.

During 15 years, they will live multiple attacks of banks and trains. They attack their first train on July 21st, 1873, their first diligence on January 15th, 1874. Their regularity very quickly makes them know because their flights and their murders are abundantly reported in the press. The politicians are divided, a majority thinks that these gangsters give bad reputation and slow down immigration, but others try a sociological explanation: they are “victims of the war”.

Thus in June 1870, the Kansas City Times and its editor John Newman Edwards, publishes a letter of Jesse James protesting of his innocence and affirming that old Confédérés as are to him the true victims in Missouri. But the violence of the increasing gang, it will lose all its supports with time.

From March 1874, Thomas T. Crittenden, governor of Missouri, wants to raise a troop to stop these fixed prices, but it does not obtain the agreement of the Congress of Missouri. It calls upon the private agency then Pinkerton which launches hunting to the James brothers.

April 24th, 1874, Jesse marries his/her cousin, Zerelda " Zee" Mimms, of which the first name comes from his/her own mother, Zerelda James. They will have a son, Jesse Edwards (1875), and a girl, Mary Susan (1879).

January 26th, 1875, Pinkerton have wind which the James are in visit with their farm. They decide to invest it of night and launch a bomb in the house. It explodes, tearing off an arm with their mother and killing their brother archie, a eight year old child. However, neither Frank, nor Jesse are present. This action without effectiveness causes the indignation of part of the public opinion. Some of the democratic elected officials start to require an amnesty, but these debates touch little the gangsters who continue their larcenies.

In 1876, their life is with revolving: September 7th, they are informed that a bank of the Minnesota to Northfield has important reserves and they prepare a great attack, associated with the Younger brothers. Forwarding is a total fiasco which signs the stop of their activities.

The James brothers then will settle in the Tennessee under names of loan, thinking of living their revenues and of finishing their lives like quiet farmers. But very quickly, Jesse goes up a band which foams the area until 1881 and they lose their anonymity quickly. In 1881, Jesse flees with Saint-Joseph at the edge of Missouri where it rents a house with his family. It is betrayed by members of its band, Charles and Robert Ford, avid from re-elected and the 10.000 $ of reward offered by the Crittenden governor: they assassinate Jesse in its house on April 3rd, 1882, at 35 years, whereas it vacuum-cleans a table.

Learning death from his/her brother, Frank hesitates some time then goes to the authorities. He is considered and discharged in August 1883.

Some films

Cartoons

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • |On the site '' Legends off America '', with photographs
  • |Site of the family James

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