Historical Study: The Outlaw Jesse James

I'm finding there were many iconic characters and personalities in regards to the Old West. Not so much political or military leaders yet rather iconic free-riders who paved the way for order in the chaotic west. These personalities lived outside the law, taking matters into their own hands in what was a very unsettled territory. They included famous names such as Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Calamity Jane, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Wild Bill Hickok. As well as many gangs and outlaws such as Ike Clayton, Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and Robert Ford. Many of these names have become the stuff of folk legend today included in countless movies, songs, and stories. For now I would like to focus on the infamous outlaw Jesse James. 

I think I first became familiar with the life of Jesse James from the 2007 film, The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford. Despite it's unusually long title, the movie was a great period piece set in the 1880s pertaining to the later years and death of Jesse James. Brad Pitt portrayed the iconic gang leader as rather subdued and at the twilight of his long years as an outlaw. Casey Affleck portrayed the cowardly character of Robert Ford, who was obsessed with Jesse James and seeking for his own glory. Robert Ford achieves his goal of becoming famous as the man who killed Jesse James, however his reputation is quickly tarnished for the betrayal of his fellow gang member. Robert Ford is killed 10 years later, in a similar act of cold blood by a person seeking fame by killing a famous outlaw. 

As good and detailed as the film was however it only focused on the final years of Jesse James. What I would like to further understand is his path from Confederate soldier to his rise to becoming one of the most famous bank robber/outlaws in the country (known globally before his death). It's quite easy to understand that he was one of many bitter Confederate soldiers on par with the KKK, not ready to accept defeat after the Civil War. For Jesse James, a life of bank and train robberies was his way at getting back at the union government. Many considered him a courageous hero on par with Robin Hood, however it's very unlikely that he gave any of his stolen money to the poor. The fact of the matter is that Jesse James was a criminal that had reached a scale that no criminal ever had before, thus the legacy. 

James "Bushwacking" Civil War Years

Born in Clay County, Missouri 1847 Jesse James was brought up in a border state, yet his family was heavily in support of the southern cause in the region of Little Dixie. His father was a farmer and Baptist and died during the California Gold Rush when Jesse was 3 years old. Jesse grew up on a farm with his elder brother James, younger sister Susanna, and several other in-laws. Growing up on a farm ran by slaves, the James family was firmly in support of slavery as the needed it to run their business. The region of Little Dixie was a center stage for the Bleeding Kansas conflict regarding slavery. 

At the age of 14, James was proud to assist the confederate army at the onset of the Civil War in 1861. Since Missouri was a neutral state it consisted of many guerilla factions known as "bushwhackers". He later joined the Quantrill Raiders led by William C. Qauntrill, and coordinated various massacres on abolition towns and unarmed soldiers such as the Lawrence Massacre and the Centralia Massacre. It was during these guerilla raids that James acquired the skills necessary in his future endeavors as a train and bank robber. Although James did not fight in a major battle he got in many skirmishes and was shot twice in the chest throughout his years as a bushwhacker. 

Post Civil War

Jesse James was only a teenager during the Civil War yet his involvement no doubt made him very bitter as a young man returning to Missouri. The Reconstruction Age was very hard on former Confederates and disallowed them from voting or becoming officers. Jesse returned to his mother's farm and began a relationship with his cousin Zerelda. In Feb of 1866 it is believed that James and Frank joined Archie Clement in robbing the Clay County bank, which was the first peacetime bank robbery in American history. From this point on the James brothers began a series of bank robberies throughout the Missouri region and quickly rose to infamy. 

The guerilla activity was quite prevalent at the time and after the death of Archie Clement and the James brothers became some of the leading figures. At first they claimed their robberies were against the bank not the people, however in 1867 they killed the mayor and two other city officials who opposed them in Richmond, Missouri. In 1868 the James brothers began working with Cole Younger and his brothers in robbing banks. By 1869 Jesse James had become well known across the west and into the east as the leader of the James-Young Gang. 

The James-Younger Gang

Jesse James was able to quickly ascertain public support for various reasons. First was many within Missouri and the west who were still in favor of the southern cause and saw him as the defiant hero of the south. Second was because he represented total freedom, opposing and outwitting the law. Yet third was because of his association with news editors who provided his appeals to the public regarding his innocence and cause. Newspapers such as the Kansas City Times quickly elevated Jesse James and his Younger Gang to celebrity status. They committed robberies from Iowa to Texas with a cordial and entertaining approach to the cashiers and bystanders. Very seldomly were they confronted or resisted during their robberies. 

In 1874 Jesse James married his cousin Zee, and later had two children with her. By this point Jesse James had become a household name, and was hunted by many authorities. One of these included the Pinkterton National Detective Agency based out of Chicago, which is often considered precursor to the FBI. The head of the organization Allen Pinkerton took on the case personally as he was a proud abolitionist and union supporter. He led a raid on the James household in 1875, which resulted in the death of Jesse's younger half brother Archie and severely injured his wife Zee. This lead to further sympathy towards the Jesse James gang and even considerations of amnesty. 

By Sept of 1876 Jesse's luck began to turn after a bank robbery went terribly wrong. In the town of Northfield, Minnesota the townspeople stood up to the robbery and fired shots at the gang. Several of the gang members were shot dead, and the James brothers were just barely able to escape the scene. The Younger brothers were taken prisoner by the local milita which brought an abrupt end to the James-Younger gang. For the next few years Jesse kept a low profile and committed smaller robberies at local general stores in order to get by. By 1881 they had settled in St. Joseph, Missouri and Jesse's elder brother decided to retire from the criminal life and relocate to Virginia. 

Final Years and Assassination

By 1881 Jesse hardly had any more gang members and recruited Charley and his younger brother Robert Ford to join him. Charley had already worked with Jesse on previous jobs, but Robert was an avid admirer of Jesse and eager for action. However it did not take long for the authorities to pinch Robert as an inside man. Soon Robert was coordinating secret negotiations with the governor of Missouri, Thomas Crittenden. Charley Ford was well aware of Robert's plans but both were conflicted with the act since they thought of Jesse as a friend. After many days of confliction the Ford brothers finally performed the execution on April 3rd of 1882. Robert shot Jesse James in the head from behind, while Jesse was adjusting a photo. 

Years after the assassination of Jesse James, Charley and Robert Ford worked as stage actors recreating the death of Jesse James. Public opinion however quickly became to turn on the Fords, especially Robert who was considered cowardly for betraying his friend. Charley Ford eventually got sick of tuberculosis and committed suicide in 1884. Robert Ford was shot dead in a saloon in 1892 by a random stranger seeking his own personal fame. By the late1880s the story of Jesse James grew into a folk legend celebrated in books, comics, and eventually movies. Despite his controversial and criminal lifestyle, he became the iconic embodiment of the American outlaw during the age of the Old West.