Was Jesse James Robin Hood?

 

Jess James, From the authors collection

Story by G.C. Stevens (c) 2024

Frank and Jesse James were products of their environment. They were sent out into the woods by their parents to forage for berries, truffles, rutabagas, and roots of all sorts. Put yourself in their place...you'da been mean too!

When Jesse James was a lad he killed many-a man. He robbed the Glendale train

And the people they did say for many miles away. It was robbed by Frank and Jesse James

Poor Jesse had a wife who mourned for his life, three children, they were brave

But that dirty little coward who shot Mister Howard has laid poor Jesse in his grave

It was on a Saturday night if I remember right when they robbed that Glendale train

It was one of the Younger boys who gathered in the spoils and he carried Jesse's monies away

Poor Jesse had a wife who mourned for his life, three children, they were brave

But that dirty little coward who shot Mister Howard has laid poor Jesse in his grave

He was standin' on a chair just a-dustin' pictures there. He thought he heard a noise (Yeah, what did he do?)

When he turned his head around, why that bullet smacked him down and it laid poor Jesse on the floor

Poor Jesse had a wife who mourned for his life, three children, they were brave

But that dirty little coward who shot Mister Howard has laid poor Jesse in his grave

Jesse robbed from the poor and he gave to the rich. He never did a friendly thing

And when his best friend died he was right there by her side and he lifted off her golden wedding ring

Poor Jesse had a wife who mourned for his life, three children, they were brave

But that dirty little coward who shot Mister Howard has laid poor Jesse in his grave

-Jesse James as sung by the Kingston Trio

Historians far and wide have proclaimed Jesse James to be an outlaw and scoundrel... Murderous rebel scum. Some historians also say that Jesse never helped anyone.  So what do we know about Jesse James? For one thing, he was the son of a preacher, he was raised on the James Farm which is 3 miles east of Kearny Missouri. It was there that for a time, the James family held status within their community. Their Father was Rev. Robert Salle James (July 17, 1818 – August 18, 1850) who was an American Baptist minister and one of the founders of William Jewell College in 1849 in Liberty, Missouri. Rev. James  was a noted revivalist.  In April 1850, James left his family for California to visit his brother Drury Woodson James, who had already relocated to the state. He also planned to prospect for gold and preach to the crowds of goldminers during the California gold rush. Shortly after arriving in California in August 1850, he contracted cholera and died on August 18, 1850, in the Hangtown Gold Camp, later known as Placerville. He was buried there in an unmarked grave. His remains were never located.

Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas, or the Border Wars as it was called, was a series of violent civil confrontations in Kansas Territory, and western Missouri, between 1854 - 1859. It was fueled by political and ideological debate over the legality of slavery in the proposed state of Kansas. The conflict was characterized by years of political intrigue, raids, assaults, and murders in an area conflict within the Kansas Territory and neighboring Missouri by pro slavery "border ruffians" and raids carried out by antislavery "free-staters". The conflict centered on the question of whether Kansas, when gaining statehood, would join the Union as a slave state or a free state.The vicious border wars would give way to the more widespread civil war. A war which would tear the country apart for four years.

Frank and Jesse James 

from the authors collection

Jesse James was spawned of that Civil War as a Quantrill Raider, and his fast gun-hand can be attributed to the new Navy Colts cap and ball pistols which set a faster pace in combat.  But it is also speculated that Jesse and Frank were spies, secret operatives and covert soldiers. This author also believes that there is ample evidence to support this theory. 

The end of the war was devastating for the south and Missouri had suffered a very strong divide within the state, which resulted a very difficult transition back to prosperity. Jesse and his brother Frank were caught in the crossfire of a post war world. There are indeed many crimes and incidents surrounding Jesse James and his family. There is in fact so much war and post war information on Jesse, that volumes have been written about it. But then we come to the statements or claims about Jesse James being evil incarnate, are they claims true? Facts tell us that this is probably true. Jesse and his gang surely robbed banks, trains and murdered more than a few people along they way. This can't be disputed. There are however other stories that tell a different tale about Jesse and Frank. It must also be mentioned, that despite what some people might say about Jesse and company, they seemed to have the support of most of the people in their community, and some of them were the neighbors of the James. family.

                             JESSE JAMES WAS MY NEIGHBOR

                                           By Homer Croy

                                                                       1949                                                                                                 The following story appeared in "Jesse James ,The Best writings on the Notorious                                                                 Outlaw and His Gang . Edited by Harold Dellinger

One of the marked characteristics of Jesse James was his humor. He like to play pranks; rarely did he go through a robbery without saying something that had an element of humor. A good illustration of this is something that happened in the foothills of the Ozarks. One day the James-Youngers were taking a back road when noon came upon them. It was their custom to go to a farmhouse and get the wife to prepare a meal for them. And they always paid well. (I have not been able to find a single instance where they rode away without paying, or offering to pay.) They came to a humble cabin, and one of the group went to the door to ask the question. A woman answered "Haloo," a bit startled to see the mounted men. She didn't know whether she could cook the meal or not, she said, as there wasn't much to eat in the cabin. But she was finally prevailed upon. She watched the men dismount and seat themselves in the yard to wait till the meal was ready. As the men waited they were more and more impressed by the poverty of the cabin and by the hard struggle the woman had to live. Then they noticed that that the woman was weeping, And asked her if she was frightened? She said she wasn't, but that seeing the men in her cabin made her think of her husband. It developed that her husband was dead and that she was having to face her hardships alone. The men were appreciative of this and, glancing at each other decided to be liberal with her. Sensing this friendly sympathy, the woman choked up; She tried to hide her emotions but she was so wrought up that she was unsuccessful. .

Jesse said, :"Won't you tell us what's the matter?" 

The woman hesitated, but at last the trouble came out. The cabin and her small farm were mortgaged to a heartless skinflint who had been pressing her for money. He warned her that if she did not have the mortgage money ready when he arrived, he would take her property. "He's coming today," She said again, beginning to weep. At last dinner was ready and the men sat down, Jesse, for the most part ate in silence, now and the glancing at the poor widow in her humble surroundings, finally he said, "How much do you owe this man?"  Eight hundred dollars"... Jesse ate a few moments. "When did you say he was coming?" "This afternoon, about four." Jesse took a few more bites. "What does he look like?" She told him "How will he be traveling?" "In a democrat wagon, driving one horse." At the end of the meal Jesse pushed back in his chair. "What road does he usually take ?" The woman told him. "It just so happens," said Jesse, "I have that much money with me and I'm going to loan it to you." 

The Woman looked at him with amazement. Was he joking? He wasn't. "You remind me of my mother said Jesse. "I want to do something for you" The woman began to weep again, "I'll work my fingers to the bone, I don't know when I can pay you back" She cried. Jesse patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry about that. "I'll stop by sometime, then if you have it, you can pay back." The woman sobbed at her guests generosity. "Now you want to do this in a business like way." said Jesse. "He sounds like a hard man to deal with, so you to ought protect yourself." The gentleman here "Indicating Frank James.. "Will write out a receipt. Then you copy it in ink in your own handwriting. Before you pay with the money, make the man sign the receipt. Thats the proper way to conduct business, He'd make you do the same. And don't tell him anyone has been here." Now, will you do what I say?"  "yes sir she cried, and said to Jesse, I think your wonderful."  "I wouldn't say that," answered Jesse. He's a very kind hearted man" Explained Frank. Finally the men mounted their horses. In the door window stood the woman and waved goodbye to them.                                                                                                                                

That afternoon the skinflint called on the woman, signed the receipt and left. After he had driven about three miles away from her cabin on the way home, an unfortunate incident occurred. Suddenly three mounted men popped out of the timber; One seized the horses bridal an all leveled cruel looking weapons at him. The man chanced to have $800... But not for long. The horseman appropriated it, then whipped up his horse and sent it spinning down the road, leaving the mortgage holder, alone and on foot with the problem of catching his horse as best he could.                                                                                  Then, Three men rode away, No one knew where they went.

Photo by Leah McCarty