were present at 1318 Lafayette St, in St. Jo Missouri when Bob Fordshot Jesse James in the back of the head, killing him, on April 03rd, 1882.Photos courtesy the Missouri state Historic Society and Find A Grave.
Born on January 31, 1862, in Ray County, Missouri, Bob Ford grew up in the shadow of the Civil War, a time that shaped many of the outlaws of the era. His brother, Charley Ford, was also involved in the criminal underworld. The Ford brothers' paths crossed with Jesse James' when they joined his gang, lured by the promise of fame, money, and adventure, but also by the danger and notoriety that came with associating with such a figure.
By 1882, Jesse James was a wanted man, but he had managed to evade capture for years. He trusted few, and his paranoia was well-founded. On April 3, 1882, in St. Joseph, Missouri, under the alias Thomas Howard, Jesse James was betrayed by Bob Ford, who had secretly made a deal with the Governor of Missouri, Thomas T. Crittenden. The deal promised Ford a full pardon for his past crimes and a reward for bringing Jesse to justice. In a house at 1318 Lafayette Street, while Jesse was adjusting a picture on the wall, Bob Ford shot him in the back of the head. The shot was fatal, and Jesse James died instantly, thus ending one of the most famous criminal careers in history.
Ford was but twenty years old at the time of Jesse's killing. One can only see Bob Ford as naive young man who was manipulated by the "new establishment" in Missouri that came to power after the civil war. A state government who not only refused to pardon the guerillas for their actions during the war, but also banned former confederate supporters from earning a living on their own soil. Thus painting the government in its own corner. And like so many cases in modern times that have shined a light on the dubious and corrupt habits of government to use unwitting, blackmailed or compromised operatives to accomplish their dirty work. Its easy to see the same scenario played out in the case of Jesse James and his assassination.
The following photos were taken by the Author
at the Patee House Museum in St. Jo Missouri
The location where its believed that Jesse James was killed
Bob Ford's actions were indeed controversial. While some viewed him as a traitor for killing a man in such a dishonorable way, others saw him as having done the state a service by removing a dangerous outlaw, which is a fact that cannot be overlooked. Jesse James was a cold blooded killer who engaged in war crimes during the civil war and committed many crimes before he was finally killed in St, Jo. However, Ford's life post-assassination, was far from peaceful or prosperous.
He and his brother Charley initially received only part of the reward money and pardon from the governor who used them, and then cheated them. But the public's reaction was overwhelmingly negative. Ford faced ridicule, threats, and was ostracized. Songs and stories painted him as a coward, and the fame he sought turned into infamy. And yet his governmental handlers were never blamed for their role. They conveniently escaped accountability behind a curtain of deceit, and plausible deniability. Much in the way that Lee Harvey Oswald became the only name that would be spoken to place the label of blame for the Kennedy assassination.
In a misguided attempt to capitalize on his notoriety, Bob Ford performed in a traveling show, reenacting the murder of Jesse James, but as could have been expected, public disdain only grew. He moved to Colorado, where he opened a saloon, but his past continued to haunt him. On June 8, 1892, Ford was shot and killed by another career criminal, Edward O'Kelley in his tent saloon in Creede, Colorado, an act that some saw as revenge for Jesse James, or simply an expression of the deep-seated contempt many felt for Ford. O'Kelly was arrested and sentenced to life in prison, but a petition was created and signed by seven thousand people in Missouri begging for O'Kellys release, he was erroneously pardoned by the governor of Colorado and released back into the public. In an Ironic twist O'Kelly got into an altercation with a Police Officer in Oklahoma City, and was shot and killed.
Bob Ford's legacy is a complex one. And, history has been unfair to that legacy. He is remembered less for any heroism and more for the act of betrayal against one of America's most infamous criminals. His life illustrates the thin line between fame and infamy, honor and disgrace, in the Wild West. The tale of Bob Ford and Jesse James has been retold in numerous books, films, and songs, each adding layers to the myth of these characters.
Bob Ford's actions were indeed controversial. While some viewed him as a traitor for killing a man in such a dishonorable way, others saw him as having done the state a service by removing a dangerous outlaw, which is a fact that cannot be overlooked. Jesse James was a cold blooded killer who engaged in war crimes during the civil war and committed many crimes before he was finally killed in St, Jo. However, Ford's life post-assassination, was far from peaceful or prosperous.
He and his brother Charley initially received only part of the reward money and pardon from the governor who used them, and then cheated them. But the public's reaction was overwhelmingly negative. Ford faced ridicule, threats, and was ostracized. Songs and stories painted him as a coward, and the fame he sought turned into infamy. And yet his governmental handlers were never blamed for their role. They conveniently escaped accountability behind a curtain of deceit, and plausible deniability. Much in the way that Lee Harvey Oswald became the only name that would be spoken to place the label of blame for the Kennedy assassination.
In a misguided attempt to capitalize on his notoriety, Bob Ford performed in a traveling show, reenacting the murder of Jesse James, but as could have been expected, public disdain only grew. He moved to Colorado, where he opened a saloon, but his past continued to haunt him. On June 8, 1892, Ford was shot and killed by another career criminal, Edward O'Kelley in his tent saloon in Creede, Colorado, an act that some saw as revenge for Jesse James, or simply an expression of the deep-seated contempt many felt for Ford. O'Kelly was arrested and sentenced to life in prison, but a petition was created and signed by seven thousand people in Missouri begging for O'Kellys release, he was erroneously pardoned by the governor of Colorado and released back into the public. In an Ironic twist O'Kelly got into an altercation with a Police Officer in Oklahoma City, and was shot and killed.
Little is known of O'Kelley's past, although his birthplace is reported as Harrisonville, Missouri. His mother was Margaret Ann Capehart (July 6, 1836 – July 27, 1903), but at the time of her July 14, 1857, marriage to Dr. Thomas Katlett O'Kelley (October 20, 1833 – October 9, 1923) she was already pregnant with Edward. It is believed that Thomas was not Edward's father. Edward was a child during the American Civil War. In Thomas' Civil War Veteran Pension File, where Thomas was required to list all his children and their dates of birth, Edward is not included on the list
Bob Ford's legacy is a complex one. And, history has been unfair to that legacy. He is remembered less for any heroism and more for the act of betrayal against one of America's most infamous criminals. His life illustrates the thin line between fame and infamy, honor and disgrace, in the Wild West. The tale of Bob Ford and Jesse James has been retold in numerous books, films, and songs, each adding layers to the myth of these characters.
Bob Ford's life, the murder of Jesse James and Bob Ford's subsequent murder by Ed O'Kelley, are emblematic of a times when lawlessness, government deviance, and legend intertwined in the American frontier. His story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of cooperating with corruption in government, betrayal, the fleeting nature of fame, and the harsh judgment of history on those who choose the path of treachery. While Jesse James' name has become synonymous with the misguided outlaw spirit of the Old West, Bob Ford's name is forever linked with the act that ended that legend, painting him as both a figure of historical significance and a pariah in the folklore of America. On an end note; After a period of deep depression following James' death, terminal illness from tuberculosis, and a debilitating morphine addiction, Charles Ford died by suicide on May 6, 1884.
The Author is the Editor of the CSL&OH.A. and Associate Member of
the Western Writers of America.
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