Photo Investigation; Cantey Collection, The James Gang in Tipton Missouri; By G.C.Stevens

 

                                             

           Photo from the Gunfighters by Lea F. McCarty

The following is information was compiled by the author and gives some information about a photo from the Cantey Meyers Collection, (photos permission of Emory Cantey) though not exact, the investigation points to evidence to suggest that Jesse James and company might have been in the area of Tipton Missouri when the photo was taken.

Rocky Cut Robbery

On the evening of July 7, 1876, eight members of the gang captured the night guard at Rocky Cut and used his lantern to flag down a train. Once stopped, the gang boarded the train, robbed both safes, then disappeared into the night. Not far from there, the gang stopped to split up the money before riding off in separate directions. Today, that location is marked by a stone in a roadside park just east of Otterville Missouri James Gang Railroad Robbery - Otterville, MO - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

Ref TRAIN ROBBERIES | Cooper County Historical Society

                              

Tipton Missouri is 14 miles from Otterville Missouri. Could the photo below have been taken before or after the Rocky Cut Robbery? It's worth noting that the men in the mystery photo, are clothed only in their vests and shirts. A good Indication that the temperature was quite warm on the day that this photo was taken.                                                                                                                                                    

This "controversial image" is from the Cantey Meyers collection and is purported to be of Frank James, Tom Sparks, Bob Younger, Cole Younger and Jesse W. James at the Tipton Train Depot during the 1870's. A basic search of the internet revealed some possible photos of the depot. But further investigation is needed.                                                                                                                                                          

                       Said to be (Left to right) Frank James, Tom Sparks, Bob Younger, 

                            Cole Younger and Jesse James Photo said to be from 

                                     the Grand Daughter of Tom Sparks

THE ROCKY CUT TRAIN ROBBERY.

"Seven months elapsed after the Muncie robbery before the desperate brigands, under the leadership of Jesse James, made another attempt to increase

[Pg 88]

 their ill-gotten gains. But in the meantime the band of highwaymen was increasing and organizing for another bold stroke. Many outlaws who had found safety in the Indian Nation were anxious to attach themselves to the James and Younger brothers, but very few were received. The noted bandits were excellent judges of human nature, and they were exceedingly careful not to repose confidence in any one who did not possess indisputable evidence of cunning and bravery; men who, in the event of capture, would not betray their comrades at any sacrifice. In July, 1876, arrangements were completed for rifling another treasure-laden train and the Missouri Pacific Railroad was chosen as the line for their operations.

About one mile east of Otterville, a small station in Pittis county, is a place called Rocky Cut, which is a deep stone cleft, from which the train emerges only to strike the bridge across Otter creek. On the

[Pg 89]

 south side of the cut is a heavy wood, and in this the robbers concealed themselves to await the train which was not due there until nearly midnight. A watchman was stationed at the bridge, whom Charlie Pitts and Bob Younger arrested and, after taking his signal lantern and placing it in the track at the bridge approach, they securely tied the helpless fellow and then joined the main party. Hobbs Kerry and Bill Chadwell were detailed to watch the horses and keep them prepared for sudden flight.

As the train came dashing through the cut the engineer saw the danger signal and at once concluded something was wrong with the bridge, and he lost no time in having the brakes set and the engine reversed. The train came to a stop directly in the cut, and as it slowed up seven of the dare-devils leaped upon the cars and with one at each door, the robbers had no trouble in so intimidating the passengers as to prevent attack. Jesse James, the boldest of the bold, was the first to enter the express car, followed by Cole Younger. At the mouth of two heavy navy pistols the messenger was forced to open the safe, which contained fifteen thousand dollars in bank notes. This money was hastily thrown into a sack, and the shrill whistle was given by Jesse, which was the signal for the bandits to leave the train and mount. No effort was made to rob or harm any of the passengers, the single purpose of the bandits, agreed upon before the attack, was to secure only the valuables of the express.

[Pg 90]

When the train reached Tipton, report of the robbery was telegraphed to every station along the line, and also to St. Louis and Kansas City, and from these points all over the country."

-From The Border Bandits by J.W. Buel

Thursday, October 1, 1885

"The Clarksburg (Ohio) Sun has published a long statement to the effect that Jesse James had been seen in that city by parties who were personally acquainted with him during the war. They claim that the corpse buried on the Samuels’ farm was not Jesse James, but that the Fords were induced to kill a substitute. The whole affair reads like fiction, and the average Missourian will be loathe to believe that the outlaw, Jesse James, has not been in his grave the past three years. The fact that these old friends, who recognized him, did not have the courage to step up and speak to him, is evident proof that their reputed recognition was deceptive and that the job put up on the reporter was a signal success."

-Compiled by Becky Holloway "A Glance at The Past"

From the James Birthplace Museum

In late April 1884 Tipton, Missouri gave a “grand demonstration & rousing reception” to Frank James, his wife & son, who arrived by train accompanied by Sheriff Rogers of Cooper County, MO. A Tipton Times reporter noted that Frank, although “very weary from long travel was very kind & polite, answering questions with an obliging courtesy.” The family & sheriff then checked in at The Tipton House for an overnight stay.

-Jesse James Birthplace Museum

                            

                                               

                               

For a town which had been surveyed only a few months earlier, Tipton, Missouri, began life with a creditable little bang on October 9, 1858. That was the day the first Overland Mail stage arrived, twenty-three days and four hours out of San Francisco—a day that marked the beginning of regular mail service across the continent. Tipton was 160 miles west of St. Louis at the end of the Pacific Railroad, and from this tiny dot on the map, mail and passengers from the West were put aboard the trains to St. Louis, Cincinnati, and New York, completing a transcontinental journey in approximately four weeks. What had once been a fantastic dream was now a reality, and the occasion did not go unnoticed in the press -https://www.americanheritage.com/great-days-overland-stage

The first train arrived in Tipton on July 26, 1858. By September, Tipton was the western terminus of the Butterfield Overland Mail Stage to San Francisco. Population quickly grew and Tipton became the site for hotels, livery stables, grocery stores, dry goods stores, a restaurant and saloons. - https://tiptonmo.org/history/

An aerial photo of Tipton Missouri    

Railroad history fans celebrate this month about not only Missouri but the small town of Tipton and their role in our national intercontinental railroad system.

On this date, July 26th: “......1858 the Pacific Railroad was completed at Tipton, Missouri.” What does the Pacific Railroad have to do with Missouri? Everything, because these were the last 160 miles of the Pacific Railroad coming from St. Louis making Tipton the “end of the line" in western Missouri. Tipton had also emerged as the eastern terminus of the Overland U.S. mail by stagecoach from San Francisco. For a time, both mail and passengers transferred from stagecoach to the Pacific Railroad at Tipton for the run to St. Louis by rail. The Pacific Railroad was the former company that became the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Ground was broken in 1851 and the first section of track, the first five miles, completed in 1852. But St. Louis investors began completing their vision of not only the first railroad west of the Mississippi, but also one that would extend all the way to the Pacic Ocean. The company was reorganized by 1872 as the Missouri Pacific Railroad, also known as the MoPac.

The legacies that the MoPac has left in national shipping is extensive. These include being rail for the Amtrak passenger route between Kansas City and St. Louis. Notable investors and engineers are important namesakes. John O’Fallon was an investor in the 1850 partnership, and is the namesake for both O’Fallon, Illinois and O’Fallon, Missouri. In addition, James P. Kirkwood, was a renowned engineer for the MoPac and is the namesake for Kirkwood, Missouri.

-Missouri State Museum

 Facebook link

Photo courtesy of HMdb.org 

THE HISTORICAL

MARKER DATABASE

Mark Twain's Home in Kodachrome: By G.C. Stevens

 

Samuel L. Clemens

Pen Name "Mark Twain" (Two Fathoms)

Drawing from the Authors Collection

Mark Twain 1835- 1910, writer, lecturer and western intellectual. Who's works were central to the American civil war and western history, was an exceptionally popular author, who's reputation is still highly regarded today. He wrote travel books, an autobiography and novels. His most famous novels "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and the Adventures of Huckleberry Fin"(1884), both which were based upon his life along the Mississippi River in Hannibal Missouri.  Has been remembered and memorialized in many ways. His writings are still available, the internet has many webpages dedicated to Mark Twain, and many movies have made about him, his characters and many parallel characterizations in 20th and 21st centuries have appeared. These adaptations have been created for our entertainment.  Below you will find a series of promotional business sized cards, that were probably sold in local gifts shops, no doubt somewhere along the Great River Road, on the Mississippi River. A body of water which Abraham Lincoln once called the "Father of All Waters." These small business sized cards were created from photos credited to John Winkler and Kenneth Botkin. Not much is known about either of these men. Though some clues were found online. Kenneth Botkins. is probably the photographer, Kenneth C. Botkins of Hannibal Missouri (see Find a Grave)   .  Much less is known about John Winkler and no substantial information appeared online about him. The photos on the  cards were taken using various film types including Kodachrome, Ektachrome and Anscochrome colors. Kodchrome is known for it's rich warm tones and ultra fine grain. This film was great archival film because of its stability and can last over one hundred years, with minimal fading. Ekadachrome, while it had vivid colors and faster processing, is less stable and can fade over time, especially towards blue of magenta. Anscochrome was introduced in the 1950's and was generally used in 16mm by both amateur and professional photographers alike. The cards in this collection are in exceptionally good condition and tell a lot of Mark Twain's home in Hannibal Missouri. Each is accompanies by its description below. Which is located on each card, in the same way that an RPPC post card would display it.

The original package which contained the cards

Civil War: Telegraph Corps: By O.J. Fargo Army of the Southwest

 

Military telegraph construction corps photo from the Library of Congress (1)

Telegraph Corps 1861-1865

The exigencies and experiences of the Civil War demonstrated, among other theorems, the vast utility and indispensable importance of the electric telegraph, both as an administrative agent and as a tactical factor in military operations. In addition to the utilization of existing commercial systems, there were built and operated more than fifteen thousand miles of lines for military purposes only.

Serving under the anomalous status of quartermaster's employees, often under conditions of personal danger, and with no definite official standing, the operators of the military telegraph service performed work of most vital import to the army in particular and to the country in general. They fully merited the gratitude of the Nation for their efficiency, fidelity, and patriotism, yet their services have never been practically recognized by the Government or appreciated by the people.

For instance, during the war there occurred in the line of duty more than three hundred casualties among the operators -from disease, death in battle, wounds, or capture. Scores of these unfortunate victims left families dependent upon charity, as the United States neither extended aid to their destitute families nor admitted needy survivors to a pensionable status.

The telegraph service had neither definite personnel nor corps organization. It was simply a civilian bureau attached to the Quartermaster's Department, in which a few of its favored members received commissions. The men who performed the dangerous work in the field were mere employees -mostly underpaid, and often treated with scant consideration. The inherent defects of such a nondescript organization made it impossible for it to adjust and adapt itself to the varying demands and imperative needs of great and independent armies such as were employed in the Civil War.

Moreover, the chief, Colonel Anson Stager, was stationed in Cleveland, Ohio, while an active subordinate, Major Thomas T. Eckert, was associated with the great war secretary, who held the service in his iron grasp. Not only were its commissioned officers free from other authority than that of the Secretary of War, but operators, engaged in active campaigning thousands of miles from Washington, were independent of the generals under whom they were serving. As will appear later, operators suffered from the natural impatience of military commanders, who resented the abnormal relations which inevitably led to distrusts were rarely justified, none the less they proved detrimental to the best interest of the United States.

On the one hand, the operators were ordered to report to, and obey only, the corporation representatives who dominated the War Department, while on the other their lot was cast with military associates, who frequently regarded them with certain contempt or hostility. Thus, the life of the field-operator was hard, indeed, and it is to the lasting credit of the men, as a class, that their intelligence and patriotism were equal to the situation and won final confidence.

1. O'Sullivan, Timothy H., 1840-1882, photographer

Created / Published

photographed April 1864, [printed between 1880 and 1889]

Headings

-  United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865 Library of Congress

250 Years of The United States: Early Settlement of Iowa by G.C. Stevens

 

Photo from the inside cover of Broad Axe and Bayonet

The Role of the United States Army in the Development of 

the Northwest, 1815-1860 by Francis Paul Prucha photo taken

by the Author G.C. Stevens

Moving far west beyond the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, pioneers headed west for large tracts of land where a new territory had been opened in 1833. They came on foot, on horseback, in prairie schooners or in covered wagons. With no roads, no bridges and no infrastructure to rely on, they followed Native American trails in their search for a place to settle. They negotiated, traded with and fought Native American Indians as they pushed into the deep interior of the continent. This expansion resulted in both conflict and settlement. But nothing could have ever changed what was coming. Following hot on the heels of that expansion was the creation of the technology of the railroads and telegraph. New technologies which would the pave the way for future settlement.

G.C. Stevens

Introduction: 

Over the next year the CSL&OH.A. will bring you articles and stories about the history of our nation and American culture. This is the first of these articles and was drawn from a publication produced by the Iowa Department of Transportation, entitled "Discovering historic Iowa Transportation Milestone".

Early Exploration

When French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet traveled down the Mississippi River in 1673, the land the surveyed, which would become Iowa was “Pays Inconnu,” the unknown land west of the great river. These explorers paddled their canoes on the west bank of the Mississippi on June 25, 1673, and they became the first Europeans to set foot on Iowa land, claiming it for France. The landing was near the mouth of the Iowa River in what is now Louisa County. On April 30, 1803, the land we now know as Iowa became part of the territory of the United States. It was included in the $15 million Louisiana Purchase transaction made with Napoleon Bonaparte in the Treaty of Paris. The average price per acre was approximately three cents. After the purchase, President Thomas Jefferson selected Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead a great expedition of exploration and inventory to the head waters of the Missouri River and their objective was to identify an overland route to the Pacific Ocean by way of the Columbia River. Their expedition (1804-06) passed along the western border of Iowa.

The grave of Father Jacques Marquette SJ. located in St. Ignace MI.

Photo taken by the Author.

They explored this region and made observations about its geography and studied it's plant and animal life. A monument erected in 1935 on a bluff north of Council Bluffs marks the site where Lewis and Clark held council with the chiefs of the Oto and Missouri Native American tribes. Further north, at Sioux City, a 100-foot tall monument marks the burial   place of the only person to die on the historic journey. Expedition member Sergeant Charles Floyd became ill probably with appendicitis and died suddenly near present-day Sioux City. He was buried on Aug. 20, 1804, on a hill on the Iowa side of the Missouri River. 

In 1805 the famed and controversial, Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike pushed his keelboats up the Mississippi and passed the Iowa shore during the famous Pike Expedition which set out to discover the source of the Mississippi River. Settling Along the Banks of the Mississippi Iowa’s oldest cities are found along the Mississippi River. These bustling river towns were the commercial hubs of pioneer Iowa. Many early settlers who established these economic centers arrived by flatboat, raft or keelboat. Settlers usually built boats large enough to carry their families and all their possessions, including hogs, chickens and cows. Until the arrival of steamboats, keelboats were the primary means of transporting people and freight up and down the rivers. More streamlined than flatboats, keelboats had long rudders that extended from the rear of the boat; sometimes they had masts and sails.

                                          Early Pioneers

Moving far west beyond the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, pioneers headed west for large tracts of land where a new territory had been opened in 1833. They came on foot, on horseback, in prairie schooners or in covered wagons. With no roads, no bridges and no infrastructure to rely on, they followed Native American trails in their search for a place to call home. They negotiated, traded with and fought Native American Indians as they pushed into the deep interior of the continent. This expansion resulted in both conflict and settlement. But nothing could have ever changed what was coming. Following hot on the heels of that expansion was the creation of the technology of the railroads and telegraph. New technologies which would the pave the way for future settlement.

G.C. Stevens

Reference The Iowa Dept of Transportation "Discovering historic Iowa Transportation Milestone"

Happy Thanksgiving From CSL&OH.A.

I thought I'd share this message from the Sons of Union Veterans. I am the descendant of Joseph Curtis who served with the 54th Illinois Infantry Volunteers and a proud member of the SUV. 

God Bless Our Republic

- G.C. Stevens,                    Historian,Reenactor & Author.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

-Abraham Lincoln

American Battlefield Trust

In Search of Jesse James in Adair Iowa: G.C. Stevens

 

Photo permission of the Adair News

I now come down to the Iowa train robbery, which occurred the 21st of July, 1873, and which filled all western Missouri with spies, detectives and armed men in search of us. The newspapers made me out the leader of the band. With me, according to the papers, were Frank James, Arthur McCoy and the two Youngers. You remember the outlines of the robbery. A rail was removed from the track resulting in an engineer killed and a general rifling of an express car thought to contain money belonging to the United States. An Iowa sheriff named Bringolf came down to Kansas City with a pocket full of requisitions. He made some magnificent promises, not a few threats, hunted everywhere except in the right place, and, as far as I'm informed, is still in Kansas City waiting for something to turn up. 

- Jesse James

- A Terrible Quintet by John Newman Edwards from Jesse James: The Best Writings on the Notorious Outlaw and His Gang by Harold Dellinger.

  

11/23/2025,

 During my recent presentation at the James Farm, in Kearny Missouri, I met a member of the Friends of The James Farm, Dennie Anderson. He told me he was from Iowa and, I later learned that he was an avid genealogist and a descendant of Jesse James. He was very interested in Jesse James connection to Iowa. So, I gave him my information, and he reached out to me via email. We decided to meet at the site of the 1873 Adair Iowa Train Robbery. I also wanted to get back to Adair to take a look around to see if I could locate the old railroad section house that was mentioned in the history. As the story goes the James Gang went to the section house (see photos below) commandeered some tools from the house to use in the train robbery.

 I met Dennie and his wife Vonda at the location and we walked the site. We did a closer examination of the remnants of the train bridge, took photos, and did some minor metal detecting, though nothing of any value was located as a result of the metal detector scan. And due to conditions only a small area was examined.  The terrain there is rough and overgrown with vegetation. So, it's a fairly difficult site to detect at. Before I went out to the site. I went online and located some satellite photos of the train robbery site on Google earth (see photo below). 

The Train Bridge

It was observed that it appeared that several sections of rail were embedded in the large pile of debris that is now on top of part of a section the old railroad bridge. Several decent photos of the rails were taken of sections of track.  And I was able to snap clear photos of the ends of the rails, which is very important, because the configuration of train rails is well documented, and can give us a fairly good time frame on when the track was manufactured. I sent the photos to Mike Wendel who is the Director of the Boone Scenic Valley Railroad Museum in Boone Iowa. They examined those pictures and returned this response:

Our track person here said the track is old, probably 1870s. Phil said that you would need to measure the height of the rail and look on its sides for printing. Very interesting photos Gene if you find yourself out there again in the future and try to see more of the sides of the rail it may help. Really appreciate you sending these. 

-Mike Wendell Museum Director

 

A monument dedicated to the famed robbery located at 

Melvin Memorial Park Adair Iowa

Photo by the author

A photo of the section house that appeared on 

the facebook page "Abandoned Iowa" posted by Andrew Haus.

The information stated that this house which once housed a

 "Jesse James Museum" had been torn town

Photo google earth. A direct look at the old bridge site

noting an unusual gouge in the terrain adjacent to bridge area

An overview of the entire site

The old railroad bridge looking east down Turkey Creek. 

Photo by the Author

Track can be seen buried in the mound of dirt and debris 

photo by the author

Pilings from the bridge. Actual age unknown

A very old an pitted section of rail or track plate photos by the author

A very clear picture of the very end of a piece of track. The photo 

is very important, and the configuration of railroad tracks 

are very documented and can determine that age 

and manufacturer of the track.

Photos by the Author

Same as above. Though its worth noting that this particular track

is very different and has a flare in the bottom of it. 

Bottom picture courtesy of 

https://drrajivdesaimd.com/2017/10/28/derailment/

Copyright 2025