The James Farm Reunion 2025 by G.C. Stevens (c) 2025

 

James Farm, Jesse James birthplace photo taken by the Author

On October 4th, 2025, I had the great honor to being invited to speak at the James Farm reunion to talk about the Train robbery in Adair Iowa in 1873. I was one of five speakers who gave presentations at the James Farm. The presenters were Frank & Cole, Buffalo Soldier George Pettigrew, Author Richard Gooch and me. It was a beautiful day for a reunion in the hills of western Missouri. I am especially grateful to Laura Ganschow Dellinger, and Bryan Ivlow  who helped to make my presentation possible. The James Farm is a beautifully preserved and well-maintained historic site, that helps to preserve and interpret a turbulent time in American history. While there, I took the opportunity to take a lot of photos which are included below. The museum also contains many important artifacts related to Jesse James and the James family. The museum is located in Kearny Missouri and well worth the visit.  

*All photos in the article were taken by the Author.

G.C. Stevens

   James Farm information   

 

  Friends of the James Farm     

                                                                                                                                      

While there, I just had to purchase the traditional "James Farm Pepple"

James Farm Reunion Flyer

The former resting place of Jesse James

Author Richard Gooch, talks about his up-coming book on Frank James and 

the last thirty-one years of Franks life.

Saddle Belonging to Jesse James

Saddle of Mrs. Frank James

   Saddle Belonging to Frank James

Photo of Jesse James Next to his personal effects which were 

donated to the James Fame, by Ethyl Rose Owens granddaughter of

 Jesse James and James R. Ross great grandson of Jesse James                                            

 

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Personal effect of Jesse James #2 and description of the artifacts #1 which were 

donated to the James Farm, by Ethyl Rose Owens granddaughter of Jesse James

and James R. Ross great grandson of Jesse James.                                                

Buffalo Soldier George Pettigrew: Gives a talk on the front porch of the James
farm house. His talk is about the Battle of Island Mound Missouri and

Buffalo Soldiers of the American West..

Me having a chat with Frank James and Cole Younger. I'm asking Frank

about the train robbery in Adair Iowa. He denied being there.

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Frank and Cole tells stories of Jesse and Frank James and the civil war and their outlaw

 career.

Photo Courtesy of 

John Wayne, The Searchers an Enduring Film, ... By GC Stevens

The Enduring Legacy of 

John Wayne in,

"The Searchers"

  Video Courtesy of Lucas Cavanaugh

John Wayne's portrayal in the 1956 Western masterpiece The Searchers was directed by the famed Director John Ford. The film remains one of American cinema's most profound and iconic explorations of vengeance, frontier warfare and redemption. Wayne stars as Ethan Edwards, a hardened Confederate Civil War veteran who embarks on a relentless quest to rescue his niece, Debbie (Natalie Wood), a victim of an Indian attack who is abducted by Comanche raiders who massacre his brother's family. Debbie is stolen away but not forgotten by the settlers and family who loved her. The years pass across the harsh Texas frontier, as Ethan and Martin (Pawley) Debbie's half-brother, played by Actor Jeffrey Hunter, search for multiple seasons and years to find Debbie. Martin and Ethan find themselves frequently locked in a war of words, loyalty and morals, as the navigate a very rough hostile environment, trying save their kin folk. As the film delves into Ethan's love of family, and burning anger blurs the lines of peace in a difficult time as he seeks to recover his lost and endangered family member.  Ford's brilliant eye and vivid Technicolor landscapes of the deserts of the "American west" and Wayne's intensity, lights the fire of a tale beyond typical Western films. 

 Ethan's journey is fraught with moral ambiguity; his initial intent to kill Debbie, viewing her as "tainted" by her captors, evolves into a forgiving Christian act of mercy. This culminates in the film's unforgettable final scene, a masterstroke of visual storytelling that cements Wayne's iconic status. As Ethan returns with the rescued Debbie and miraculously reunites with her adoptive family inside the Jorgensen homestead, Ethan then lingers in the doorway, framed by the wooden threshold like a humble man and a knight of old. The camera captures Wayne's weathered face in profile, with left arm gripping his right arm. A nod to Actor Harry Carey. John Wayne's massive silhouette dwarfed by the vast, unforgiving desert beyond. Ethan perhaps too scarred by war, on the frontier and in the civil war, fades into the background like so many patriots and hero's of the past have done and men with stoic character hold their anguish on the inside. A God given right.

G.C. Stevens

Fort Dodge Museum IA. Opera House Vendor Show

 

Greetings from the Fort Dodge Iowa Fort Museum. 

Dusty Trails Books is set up! Meeting lots of nice folks here in Fort Dodge Iowa!

The Death of Charlie Kirk By G C. Stevens

 

THE CENTRAL STATES LAWMAN & OUTLAWS HISTORIC ASSOCIATION 

It is with a very heavy heart that I must report that Conservative Legend Charlie Kirk has been assassinated.  From my family to his. our deepest felt condolences, and Christian prayers go out to you. We are praying for all of you, and the decent people in this country who have suffered the yoke of oppression long enough.

 God Bless Our Republic.

G.C. Stevens

Wild West Photos, RPPCs, Reprints, prop-cards. and Linen Post Cards: Billy the Kid cards

 Grouping #2

Billy the Kid Linen PC. Genuine Curteigh Chicago PC Co. (L), Sheriff Pat Garrett, prop-card (M) Billy the Kid  Rppc L.L. Cook Co Milwaukee (R) 

      BACK
Info:

Over the last few years, I have acquired several hundred Frontier / Wild West related Photos. The collection consists of RPPC (Real Photo Post Cards) Older linen post cards, reprints, prop-cards and collectable western cards.  All photos here are the property of the author and the Central States Lawman and Outlaws Historic Assn. (c) 

Wild West Photos, In RPPC, Linen Post Cards and reprints By G.C. Stevens

Grouping #1

Over the last few years, I have acquired several hundred Frontier / Wild West related Photos. The collection consists of RPPC (Real Photo Post Cards) Older linen post cards, reprints, prop-cards and collectable western cards.  All photos here are the property of the author and the Central States Lawman and Outlaws Historic Assn. (c) 

Calamity Jane Post Card by Kustom Quality

Luke Short (Reprint- L) Oscar Suborn (R) Oscar Suborns photo was a card related to a set of cards dedicated to Jesse James and the Bank Robbery in Northfield Minnesota. According to the description on the back of the card, Suborn is credited with spotting the Younger brothers in Madelia Mn. The post card was produced by AZUSA 

The "Wild Bunch" RPPC by Kustom Quality

The Dodge City Peace Commission, Post card, postmarked May 5th, 1958, Dodge City

Death Photo Dalton Gang, date unknown Silvercraft postcard

Doc Holliday, reprint

 

Talking Bonnie and Clyde In Iowa, with History Delights

 I joined Tom Shaw and Kevin Schmitt of History Delights to talk about my book "They Died Holding Their Guns, The Barrow Gang Scrap Book."

Correction; In the video, I mention Polk County, But the shootout at Dexfield Park 

occurred in Dallas County Iowa. 

                                              $18.99 Available on ebay 

THE WESTERN GENRE LIVES: New Over The Air Digital TV Channel: "WEST" Western Entertainment Series Television

The Western Genre Lives on!

I was skimming through the channels on Over The Air TV, in the Des Moines Iowa area, when I ran into a looped video ad on channel 45-5 for a new OTA digital channel, called "WEST" Western Entertainment Series Television. The video ad, tells us that the channel will have a full complement (over 30) of made for TV western series including:

"GUN SMOKE, WAGON TRAIN, MAVERICK, RAW HIDE, HIGH CHAPPAREL, BONANZA, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, WANTED DEAD OF LIVE, AND MORE."

The tales of American West and western genre is too tough to die !

The channel is scheduled to go live in late September 2025! 

Photos taken by the author

Frontier Tales: Mr. Howard Goes West: By G.C. Stevens

 

Hey Pards!

Stop by FRONTIER TALES and check out my short story which is a fictionalized account of the Jesse James Train Robbery in Adair Iowa, called Mr. Howard Goes West!

Mr. Howard Goes West 

By G.C. Stevens

Drawings by Leah McCarty

Jesse James living and postmortem drawings. 

From the Authors Collection

The Jesse James train robbery monument located near Adair Iowa

Photo by the author